Retention rules: Manatee County school officials say they will not consider a student's portfolio to justify a promotion to fourth grade if the student has not taken the Florida Standards Assessments test or a state-approved alternative. They say the state Department of Education supports their position. Bradenton Herald. Even while school districts are threatening third-graders with retention because they didn't take the state testing or an alternative, Florida law allows the use of a portfolio as an exemption to testing. Gradebook. Parents in the opt-out movement are headed for a showdown with Manatee County school administrators. Bradenton Times.
Legal fees rapped: The state spent $3.7 million for outside counsel to defend against the lawsuit that alleged Florida failed its constitutional mandate to provide a quality education for all public school students. A circuit judge dismissed the suit. Now one of those groups bringing it, Fund Education Now, is criticizing the state for that expense. The Florida Senate and House split the legal fees because the suit named Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, as well as the state board and Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. A Gardiner aide says the Orlando Republican is “certainly comfortable with this investment of taxpayer dollars.” Politico Florida.
School crowding: If the courts rule that the Florida Tax Credit Scholarships are unconstitutional, as the Florida Education Association alleges, the state's already crowded schools might have to quickly absorb another 78,000 students. That could cause problems in some districts. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, administers the program. Tampa Bay Times.
Construction costs: School districts spend more on buildings using the construction manager-at risk approach than the traditional method of design-bid-build, according to a study by Clemson University researchers. The cost per square meter was $192 for the construction manager approach, and $148 with design-bid-build. The conclusion is based on a study of 137 school projects in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Engineering News-Record.
New schools planned: The Orange County School District is planning to spend up to $3 billion to build 16 schools in the next nine years to accommodate growth in the student population. Orlando Sentinel. The Palm Beach County School District is applying for a grant that could lead to the creation of an arts middle school in Boynton Beach and several other magnet programs at other schools. The grant from the U.S. Department of Education is worth $12 million over three years. Five schools would share the money. Palm Beach Post. (more…)
