Teachers needed: Just days before the school year begins, school districts in west-central Florida still need hundreds of teachers. Hillsborough County has the most openings, 205. Pasco needs 128, Polk more than 110 and Sarasota, Hernando and Citrus counties are also hiring. Pinellas County has just seven jobs left to fill. “You have 67 public school districts in Florida, so we're all competing for that same small group of students that are graduating from Florida universities and colleges,” says Teddra Porteous, assistant superintendent in Polk County. WFTS. WTSP. Lakeland Ledger. WFLA.
Spending analysis: The Duval County School Board delays an outside audit of the district's spending, opting first to have the board auditor and district staff do an analysis of how the district spent $21 million more than it was budgeted to last year. Two state representatives had asked for an audit, which board members rejected. Now those members are saying they will likely have an outside audit done after the spending analysis. Board chairwoman Paula Wright says the first analysis should be able to narrow the focus of the second, which should lower its cost. Florida Times-Union.
School recess: Elementary students in Pasco will get their 20 minutes of free, unstructured recess every day. The district's new student progression plan calls for "at least 100 minutes of supervised, safe, and unstructured free-play recess each week for students in kindergarten through grade 5 so that there are at least 20 consecutive minutes of free-play recess per day," according to the plan. Decisions on how to make that happen will be made by each school's principal. Gradebook.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart addresses the Florida Board of Education during a turnaround discussion Monday.
This spring, Florida's smallest school district launched an unprecedented turnaround effort led by a charter school organization.
But Jefferson County schools may not be alone for long.
On Monday the Florida Board of Education asked three North Florida school districts to revise plans to turn around long-struggling schools. It was the first batch of turnaround efforts the board reviewed under a sweeping new law.
The revised plans could soon bring charter school operators to other high-poverty rural communities.
Gov. Rick Scott signed HB 7069 last month. It overhauls the turnaround options available to schools that earn F's or multiple D's under the state's grading system. Districts now have less time to turn those schools around themselves. If they fall short, they have three options:
Most public schools avoided the new law's consequences. Stewart noted repeatedly that, of 42 schools that presented turnaround plans last year, 71 percent improved to C's or higher.
Monday's state board meeting offered a glimpse of what could be in store for the remaining 29 percent of persistently low-performing schools if they don't improve, quickly.
Charter could be coming to Gadsden (more…)
Education bill: The Florida Association of School Boards has already urged Gov. Rick Scott to veto the Legislature's education bill, H.B. 7069. Now the group says it wants Scott to also veto the proposed Florida Education Fund Program, which sets per-student spending. The board says 90 percent of the the $240 million increase in the program will go for school enrollment growth and increased retirement plan contributions, and what is left is not enough to "adequately serve our students." Gradebook. News Service of Florida. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, praises Rep. Roy Hardemon, D-Miami, for being the only Democrat in the Legislature to vote for the education bill. Miami Herald.
Bright Futures: The boost in money for Bright Futures scholarship winners in the education bill would expand the program significantly, but it also renews concerns about fairness in who qualifies. In 2015, about 51,200 students were eligible. Less than 4 percent were black, and 20 percent were Hispanic. "When you pour most of your money into your top-tier scholarship, you are giving that money to upper-middle-class white kids," says Bob Schaeffer of FairTest, a nonprofit advocacy organization. Tampa Bay Times.
Certification tests defended: Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart says the state's teacher certification exams are useful and appropriate, despite failure rates of 30 percent on some portions and the escalating costs to the test-takers. "We have a lot of research that shows the exams are not flawed," said Stewart. "I think it’s a reflection of we’ve raised standards for students and, consequently, we need to raise standards for teachers and make sure that they are experts in the content area that they’re teaching." WFTS.
Daily recess: All public K-5 elementary school students in Marion County will get 20 minutes of recess every day, starting in the fall. Superintendent Heidi Maier made recess an issue in her campaign for the job last fall, and in following through, she wrote: “It is the right thing to do. We have the research which shows recess is needed for kids to retain information.” Ocala Star Banner. (more…)
Education bills: House leaders are considering changing the so-called "schools of hope" legislation to allow school districts to compete with charter school companies for part of the $200 million fund created by the bill. Originally, the bill was conceived as a way to recruit highly regarded charter companies to open schools in areas with persistently low-performing traditional public schools. “What we’re arguing for is an equitable playing field, where we would have the ability to be able to compete for the dollars that are set aside,” said Broward School Superintendent Robert Runcie, who helped pitch the plan to legislators. Politico Florida. A Senate committee spent just nine minutes to describe, amend and approve its version of the "schools of hope" bill. “These issues have been discussed around here, and we’re just putting them in the conference posture,” says Senate Appropriations chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater. Miami Herald. School officials expect the "education train" bill to continue to morph in the final days of the legislative session, which could mean further changes to the state's standardized testing. St. Augustine Record.
Budget discussions: Negotiations continue between Senate and House leaders on an $83 billion budget, and details are slowly emerging. The proposed deal allots $200 million for the "schools of hope" proposal and $200 million to expand the Best and Brightest teacher bonuses program, but won't allow increases in property tax revenue for schools. Per-student spending would be increased only slightly. But, says Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, "It would be a mistake to only count in the education budget what comes directly through the FEFP (Florida Education Finance Program, the formula that determine per-student spending). I think there are other educational opportunities that we'll give to our constituents, and I think that improves the overall quality of our system." Florida Politics. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. The budget agreement comes only after extensive one-on-one talks between Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes. Tampa Bay Times.
Title I concerns: School officials and educational consultants have concerns about the way the Florida House education bill would distribute federal Title I funds, which are intended to help low-income students. The House bill calls for Title I funds to be spread more evenly among schools, including charters. Cheryl Sattler, a Tallahassee consultant on federal education funding, says the bill would mean fewer dollars for children in low-income schools and fewer resources for preschools. "Low-achieving schools couldn't expect help," she says, "so they will stay low-performing." Gradebook.
Financial literacy: The Senate passes a bill requiring Florida students to take a financial literacy course to graduate from high school. Senators name it the "Dorothy L. Hukill Financial Literacy Education Act" to honor the Republican senator from Port Orange, who has missed the session as she has undergoes cancer treatment. “This has been a bill that Sen. Hukill’s worked on since the day she came to the Florida Senate. I can’t even count the number of conversations that I have had with her about this bill since she’s been here with us,” said Sen. Jack Latvala. Florida Politics. WFTV. News Service of Florida. (more…)
Graduation investigation: The Florida Department of Education launches an investigation to see if school districts are dumping struggling students in their senior years into alternative schools to improve the graduation rates at traditional high schools. Last month, the investigative news website ProPublica reported that alternative schools in the Orange County School District are used as "release valves" that take in students unlikely to graduate. State Board of Education member Gary Chartrand described the report as a “very serious allegation,” and Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said, “It’s critical that every decision is made with the best interest of the students in mind.” Associated Press. Orlando Sentinel. WFSU. Politico Florida.
Charter capital funding: The Florida Board of Education adopts rules that would deny construction funds to charter schools that received two consecutive grades below a C from the state, starting in the 2017-2018 school year. Board members say they are simply trying to follow state law, which requires charter schools to show “satisfactory student achievement” to be eligible for capital funding from the state. Members of the Florida Association of Independent Public Schools, who challenged the rules before with state’s administrative law court, don't like these revisions either. “This seems like deja vu all over again,” said Mark Gotz, the president of School Development Group. “Charter schools are public schools and need to be treated equally and equitably.” redefinED. Gradebook. Politico Florida.
Charter district: The plan to turn over operations of the struggling Jefferson County School District to a charter company is approved by the Florida Board of Education. The Jefferson board and Somerset Academy are expected to finalize a contract in April, with the charter company opening the county's elementary, middle and high schools at a single location in August. Jefferson will become the first all-charter district in the state. WFSU. Tallahassee Democrat. Politico Florida.
More from state board: Department of Education officials tell the Florida Board of Education that they are proposing several amendments to the state's rules on English-language learners (ELL) to adjust to new federal standards. One of the changes would lower the proficiency levels required for ELL students, which some critics think could push those students out of the program before they are ready. The board will vote on the proposed changes at its next meeting. Gradebook. The state board also approves a pilot program that would give select principals in seven counties greater autonomy over the operations at their schools. Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Duval, Jefferson, Madison and Seminole counties will participate. redefinED. (more…)
Legislative session: Vouchers, recess and capital funding for charter schools are among the hot education topics in this year's legislative session, which begins Tuesday. Sunshine State News. School testing will again be a prominent issue during the session. Several bills have been filed to cut back on the number of tests, and to give options to the Florida Standards Assessments. News Service of Florida. Teacher bonuses are among the key education issues that will be debated by the Legislature. Tallahassee Democrat. The way the state calculates school funding may get another look from lawmakers this year. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Lake County school leaders say they oppose school vouchers, worry about recruiting and retaining teachers and don't like the state's current standardized testing process. Superintendent Diane Kornegay, school board member Kristi Burns and teachers union president Stuart Klatte made the remarks at an education forum last week. Daily Commercial. The Polk County School District is asking legislators to close the gap in per-student funding among districts. Polk ranked 64th out of 67 in per-student funding from the state this school year. Winter Haven News Chief. Senate and House leaders come to an agreement on the rules for the budget-making process for the legislative session. Tampa Bay Times. Politico Florida.
Trump's visit: President Donald Trump praises students and educators at St. Andrew Catholic School during a visit Friday. Trump used the stop to promote school choice, and urged members of Congress to pass a bill to fund school choice for disadvantaged young people, including minority children. Orlando Sentinel. Catholic News Agency. Associated Press. WCSI. WFTV. Fox News. New York Times. News 13. redefinED. A profile of Denisha Merriweather, the University of South Florida graduate student who was held up by the president as an example of how school choice can help struggling students succeed. Washington Post.
Commission choices: Gov. Rick Scott appoints 14 people to the state Constitution Revision Commission. Several of the appointees have ties to education: Pam Stewart, Florida education commissioner; Marva Johnson, state Board of Education chairwoman; Nicole Washington, a trustee at Florida A&M University; Belinda Keiser, vice chancellor of Keiser University; Darlene Jordan, a member of the state university system’s Board of Governors; and Jose “Pepe” Armas, a trustee for Florida International University. Politico Florida. Gradebook. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida. Miami Herald. (more…)
Bright Futures: The proposed expansion of Bright Futures scholarships is moving in two directions within the Florida Senate. Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, wants to expand the scholarships for high-achieving students to cover full tuition and fees, and to allow them to use the money for summer classes. S.B. 2, which incorporates those proposals and more, was passed Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education. Meanwhile, Gov. Rick Scott's proposal would allow all students with Bright Futures scholarships to use the money for summer classes. It's been endorsed by former Senate president Tom Lee, R-Brandon. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. Florida Politics.
Capital funding: Public school superintendents and charter schools leaders share ideas with legislators on how to improve the way the state hands out capital funding. Both say more money is needed for infrastructure and repairs. Superintendents also are asking for more flexibility on how they use the available money, while charter leaders are lobbying for a more equitable and consistent share from the state. Politico Florida. redefinED.
Testing participation: The definition of testing participation could play a role in an appeal court's decision on a lawsuit challenging the state's retention policy for third-graders. The law on what constitutes student participation is not clearly spelled out, and those suing the state say that ambiguity is leading districts to formulate their own rules, resulting in unequal treatment of students across districts. Gradebook.
Testing questions: Members of the Florida House committee on school policy question whether the downside of frequent, standardized testing and giving schools grades outweigh the benefits of the testing. State Department of Education officials say stability in the testing and assessing school grades are crucial to accountability. "We can't assess ourselves into greatness," State Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has said. "But we also won't be great if we don't know how our students are performing." Sun-Sentinel. (more…)
Ideas to cut education: If Florida has to cut its PreK-12 education budget, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart says it should end the teacher bonuses and student uniform programs, public broadcasting and many local programs. Stewart was participating in a "what-if" scenario in which the education budget is cut 10 percent. She said one recommendation to cut per pupil spending from $7,204 to $6,943 would have a direct impact on students through staff layoffs and fewer services at schools. The House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee meets again Feb. 9. Gradebook.
School choice: School choice advocates in the Florida House say 2017 is their year to make "transformational" gains in choice for the state. "What you're seeing right now is an opportunity for us to really blow open some of those school choice opportunities, blow open some of those opportunities that may be outside the box that everyone is always trying to block," House Pre-K-12 education budget chairman Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, said. He was speaking at an event marking National School Choice Week. Miami Herald. While it is National School Choice Week, at least one Gainesville teacher is pushing back by calling on the mayor to instead declare it Gainesville Public Schools Week. “The recognition of school choice is a recognition of a system that is attempting to dismantle our public school system,” says Jennifer Kelly, a fourth-grade teacher at Littlewood Elementary. WUFT.
Employees honored: Rudolfo Diaz, a TV production teacher at South Miami High School, is named teacher of the year in Miami-Dade County. Miami Herald. Holly Hill School principal Jeff Reaves is named Florida's 2017 Innovative Principal of the Year by the Florida Council of Instructional Technology Leaders. He won for his work as principal at Edgewater Public School, where he started coding and robotics clubs, computer and programming courses. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
School threat averted: Two teens are arrested and accused of planning a Columbine-like attack for today on the Villages Charter Middle School. The boys, 13 and 14, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Sumter County sheriff's deputies say the boys admitted planning an attack, and guns were found at their homes. Orlando Sentinel. WKMG. Daily Commercial. WTSP. Villages-News. Two students are arrested with a stun gun on the campus of First Coast High School in Duval County, according to school police. WJAX. (more…)
A school district in rural North Florida is in dire straits, prompting state education officials to grapple with unprecedented questions. What happens when a school district can no longer operate its own schools?
That possibility came into view Tuesday, when the state Board of Education, for the third time, rejected a plan by the Jefferson County school district to turn around a persistently struggling school.
Jefferson County Elementary School is currently rated a D under the state grading system, and hasn't earned a C since 2009. Citing that grim track record, lingering staff vacancies and an ongoing financial emergency, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said, "I am truly of the opinion that the district lacks the ability" to turn around the situation on its own.
Florida K-12 Schools Chancellor Hershel Lyons explains Jefferson County's struggles to the state Board of Education.
She asked the district to choose a new plan from among three options: Recruit a charter school operator to take over the elementary school, bring in an outside company to operate it, or close the school and send students elsewhere.
"I think when we do one of those three things, our students in Jefferson County will be the beneficiaries, and that is the ultimate goal, and what we are charged with doing," Stewart said.
The district only has one elementary school, so any of those options would take it out of the business of running elementary schools altogether.
The future of Jefferson's combined middle-high school is also in question. The state board previously approved its turnaround plan, but Stewart said she had doubts the district was following through, and that it hadn't hired a principal with bona fide turnaround experience. As a result, she said, the board might consider similar options for Jefferson's secondary students at a future meeting.
Jefferson County is an outlier in many ways. It has the lowest student achievement in the state. Hershel Lyons, the state's chancellor for K-12 schools, said more than half of its high school students had been forced to repeat more than two grades. Jefferson has one of the state's highest poverty rates. Its student population has shrunk by an unparalleled 30 percent in five years. It is now Florida's smallest school district. It has the highest rate of private school enrollment in the state, and other parents have moved their kids to neighboring districts.
Despite having the state's second-highest rate of per-pupil spending, it's pulling itself back from the brink of financial crisis. Its finances are under the supervision of a volunteer emergency board. (more…)
School suspensions: Florida Education Secretary Pam Stewart is talking with school superintendents about ways to cut down on out-of-school suspensions and on the disparity of suspensions by race. Almost 165,000 students received out-of-school suspensions in the 2014-2015 school year, and about 43 percent of them were black. Black students make up about 23 percent of the state's student population. “That’s one of the areas that I think will make a huge impact and make a difference and actually improve education in Florida,” Stewart said. Politico Florida.
District's last choice: The Florida Department of Education rejects a turnaround plan for Jefferson County schools for a third time. The district now has until Feb. 16 to choose from three offered options: It can close the schools, hire an external operator or let a charter company run the district. Jefferson County has just two schools and 700 students. Tallahassee Democrat. WFSU.
DeVos hearing: In her confirmation hearing to become U.S. education secretary, Betsy DeVos says she will be "a strong advocate for great public schools," but "if a school is troubled, or unsafe, or not a good fit for a child — perhaps they have a special need that is going unmet — we should support a parent's right to enroll their child in a high-quality alternative." Associated Press.
Clay suspends testing: New Clay County School Superintendent Addison Davis suspends all district-level assessment testing, effective immediately. He says he wants to give teachers more time with students in the classroom. "This is nothing that is going to hinder their learning," Davis told WJAX. "It's just going to provide more time for our teachers to problem-solve, to have small group instruction and to work with our students one-on-one." Gradebook. (more…)
