Principal power: Principals in seven Florida counties would get more authority and money to turn around underperforming schools under a bill passed by a House committee on Thursday. Broward, Duval, Jefferson, Madison, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Seminole counties could apply for $100,000 under the program and $10,000 for each participating principal. Politico Florida.

Reading program: University of Florida researchers are asking the state for money to start an intensive reading program for underachieving students. The program teaches students decoding, a process that includes seeing words, breaking them into individual sounds and then articulating the sounds. A test in October at two failing St. Petersburg elementary schools showed significant improvement by students, according to a report. Politico Florida.

Charter school funding: Charter schools should get state money for construction and building maintenance because they don't qualify for local money, according to House Appropriations Committee chairman Richard Corcoran. The House budget would give charter schools $90 million and public schools $50 million, The Senate bill has no such money for charters. Politico Florida.

Recess mom Q&A: Angela Browning, a paralegal with three children in Orange County schools, helped start a movement by moms to have recess restored to elementary schools. In this Q&A, she discusses why she got involved and why it's important. Education Week. (more…)

School construction spending: The Florida Association of District School Superintendents fires off a letter to legislators to refute the allegations that school officials have misspent millions in construction dollars. The association claims some legislators are misrepresenting the data in order to shift construction money to charter schools. Tampa Bay Times. Orlando Sentinel.

School testing: The U.S. Department of Education is offering states suggestions on how to cut back on the time students spend on standardized testing. Associated Press. Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day falls on April 18, but that's a Florida Standards Assessment testing day. So Palm Beach County is moving its observation to March 18. Palm Beach Post.

Education commissioner: A bill that would ask voters to make the education commissioner position an elected one and give it Cabinet status is probably dead, according to its House sponsor, Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach. The bill was approved by the Florida Senate Ethics and Elections Committee Tuesday, but no hearings are scheduled in the House. TCPalm. Gradebook.

Recess bills: Self-described "recess moms" of Florida are lobbying state senators to take action on a bill that would require 20 minutes of recess a day in elementary schools. The bill is moving through the House, but has yet to get a Senate hearing. Gradebook. Politico Florida. (more…)