Education budgets: Differences in the Senate and House education budgets are a significant factor in the yawning gap in the overall spending plans between the two chambers. The House is proposing to spend $81.2 billion and the Senate $83.2 billion. But the Senate budget doesn't include $2 billion that is factored into the House budget, widening the gap to $4 billion. Major differences are in school taxes, Bright Futures, teacher bonuses, tuition costs and a new initiative that would recruit charter schools to replace persistently low-performing traditional public schools. Sun-Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. News Service of Florida. Several leading charter school companies say they are not interested in expanding into Florida, even if the $200 million incentive plan proposed by the House is approved. Politico Florida.

Charter school facilities: The Senate Appropriations Committee passes a bill that would require school districts to share local property tax revenue with charter schools. The bill would nearly double the amount of money that charter schools would receive to build and maintain facilities. But it add some restrictions that charter company  representatives say could create a "chilling effect" on the expansion of charter schools. redefinED.

Expanding scholarships: The House Education Committee approves a bill that would expand eligibility to one state scholarship program, and the amount of money students receive for another. Eligibility for the Gardiner scholarships, for students with special needs, would expand to include the deaf or visually impaired and those with rare diseases or traumatic brain injuries. Meanwhile, the amount of money students would receive for tax credit scholarships would also increase. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer both programs. redefinED. Politico Florida. (more…)