Homework revisited: A year after Marion County School Superintendent Heidi Maier ended homework for students, the school board will consider a policy that allows elementary school teachers to assign it again. Maier and other administrators conceded last week in a workshop session that some homework is necessary. But they don't want it to get excessive. “It needs to be meaningful and engaging,” says deputy superintendent Jonathan Grantham, not just busy work. Ocala Star-Banner.
Anti-test movement: The once vibrant movement to slow or eliminate high-stakes standardized testing as a tool for measuring student progress has slowed significantly, according to many in the field. “I think it is much quieter, whether that’s because (Every Student Succeeds Act) plans (are mostly approved) and federal law is not going to be opened up for awhile,” says Patricia Levesque, chief executive officer of Foundation for Excellence in Education, a think tank started by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. But she doesn’t think the debate is dead. “A lot of things are cyclical," she says. "That’s just the way that policy is.” Many states are still tweaking details. Levesque's group, for instance, is urging states to push testing to later in the school year. Education Week.
School security: Metal detectors will be used at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School this fall, but the school district will no longer require students to have clear backpacks. Sun-Sentinel. The 20 new armed guardians for the Manatee County School District met Monday for their first day of training. More than 270 people applied for the jobs. The district chose armed guardians over sworn school resource officers because of the costs. “Let’s not rush to judgment right now,” says Pat Bartholomew, the director of safety and security for the district. “We had a very solid vetting process, a selection process, so let the training speak for itself.” Bradenton Herald. (more…)
No end to board pay: The Constitution Revision Commission rejects a proposal to end pay for members of local school boards. A majority of the members expressed concerns that ending pay would limit the diversity of candidates, especially in poor and rural counties. "If you cannot work for free, you cannot be a school board member with this proposal," St. Johns County Superintendent Tim Forson argued. Eight other proposed amendments will be discussed and voted on at a future meeting. Gradebook. Politico Florida.
Charter school authorizers: A proposed amendment to create charter school authorizers other than local school boards is changed to allow outside entities to also start public schools. By state law, that authority to start free public schools largely rests with local school boards. Commission member Erika Donalds, who introduced the original proposal, backs the amendment, which was brought by Patricia Levesque. redefinED.
Blaine Amendment: Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero urges the Constitution Revision Commission to support a proposal that would end the prohibition against state money going to religious institutions, including schools. Citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Cantero says the Blaine Amendment is likely to be declared unconstitutional. redefinED. News Service of Florida.
Flu concerns: The flu virus is sweeping the state with 107 outbreaks already reported. Ninety-four percent of those reports are from schools and health-care facilities. Baker, Bradford and Holmes counties have had elevated activity, according to the Florida Department of Health, and 46 of the state's 67 counties are reporting increasing flu activity. Only Jackson County has reported no cases. Several school districts have sent warnings home to parents. Tampa Bay Times. WOKV. Keynoter. Gainesville Sun.
Class size changes: A proposal is filed with the Constitution Revision Commission that would make it easier for school districts to comply with the 2002 amendment capping class sizes, and redirect all savings toward increasing teacher pay to the national average. Patricia Levesque, CEO of the Foundation for Excellence in Education and a member of the commission, made the proposal to would allow schools to average out the number of students rather than require them to have a maximum number in each class. If the commission approves the proposal, it would appear on the November 2018 and have to receive 60 percent support to go into effect. News Service of Florida. Gradebook.
Back-to-school tax holiday: Gov. Rick Scott is proposing a 10-day back-to-school tax holiday as part of the $180 million tax cut package in his budget. The holiday, which would run from July 27 to Aug. 5, 2018, would apply to clothing, shoes, school supplies and some computers and accessories. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. Naples Daily News and Fort Myers News-Press. Sunshine State News.
H.B. 7069 lawsuit: Florida school officials will hold a series of workshops this week to work on a draft rule for the "Schools of Hope" provision in H.B. 7069. The Department of Education is proposing to loosen the requirements by which a charter school company can be designated a "hope operator," which could then open a school within 5 miles of a persistently struggling traditional public school. Politico Florida. Miami-Dade County School Board chairman Lawrence Feldman wants to set a Jan. 16 deadline for the Legislature to amend the state's new education law, H.B. 7069. If lawmakers don't act, Miami-Dade would then join other districts in the suit challenging the constitutionality of the law. The school board is expected to vote on the proposal next week. WLRN. (more…)
Desegregation order: Indian River County School Board members renew their discussion about getting free from a court desegregation order, which it has been under since 1967. Board members feel the district has made progress toward fulfilling the court's requirement of "having racially balanced schools taught by diverse staffs to establish an equitable education system for minority students." The local NAACP chapter disagrees, saying the district still doesn't have enough minority teachers or a success plan for minority students. TCPalm.
Home education: The number of Florida students being home-schooled increased by more than 4,000 from 2016 to 2017, according to the state Department of Education's annual report. Since 2008, the number has increased by more than 30,000. redefinED.
Raising the bar: Florida and other states must continuously raise the standards for academic achievement, argues the CEO of the Foundation for Florida’s Future and the Foundation for Excellence in Education. “It is inevitable that when rigor is increased, student test scores and school summative grades initially will decline," writes Patricia Levesque. "But once teachers and students adapt to the higher expectations, the scores will begin trending back up. This is how we drive better learning gains — through a continuous but realistic raising of the academic bar.” Politico Florida.
H.B. 7069 lawsuit: Indian River County School Board members meet about joining a lawsuit against the newly signed state education bill, H.B. 7069, but make no decision. Several districts are committed to suing the state over the bill, which requires districts to share tax money with charter schools. TCPalm. Bay County School Board members will vote Tuesday on whether to join the lawsuit against the education bill. Superintendent Bill Husfelt and board members have complained about the bill and the secret manner in which it was put together. Ginger Littleton, board chair, calls the bill “slimy, underhanded, treacherous and very expensive for taxpayers.” Panama City News Herald. (more…)
Testing reforms: Under the proposed "Fewer, Better Tests" bills filed Wednesday in the Legislature, all K-12 assessment testing would take place in the final three weeks of the school year, starting in the 2017-2018. S.B. 926 and H.B. 773 would also require results be returned to teachers within a week of testing, and that an understandable report be sent to parents. It also directs the education commissioner to study the feasibility of replacing the Florida Standards Assessments with the SAT or ACT. If the changes are approved, the state would also have to renegotiate its contract with testing vendor American Institutes for Research. Bill sponsors Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami; Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah; and Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, say the goal of the bills is to reduce stress and anxiety among students, parents and teachers. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida.
Per-student funding: Florida's spending per student ranks well below the U.S. average among states, according to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics. In the 2013-2014 school year, Florida spent $8,714 per student. The U.S. average was $10,936. Miami-Dade County spent the most per student among districts, $9,106. Gradebook.
Teaching incentives: Senators on the Florida PreK-12 education budget committee react coolly to Gov. Rick Scott's $58 million proposal for incentives to recruit and retain teachers. Specifically, senators criticized Scott's proposal for $10 million in hiring bonuses for new teachers who score in the top 10 percent in their subject-area exam. "It concerns me that we continue to look for the best performers in college -- and not the best teachers," said Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze. Miami Herald.
Gun-free zones: Bills filed in the Legislature this week are aimed at ending gun-free zones in Florida - including at K-12 schools. Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, and Rep. Don Hahnfeldt, R-Villages, filed S.B. 908 and H.B. 803 to eliminate all restrictions on where people with concealed-carry permits can take their guns. Miami Herald. (more…)
