Testing. The Florida Senate approves a testing and accountability overhaul. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. Scripps/Tribune. The state of the state's testing regime draws some choice words from lawmakers. Miami Herald. The testing bill would also allow districts to move up school start dates. Orlando Sentinel.
Charter schools. A provision aimed at luring out-of-state operators is stripped from Senate charters and choice legislation. Miami Herald. Hillsborough holds an orientation for charter school operators. Gradebook. A district probe of an Escambia charter school is more complex than mere grade tampering. Pensacola News-Journal.
Uniforms. Do they help student outcomes? PoltiFact.
Early learning. Duval's Head Start program makes improvements. Florida Times-Union.
Teacher pay. A new Polk teacher contract awaits ratification. Lakeland Ledger.
Security. North Florida school administrators oppose arming school employees. Panama City News Herald.
Rep. Chris Sprowls
School districts and their representatives raised a number of logistical issues as a Florida House panel advanced a bill that would expand public school choice and give students more freedom to cross district lines.
It seems like a simple concept: Allow parents to enroll their children in any public school where there's room.
The bill cleared the K-12 Subcommittee with bipartisan support, but not before its sponsor, Rep. Chris Sprowls, a freshman Republican from Palm Harbor, fielded a litany of questions about how it would affect everything from funding to high school athletics.
Ruth Melton of the Florida School Boards Association praised the idea of promoting school choice among districts, but suggested lawmakers look for more ways to accommodate low-income families who want to take advantage of the bill.
"There are a number of concerns," she said, "... but none of them insurmountable."
Here's a rundown of some of the issues that came up:
Why?
Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, wanted to know what the "rationale" was for allowing students to attend public schools across district lines.
Sprowls' short answer: "Opportunity, sir."
He elaborated: "We can't always choose where we come from, what neighborhood we're born into. But what we can do as a Legislature is do what we're trying to do with this bill, to empower parents, regardless of where they come from or what neighborhood that they're in. It's to give their child an opportunity. That opportunity, hopefully, is right down the street. But if it's across the bridge, in another school district, they'll have that opportunity as well."
Charter schools. Florida gets good marks for its charter school policies (and its teacher pension system). Gradebook. Charter Schools USA is growing as a company. Sun-Sentinel.
State chiefs. Turnover is on the rise at the top of state education departments around the country, and Florida has recently been no exception. Education Week.
School choice. The Daily Caller and Watchdog.org take new looks at Florida's most recent school choice legislation and programs. Naples celebrates School Choice Week. Naples Daily News.
Testing. Opting out is not an option in Florida. Florida Today. The Pinellas school board joins the chorus calling for state testing changes. Tampa Bay Times.
Finance. The Lee County School Board plans a tax referendum to finance the construction of new schools. Fort Myers News-Press. The Broward school board approves a panel to oversee spending of the proceeds of a bond referendum. Sun-Sentinel. Polk's bond rating improves. Lakeland Ledger.
Special needs. Specialized library programs help children with autism. Orlando Sentinel.
Superintendents. The Palm Beach superintendent saga continues, as Wayne Gent is named a finalist for the top job in a nearby district. Palm Beach Post. More from the Post here and here. Volusia's superintendent retires ahead of schedule. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Superintendents. It's not elected-vs-appointed that matters; it's the quality of leadership, state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, writes in the Pensacola News-Journal. Palm Beach school board members are incensed that their superintendent is job-hunting in nearby districts. Palm Beach Post. Duval Superintedent Nikolai Vitti gives the school board his self-evaluation. Florida Times-Union. Volusia's superintendent is expected to resign tonight. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Testing. Florida students cannot legally opt out of standardized testing. Orlando Sentinel.
STEM. A Central Florida private school students wins recognition for science research. Orlando Sentinel. Gov. Rick Scott promotes STEM programs in the Panhandle. Pensacola News-Journal.
School recognition. Marion schools receive their share of state school recognition funding. Ocala Star-Banner.
PLSAs. Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts helped a fifth grader with special needs achieve independence, his mother writes on the EdFly. The program is administered by organizations like Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog and employs the author of this post.
Charter schools. New checks on charter schools join testing among South Florida districts' top legislative priorities. Sun-Sentinel.
Curriculum. A showdown over textbooks in Collier schools could be a preview of controversies elsewhere. Naples Daily News.
Teachers. The first year in the classroom proves exhausting but fulfilling for a teacher profiled by the Orlando Sentinel in an article highlighting challenges with teacher turnover. Orange County teachers will get raises and bonuses under a new contract. Orlando Sentinel.
Superintendents. Hillsborough Superintedent MaryEllen Elia faces political pressure despite winning plaudits from her peers around the country. Tampa Bay Times. Her potential ouster could cost the district $1 million. Tampa Tribune. Tampa Bay Times. Accolades don't always insulate district leaders from hostile school boards. Tampa Bay Times. A one-month contract extension could net Palm Beach's superintendent $19,000 in pension benefits. Palm Beach Post.
Testing. People who support school choice but oppose parents opting out of high-stakes tests are being hypocritical, Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano argues. Parents need to help students prepare for new assessments, Gadsden County's superintendent says. Havana Herald, via Gradebook.
STEM. Students at Title I schools in Palm Beach County take part in neuroscience labs. Palm Beach Post.
Allegations. Volusia schools officials investigate allegations that district employees went out for a night on the town paid for by an instructional materials vendor. Daytona Beach News-Journal. An investigation clears Lee County's superintendent of wrongdoing. Fort Myers News-Press.
Tax credit scholarships. Charlie Crist, a staunch supporter of tax credit scholarships in the past, won't denounce the lawsuit filed by the FSBA and FEA to end the program. Miami Herald. The head of the Florida Association of School Administrators explains his support for the suit. Crestview News Bulletin (Hat tip: Gradebook).
School choice. A 'bumper crop of litigation' threatens school choice in Florida. Watchdog.org.
Charter schools. The West Palm Beach mayor and Palm Beach County superintendent will meet to discuss a proposed city-run charter school. Palm Beach Post.
Magnet schools. The Pasco County School District will open its first in 2015, in part to ease overcrowding concerns at other schools. Gradebook.
Virtual school. Florida Virtual School snags an area superintendent from the Orange County School District to be its COO. SchoolZone.
Single-gender classrooms. Ones in the Broward County School District are among those targeted in an ACLU complaint. South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Parents. Dads march in Daytona to show support for their children's education. Daytona Beach News Journal.
Testing. The Palm Beach County School Board opts not to opt out. South Florida Sun Sentinel. Support grows for an Alachua County kindergarten teacher who refuses to administer a standardized test used for diagnostic purposes. Gainesville Sun.
School boards. A new report looks at how much board members are paid, county by county. Gradebook. (more…)
Charter schools. Palm Beach County charter schools say it would be an "injustice" for the school district not to share revenue from a tax levy that helps fund art and music programs. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. An Okaloosa charter school is starting a new program for fourth and fifth graders who struggle in a traditional environment. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Private schools. Palm Beach County officials agree to help a high-priced private school sell tax-free bonds. Palm Beach Post.
Teacher quality. A study finds higher rates of absenteeism among Duval and Orange County teachers. StateImpact. Florida Times-Union. WJCT.
Politics. Gov. Rick Scott and challenger Charlie Crist both twist facts in education-related political attacks. Associated Press. WFTV.
Digital learning. Less than two in five Florida school districts meet state goals for high-speed and wireless Internet access. StateImpact.
Reading instruction. A bill signed this week by Gov. Rick Scott would add extra reading hours in more struggling schools. EdWeek.
Graduation. A Pinellas senior is honored for an academic turnaround. Tampa Tribune. The Pasco school board considers doing away with valedictorians and other traditional honors. Tampa Bay Times. A Duval graduate had to overcome abuse. Florida Times-Union.
Superintendents. Alachua County hires its first black superintendent. Gainesville Sun. The Lee County school approves a contract extension. Naples Daily News. The Flagler school board sets a lower salary for its new hire. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
School boards. Voters could add more members to the Lee County board. Fort Myers News-Press.
Substitutes. The Hillsborough school district plans to outsource substitute teacher assignments. Tampa Tribune.
Contracts. A second Leon County Schools administrator becomes a whistle-blower in an unfolding procurement scandal. Tallahassee Democrat.
Student conduct. A senior prank leads to four arrests in Pinellas. Tampa Bay Times.
Employee conduct. Testimony winds down in a legal fight over an administrator's firing. Bradenton Herald.
Charter schools. Broward County parents consider converting a special needs school into a charter in order to save it. Miami Herald. The SEED school in Miami has chosen a new site for what could become the Florida's first public boarding school, the Herald reports.
Digital learning. Large numbers of Florida high school students still haven't taken the online course that's required before graduation. Orlando Sentinel.
Tax credit scholarships. A Sun-Sentinel column criticizes parental choice programs, and a St. Augustine Record column criticizes tax credit scholarships. Parents seek out scholarships for a reason, Ron Matus writes in the Pensacola News Journal. He is the director of policy and public affairs for Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.
Private schools. One Palm Beach County private school marks its first graduating class, while another bids farewell to its last. Palm Beach Post. A college preparatory Christian school celebrates its first graduation. Bradenton Herald.
Testing. The first round of released FCAT scores shows results are largely flat in the test's final year. Associated Press. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune. Palm Beach Post. St. Augustine Record. Tallahassee Democrat. Scripps. Bradenton Herald. Panama City News Herald. Pensacola News Journal. Tenth graders improve in writing. Orlando Sentinel. Thousands of third graders could be held back. Florida Times-Union. Miami Herald. Teachers in some districts question falling scores. Tampa Bay Times. The FCAT reading test can present a barrier to graduation for students who are learning English. Tampa Tribune.
Desegregation. The end of court-ordered busing raises concerns in Orlando's Parramore neighborhood. Orlando Sentinel. The opening of a new school in the neighborhood could prompt officials to close, the Sentinel reports.
Common Core. StateImpact looks at how the standards could affect creative writing instruction. A group of education foundations backs the standards. Gradebook.
Unions. The Palm Beach County teachers union is preparing for a do-over in its leadership elections. Palm Beach Post.
Facilities. Marion school officials plan to use state capital funds for much-needed repairs. Ocala Star-Banner. The Star-Banner also looks at local charter school funding. Developers have their sights on the Miami-Dade school district headquarters. Miami Herald.
Tax credit scholarships. Florida lawmakers close out their 2014 session by approving legislation that would expand eligibility for the scholarship program and increase regulation of non-profits that administer it, including Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog. Times/Herald. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. WFSU. Florida Current. St. Augustine Record. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano pans the program in another column. Paul Cottle argues he program's lack of testing in science furthers the erosion of Florida's science standards. Bridge to Tomorrow.
Education savings accounts. The bill would create a personal learning scholarship account program for special-needs students, the second of its kind in the county. RedefinED. More from Jay P. Greene's blog.
Legislature. It was a good session for Florida's schools. Times/Herald. The final budget would boost education funding. Scripps/Tribune.
Charter schools. Fox News highlights Charter Schools USA's efforts to start a charter school on MacDill Air Force Base.
Open enrollment. Marion County schools consider universal choice. Ocala Star-Banner.
Testing. Some students pass their time during FCAT season by watching movies or playing games. Miami Herald. Florida prepares for the FCAT's replacement. Gainesville Sun. Storm-battered Panhandle schools get extra testing days. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Teacher quality. The Tampa Tribune tracks down Hillsborough's "highly effective" teachers.
Special needs. Special needs students in Flagler County perform better in math than in reading. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Graduation requirements. One bill passed this session would clear up confusion over high school graduation requirements. StateImpact.
Budgets. Brevard school closure plans are not yet contained in public records. Florida Today. Manatee Schools officials need to come up with $9.3 million to shore up their reserves. Bradenton Herald. Hernando schools officials plan a sales tax referendum to fund facilities. Tampa Bay Times.
Year-round school. An idea worth considering, Palm Beach County school board members say. Palm Beach Post.
Gardens. Students at a Manatee County high school growth their own salad. Bradenton Herald.
Transportation. A district consultant says Hillsborough's school bus system is at a "breaking point." Tampa Bay Times.
Tax credit scholarships. Parents of children who receive scholarships answer critics in the Florida Times-Union and the Ocala Star-Banner. The program enhances public education, Doug Tuthill writes in the Miami Herald. He is the president of Step Up for Students, which co-hosts this blog. The president of the Alachua County League of Women Voters criticizes charters and vouchers in the Gainesville Sun. A school board member also criticizes tax credit scholarships in the Sun, focusing on religious education. State standardized testing requirements won't appease all critics, but they might help the program in the long run, Paul Cottle writes at Bridge to Tomorrow.
School choice. Private and charter schools compete with magnet and career education programs in Palm Beach County, fueling a drive to create new options. Palm Beach Post.
Charter schools. Hillsborough officials are scrutinizing the boards that oversee schools managed by Charter Schools USA as lawmakers debate charter legislation. Tampa Tribune. The management group Academica faces federal scrutiny. Miami Herald. The Volusia County school district prepares to end a long legal battle with a failed charter school. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Dropout prevention. Pinellas schools plan a new alternative school aimed at at-risk students. Tampa Tribune.
Digital learning. Replacing old computers won't be cheap for Marion County schools. Ocala Star-Banner. Technology helps a Southwest Florida teacher enhance instruction. Naples Daily News.
Discipline. Kindergarten students face increased suspensions, which disproportionately affect minorities. Florida Times-Union.
Testing. A computer glitch affects FCAT administration in Miami-Dade schools. Miami Herald. A group of parents and teachers protests high-stakes testing. Fort Myers News-Press. Even at the height of FCAT season, educators say kids need a chance to get outside and play. Tampa Bay Times.
