Testing. More districts cut back end-of-course exams. Gainesville Sun. Bradenton Herald. Some Tampa Bay districts hesitate to follow suit. Tampa Bay Times. Others try to reduce testing stakes for students. Orlando Sentinel. Fort Myers News-Press. A Senator proposes amendments to a school choice bill that would cancel the state's education standards and testing contract. Orlando Sentinel. One district gets approval for extra testing time. Orlando Sentinel.
Charter schools. The state, not districts, should fund charter school facilities, the Tampa Tribune argues in an editorial.
Magnet schools. Hillsborough's ousted superintendent wins a national magnet school award. Tampa Tribune.
Superintendents. Hillsborough's new superintendent outlines his goals. Tampa Tribune. Manatee's Rick Mills gets school board approval to step down. Bradenton Herald. Palm Beach's incoming superintendent will likely start his real job early rather than begin with a $40,000 consulting contract. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel.
School boards. A dissident Volusia school board member says district officials harassed his family and associates as he mounted his campaign. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Special needs. A student's injury at a district ESE center prompts formal complaints. Lakeland Ledger. College opportunities for special needs students are among the likely casualties of the Florida House's abrupt departure from Tallahassee. Times/Herald. (more…)
Testing. StateImpact Florida answers questions about the Florida Standards Assessment, the test that will replace the FCAT.
Teacher conduct. A jury decides a fired Palm Beach County teacher should get $337,000 in back pay and damages. South Florida Sun Sentinel. A Lee County teacher accused of sexual misconduct lied about his criminal record on his job application. Fort Myers News Press. A former Manatee County School District employee settles with the district over charges the district retaliated against her for reporting inappropriate behavior on the part of a former assistant football coach. Bradenton Herald.
School crime. A Sarasota County student is charged with running a prostitution ring with students from two high schools. Sarasota Herald Tribune.
School security. Districts statewide may be able to hire private, armed security guards in the wake of a legal opinion from Florida's attorney general. Bradenton Herald. State Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, is bringing back a proposal to allow some school employees or volunteers to carry guns on campus. News Service of Florida.
School calendars. The St. Johns County School District considers starting the next school year Aug. 10 so the first semester can end at holiday break, but that would likely bring a wave of complaints. St. Augustine Record.
Superintendents. Seminole County Superintendent Walt Griffin and Miami-Dade County Superintendent Alberto Carvalho are among 100 superintendents who meet with President Obama to talk about school technology. Orlando Sentinel.
Middle schools. Choice options - including charter schools that compete with the district's offerings - come into play as Duval officials rethink their approach to middle school. Florida Times-Union. Hernando County plans to start a new academy for middle-school students who are falling behind. Tampa Bay Times. A military academy aimed at middle school students is close to its enrollment goal. Ocala Star-Banner.
Magnet schools. A science academy teachers youngsters about marine life during trips down the St. Johns River. Florida Times-Union. Graduation marks the end of a difficult year for a Palm Beach County magnet program. Palm Beach Post. A Palm Beach high school is offering space for students who could not find space in the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, the Post reports.
Charter schools. A charter school for students with autism leaves the school district behind and hopes to join forces with a nearby private school. Gradebook.
Alternative schools. The Orange and Seminole County school districts both plan to create new options for students who fall behind in high school. Orlando Sentinel.
Unions. The Florida Education Association endorses Charlie Crist for governor. Sunshine State News. The Pasco teachers union negotiates planning time with the school district. Tampa Bay Times. The Brevard teachers union stakes out positions on a range of statewide issues but has yet to take a position on a local school tax. Florida Today.
Funding. Some advocates are calling for a revamp of the formula used to distribute education funding to school districts. WTSP. School districts worry funding increases might not keep pace with spending demands. 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…)
Jeb Bush on Tony Bennett: "Tony will be sorely missed in Florida at a time when we need his leadership the most,'' writes former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Miami Herald.
School grades: The fall of Tony Bennett might bring a new level of scrutiny to grading systems across the country. Education Week. There must be total transparency in any school accountability process, writes Nina Rees, executive director of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, in U.S. News & World Report.
More fallout: Dale Chu, chief of staff to Tony Bennett, resigns. Associated Press.
PARCC: Top Florida lawmakers will continue their push to abandon the PARCC testing consortium. Tampa Bay Times.
Teen work: Lauderdale Middle School students have received more than $500,000 in grants to spruce up an overpass behind their school. Sun Sentinel.
Charter schools: Even as 11 new charters open this fall in Palm Beach County, the district has another 31 applications in the pipeline. Palm Beach Post.
Magnet schools: The Pinellas County school district looks to bolster career and technical education and help low-performing schools by offering new magnet programs at middle schools. The Tampa Tribune. (more…)
Charter schools. What happened to the Ben Gamla charter school in Pinellas is a "study in bad charter school governance." Choice Words. Parents try to figure out what to do now that a struggling charter school in Deland is closing. Daytona Beach News Journal. Ditto for the parents of a charter school in Lutz. Tampa Tribune. After 22 years in traditional public schools, a local principal is hired to lead the city of Cape Coral charter school system. Fort Myers News Press.
Homeschooling. The Palm Beach Post takes a look at Space of Mind, a pricey but fascinating home-school school that insists it's not a school.
Tax credit scholarships. The number of parents seeking them grows in Highlands and beyond. Highlands Today.
School grades. Education Commissioner Tony Bennett is recommending another year of a "safety net" provision so grades don't drop more than one letter grade. Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post, Orlando Sentinel, Florida Times Union, Tampa Tribune, TCPalm.com, Associated Press. Other states are watching the goings-on. Miami Herald. Another story on how everyone is expecting grades to drop. Sarasota Herald Tribune.
VPK. Needs to be more focus on pre-K for poor kids. Pensacola News Journal.
Common Core. The Tallahassee Democrat offers an overview of the big challenges and potential payoffs ahead. (more…)
Charter schools. The updated CREDO study isn't as flattering about charter school performance in Florida. Gradebook, SchoolZone, StateImpact Florida.
Virtual schools. Pasco sets up a summer program for its e-school so students don't take Florida Virtual School classes - and cost the district money in the process. Tampa Bay Times.
Private schools. The head of a high-end Tampa private school resigns after a rocky year. Tampa Bay Times.
Common Core. Could weed out some teachers. State Impact Florida. But will put teachers in the driver's seat. Eduwonk. Some Florida teachers see a juggling act between the new standards and current curriculum. Tampa Tribune.
ALEC. Progress Florida says the state's ed policy is run amok with ALEC. StateImpact Florida writes it up.
School grades. DOE appoints a task force to review grading policies before this year's grades are released. Gradebook.
School spending. Seminole plans to move ahead with a property tax increase. Orlando Sentinel. Lake decides against changing school start times to make up for a projected $16.3 million deficit. Orlando Sentinel. Lee aims to save $1 million a year under new Superintendent Nancy Graham's re-org. Fort Myers News Press, Naples Daily News. The Marion school board approves a staffing plan with 525 fewer positions. Ocala Star Banner.
School discipline. Black community leaders are concerned about high suspension rates for black students in Flagler. Daytona Beach News Journal.
Teacher merit pay. A judge denies FEA's request to reconsider his decision to throw out a lawsuit challenging the state's new merit pay law. South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Teachers. Badass Teachers Association says payback is coming. Orlando Sentinel.
School grades: Schools superintendents from across the state warn Education Commissioner Tony Bennett and the Board of Education that the new school grades formula will result in more F schools. Tampa Bay Times. More from the Palm Beach Post and Orlando Sentinel.
Lawsuits: A judge has ruled that the federal discrimination suit against the Hillsborough County school district in the death of special education student Isabella Herrera can proceed. Tampa Bay Times. The Pasco County School Board sues Citigroup over allegations of bond fraud. Tampa Bay Times.
Wanted: The Hillsborough County School Board is looking for an attorney to replace Tom Gonzalez. Only three candidates have applied. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter schools: Pembroke Pines officials agree not to contract with Charter Schools USA to operate the city's charter schools for at least two years, and teachers agree to take a pay cut. Sun Sentinel.
Student count: A Lake County charter school has to prove it kept proper attendance records, but that could leave the district may have to pay back some or all of state funding it received for those students. Orlando Sentinel.
Health care: A sharp increase in employee health-insurance premiums has prompted the Seminole School Board to consider a self-insurance program. Orlando Sentinel.
New boss: The Lee County School Board voted unanimously to approve the contract for new schools Superintendent Nancy Graham. News-Press. More about Graham's $169,000 contract from Naples News.
FCAT: Sarasota County students from low-income families continue to fall behind on their FCAT scores prompting school board members to search for remedy. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Attendance zones: Escambia County school officials approve new attendance zones. Pensacola News-Journal.
AP classes: Schools superintendents tell state Board of Education leaders that a recent legislative bill allowing high school students to take as many advanced placement courses as they want will cost districts millions of dollars that district budgets can't support. Associated Press.
Wharton grad: Superintendent Maryellen Elia defends principal who cut short a graduation speech by salutatorian Harold Shaw. Tampa Bay Times.
Special needs: Rodgers Middle School, where a student with Down syndrome drowned last year, no longer will have full-time exceptional student education classes. Tampa Bay Times.
Budget fixes: New Polk County schools Superintendent Kathryn LeRoy looks at ways to reduce $12.7 million shortfall. One way: eliminating a $2.5 million summer reading remediation program. The Ledger.
Funding: Columnist John Romano takes issue with Gov. Scott bragging about Florida, criticizing the state's level of student funding and practice of steering money to for-profit education companies, among other issues. Tampa Bay Times.
Turnaround plans: When the state education board meets next week, it will review turnaround plans for 58 schools. Gradebook.
School grades: John Padget, the new vice chairman of the state education board, says Florida schools should have prepared for the tougher standards tied to school grades. Gradebook.
Sleeping in: Some Broward County schools will start later in the coming school year and the district works to streamline bus routes and cut transportation costs. Sun Sentinel.
Wi-Fi: The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency will talk about providing the families of Galaxy Elementary students who qualify for free lunch with home Wi-Fi. Sun Sentinel.
Testing: Pasco school leaders take a look at latest testing scores for instruction ideas. Tampa Bay Times.
Tax hike: Seminole County School Board approves a property-tax increase to pay for building repairs and program improvements. Orlando Sentinel.
Lt. Gov.: Orange County schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins is the leading candidate for Florida's next lieutenant governor. Orlando Sentinel.
Principal shuffle: Broward County school district's plan to shuffle low-performing principals has angered parents and teachers. Miami Herald. (more…)
Tax hike: Seminole County schools Superintendent Walt Griffin says his district needs another 1-mill tax on county property to pay for a slew of school improvements. Orlando Sentinel.
Digital divide: Over the next few years, computers will play an even bigger role in public education. StateImpact Florida.
Summer lunch: And breakfast at more than a dozen South Florida schools that will keep their kitchens open to serve needy children. Miami Herald.
Jewish schools: A coalition of Jewish leaders is advocating for policies that help ease the financial burden on private school parents. SaintPetersBlog.
Overage students: Superintendent Nikolai Vitti will ask board members to OK a plan that increases the number of schools offering classes to overage students. Florida Times-Union.
Teacher turnover: In Florida, four out of 10 new teachers leave their jobs within the first five years. In Duval County, it's about five out of 10, according to a recent study. Florida Times-Union.
Lessons learned: Manatee County schools suffered the brunt of lax accounting and archaic budgeting software, but a citizens advisory group stands behind the new superintendent. Bradenton Herald. Manatee school board member and budget committee chairwoman Julie Aranibar looks back on troubled year. StateImpact Florida.
Gifted students: More than 10 percent of Miami-Dade County's students are labeled gifted students. Miami Herald. Although school districts test children for free to determine if they are gifted students, many parents turn to outside psychologists, instead. Miami Herald.
Education shift: Five retiring teachers reflect on the changing landscape in public education. Ledger.
Portables: Broward looks to spend millions to get rid of 1,180 portable classrooms older than 20 years. Sun-Sentinel.
Arrested: Royal Palm Beach High assistant principal arrested in prostitution sting. Palm Beach Post.
Scholarships: Four Hillsborough County seniors win Red Pittman Scholarship. Tampa Tribune.
Budget cuts: The Pembroke Pines Charter System projects a $2.4 million budget shortfall for the 2013-14 school year and has no money for contracted raises for 330 teachers. Sun-Sentinel. Manatee officials say they'll work to get kilns running again at Manatee High. Bradenton Herald.
FCAT: South Florida’s students perform as well or better than last year in most every field tested, but schools and teachers likely to be judged more harshly as Florida moves toward more rigorous standards. Miami Herald. And students aren't making the kind of gains they should be, educators say. Tampa Tribune. Education Commissioner Tony Bennett calls the results unacceptable and suggests the state has lost focus on reading and math. Tampa Bay Times. More from Orlando Sentinel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Palm Beach Post.
BP and schools: Volusia County school district official says the BP oil spill had a clear impact on state revenue, decreasing state dollars that could have gone toward education funding. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Grads: Service, technology and international pursuits are on the minds of Hillsborough's seniors. Tampa Tribune. A contest glitch results in car giveaways for two Hillsborough seniors. Tampa Tribune. 211 seniors are the first graduates of Weeki Wachee High. Tampa Bay Times.
Bullying: New law gives school districts the right to discipline students for cyberbullying outside school, if the student’s school life is impacted. Florida Times-Union.
Tolerance: Parents start a petition after a principal criticizes their son for wearing makeup to school. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter schools: Large charter organizations draw criticism for impact on public education. St. Augustine Record.
