Open enrollment. Parents debate Duval County's open enrollment proposal at community meetings in Jacksonville. Florida Times-Union.

Charter Schools. A Senate panel scales back legislation aimed at easing their expansion. News Service of Florida. Gradebook. State Sen. Dwight Bullard pans charters on MSNBC's Ed Show.

Magnet schools. Demand for new Pinellas County programs is high. Tampa Tribune.

Cultural exchange. Students at a Hernando County K-8 science academy embark on a cultural exchange with Chinese middle schoolers. Tampa Bay Times.

Funding. Sarasota voters overwhelmingly back the renewal of a tax to fund schools. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Testing. The switch to computerized grading of student essays could eventually eliminate the need for statewide, standardized writing tests. StateImpact.

Class Size. Lake County avoids state fines for violating the caps. Orlando Sentinel. A Sentinel columnist pans the move. Florida Tax Watch calls for an overhaul of class-size rules. Gradebook.

Unions. Pasco County school employees file a complaint with their school district. Tampa Bay Times.

Special Needs. Hillsborough County looks for ways to accommodate special needs students on their bus rides. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune.

Tax credit scholarships. The Orlando Sentinel editorializes against the proposed expansion, largely using the editorial written by its sister paper, the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano calls it a continuation of the "systematic decimation of Florida public schools." The Tampa Tribune gives it a thumbs up, writing: "Supporting school choice is a smart policy that by no means diminishes the Legislature’s responsibility to adequately fund public schools, which will remain the first choice of most families." (Full disclosure: the program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.)

School choice. In an Associated Press rundown of Florida education legislation this year, the Florida PTA takes aim at bills to expand charter schools and tax credit scholarships, saying they amount to "chunks being broken away from our public school system."

Charter schools. The Orange and Seminole school districts consider whether to continue to try and fight the opening of four proposed Charter Schools USA schools in their districts. Orlando Sentinel. Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie ushers in a "new era of collaboration and cooperation" with charter schools. Education Week.

Catholic schools. Several schools in the Diocese of Venice system are looking for new principals. Fort Myers News Press.

School grades. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning pitches a more complicated system, not a simpler one. Gradebook.

School boards. Gov. Rick Scott fills a vacancy on the Broward board. Miami Herald. South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Superintendents. Interim super Hershel Lyons throws his hat in to the ring for the Alachua opening. Gainesville Sun.

Legislature. The Sarasota Herald Tribune highlights the major ed issues for the session that starts Tuesday. In their roundups, the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times erroneously report (as other outlets have in recent weeks) that lawmakers are for the first time proposing that tax credit scholarship students take standardized tests. (They've been required by law since 2006 to take state-approved standardized tests.) (more…)

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School is developing an online course for teachers about online teaching. Getting Smart.

Magnet schools. Raising re-segregation concerns? ActionNewsJax.com.

Career academies. Alachua holds its annual forum. Gainesville Sun.

Charter schools. A charter school in Palm Beach County is starting a STEAM Academy. Palm Beach Post.

Common Core. So PARCC maybe sorta kinda isn't really out of the running after all. Education Week. Common Core critics continue to push. Gradebook. Some conservative groups aim to channel Common Core opposition into school choice support. Politico.

Turnaround schools. State officials see good and not-so-good in Pinellas. Gradebook.

School spending. Manatee puts together a comprehensive plan to address fiscal errors identified in audits. Sarasota Herald Tribune.

School facilities. Parents at a Sarasota elementary say something at the school is making their kids sick. Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Principals. A Florida TaxWatch analysis lists the six best in the state, based on math and reading gains. Five are in Miami-Dade. Miami Herald. The Buzz. The Florida Current. One's in Pasco. Gradebook. (more…)

Common Core. Common Core opponents begin airing radio ads. Orlando Sentinel.

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School adds some adult classes. Daytona Beach News Journal.

School choice. Application period for district choice programs in Pinellas begins Wednesday. Gradeboook.

School spending. Mo money, mo problems? Gradebook.

School boards. Politicking in Pasco. Gradebook.

School diversity. Community and advocacy groups in Palm Beach County need to better participate in district efforts. Palm Beach Post. The Palm Beach County School Board takes a look at a minority "equity audit" Wednesday. Palm Beach Post.

School facilities. Eight classrooms at a Polk County elementary are being closed because of mold. The Ledger.

School tragedy. Grief counselors help students after a Marion County biology teacher is murdered over the holiday break. Ocala Star Banner.

Science. Looking at "tuberous remains," Flagler County elementary school students work to think like scientists. Daytona Beach News Journal. Leon County students prepare for a robotics competition. Tallahassee Democrat.

Teacher conduct. A Walton County teacher faces a 10-day suspension for alleged disparaging remarks to a student. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Cold. Columbia County schools closed. Gainesville Sun.

Tax credit scholarships. A growing option for families in Pinellas. Tampa Bay Times.

Charter schools. The proposed charter school at MacDill Air Force Base sparks a debate over charter school governance. Tampa Tribune. Polk State College aims to help high school dropouts with a new charter school. The Ledger.

School choice. The Pinellas County School District kicks off its application process this week for district school choice programs such as magnets and career academies. Tampa Bay Times.

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School and other quality online providers are innovative, accountable and getting good results, writes FLVS President & CEO Julie Young in an op-ed for the Fort Myers News Press.

Testing. What's going to replace the FCAT? Education Commissioner Pam Stewart is expected to shed some light on that this week. Florida Current. More from the Tampa Bay Times.

Common Core. Common Core critic Sandra Stotsky is right that Common Core won't prepare students for college majors in science engineering and math, writes FSU Physics Professor Paul Cottle, but saying it shouldn't be implemented because of that is "like saying that you shouldn’t purchase an automobile because it can’t fly." Bridge to Tomorrow. Common Core is among the top issues to watch in 2014. News Service of Florida (via The Buzz).

Tony Bennett. How the charter school grading story unfolded in Indiana. Indianapolis Monthly. (Hat tip: StateImpact Florida).

Teacher pay. The Pasco County School District gets criticized by state auditors, again, for failing to establish differential pay for teachers and administrators. Gradebook. (more…)

Education commissioner. The Florida Board of Education appears poised to hire interim commissioner Pam Stewart to permanently replace Tony Bennett instead of launching the third search in two years. Associated Press. Common Core, school grades and new tests aren't on the agenda. Miami Herald.

Common Core. Lawmakers face growing resistance as they return to Tallahassee next week for the first round of committee hearings in advance of the 2014 session. StateImpact Florida. Common Core will be the bedrock Florida needs for a world-class education, writes former Florida Board of Education member Roberto Martinez in the Miami Herald. The Naples Daily News writes up state Rep. Debbie Mayfield's bill to halt Common Core.

Charter schools. Lawmakers should drop the model charter school contract and give districts more say over charter applications. Orlando Sentinel. The Palm Beach County school district moves to immediately shutter a troubled charter where a student allegedly went missing for a few hours. Palm Beach Post. The Sarasota Military Academy charter school offers a firearm safety course. Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Private schools. A new private school for students with disabilities opens in Sarasota, with student funding coming from McKay vouchers. Bradenton Herald.

Education spending. The Florida Board of Education's proposed budget calls for $15.1 billion in spending next year, $65.3 million less than the current spending plan. StateImpact Florida. The Pasco school board will consider a budget that is $1.079 billion, up 5.11 percent from last year. Gradebook. In Lake, impact fees aren't keeping up with growth. Orlando Sentinel.

Teacher pay. Pinellas Superintendent Mike Grego touts $32 million worth of teacher pay raises this year in a new video. Gradebook. Hillsborough teachers and support staff could get 4 percent raises under a tentative deal with the district. Tampa Tribune. Leon teachers ratify a new contract that includes a $2,182 across-the-board pay raise. Tallahassee Democrat. (more…)

Libraries: Five Miami-Dade County technical school libraries will open to the public starting the first day of school to offset expected budget cuts. Miami Herald.

Back pay: An arbitrator tells the Broward school district it owes high school teachers hours of back pay for teaching an additional class period last school year. Sun Sentinel.

Higher ed: Florida’s next higher education Chancellor will inherit a job that requires a soft touch, keen political savvy and the dexterity to manage many bosses. Miami Herald.

Tony Bennett: His last-minute changes to Indiana's school grading formula benefitted 165 Indiana schools. StateImpact Florida.

School support: Hernando County parents support Eastside Elementary as it works to improve its F grade from the state this year. Tampa Bay Times.

Teachers: StateImpact Florida looks at why teachers leave the classroom.

Business help: Polk County schools Superintendent Kathryn LeRoy pushes businesses to get involved with improving district schools. The Ledger.

School board: Former Duval County School Board member Betty Burney is cleared from any wrongdoing in a vote benefitting a company that once employed her sister. Florida Times-Union. (more…)

Report cards: Palm Beach County second-graders won't see traditional A-F grades on report cards this year as the district moves toward a standard-based system. Sun Sentinel.

Charter schools: There are already 40 charter schools in Palm Beach County, serving 12,000 students, with another 11 set to open this fall. Palm Beach Post.

More magnets: Palm Beach County school board members want more arts high school and middle school magnet programs. Palm Beach Post.

Tony Bennett: Indiana school officials continue to investigate school grading manipulation that could result in changes to that state's system created by Tony Bennett. Associated Press.

Back to school: One of Central Florida's largest back-to-school events, which has drawn 30,000 people, will be held this year at the Citrus Bowl. Orlando Sentinel. 

FCAT: "Don't, don't, don't focus on the FCAT," Pasco County schools Superintendent Kurt Browning tells the staff at Lacoochee Elementary, a D school tapped by the state for a turnaround. "I don't care about FCAT. I don't." Tampa Bay Times.

Teacher conduct: A special-education specialist fired for her role in a high-profile scandal is reinstated by the Miami-Dade School Board. Miami Herald. Another Manatee County school administrator is placed on paid leave during an ongoing investigation into a former football coach accused of groping students. The Tampa Tribune. More from the Bradenton Herald.

Library cuts: The Miami-Dade School Board may open some of the district’s libraries after hours to offset the closure of some 14 facilities. Miami Herald. (more…)

Common Core: Protesters gather at a Broward County School Board meeting to show they don't support the new Common Core education standards. Miami Herald. State Rep. Janet Adkins, R-Fernandina Beach, organizes a panel to talk about education reform and Common Core. Florida Times-Union. Step Up For Students' vice president of student learning talks about why private schools are signing on for the measures. Education Week.

Bennett and school grades: Former Florida Sen. Paula Dockery shares her thoughts about Tony Bennett and school grades, asking "Isn't it time for an honest conversation on doing away with a school-grading system that is costly, divisive and unreliable?'' The Ledger.

Conduct: A Rodgers Middle School assistant principal fights for his job after the Hillsborough County school district fired him following the death of a special-needs student at his school. Tampa Bay Times. More from The Tampa Tribune.

Debit cards: Leon County joins other school districts that won't be offering teacher debit cards issued by Gov. Scott. Tallahassee Democrat.

Extended day: Broward County joins the list of districts where low-performing schools will offer students an additional hour of class time. Sun Sentinel. Palm Beach County will spend $7 million to add an hour to the school day at four low-performing schools. Palm Beach Post.

School funding: The half-cent sales tax is the only funding source the district has for capital projects, writes Shannon Nickinson for the Pensacola News Journal.

Charter schools: Pasco County gets its first virtual charter school, Florida Virtual Academy of Pasco. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)

Parent focus: Lincoln Park Elementary Principal Cassandra Smith plans to work closely with parents at the turnaround school in Escambia County. Pensacola News Journal.

School spending: Manatee County School Board members meet tonight to consider a 2.16 percent increase to this year's tax levy to help bring in more money for the district. Bradenton Herald. Palm Beach County teachers will get raises and elementary schools will get 24 new police officers under a tentative $1.6 billion budget. Sun-Sentinel. And Palm Beach school board members don't like that an advisory committee didn't get to review the entire budget. Palm Beach Post. Teacher raises, and new buses and computers are on tap for Broward County schools. Sun-Sentinel. Miami-Dade school board members discover that despite Gov. Rick Scott's pledge for a $2,500 raise for every teacher, the figure is really more of a suggestion. Miami Herald.

Overhaul: Renovations at North Palm Beach Elementary continue with the Palm Beach County school set to open next fall featuring a new choice program, the Children’s Orchestra and Performing Arts (COPA) project. Palm Beach Post.

Charter schools: The Hillsborough County school district formally closes GATES High School after the charter school's leaders failed to obtain land for expansion. Tampa Bay Times.

Athletics: Hillsborough County school officials continue working on a new policy concerning student participation in district school sports. Tampa Bay Times. Booker High School football players finish up with a Summer Athletic Academic Enrichment and Life Skills Program to bolster their academic and social skills. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Cutbacks: Lake County students will lose their bus ride to afterschool programs due to the district slashing $1.4 million from its transportation budget. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)