Concussion study: A partnership between the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the University of Miami to catalog and study concussions among high school athletes is resulting in earlier diagnosis and treatment, and a rich amount of data for future studies. The first-of-its-kind study has counted almost 600 concussions in four years at 36 public high schools. Miami Herald.

Sports and prayers: State Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, thinks the Legislature should take another look at the issue of praying at athletic events. He referred to the FHSAA not allowing two Christian schools to use the PA system for a prayer before a football playoff game in December. Miami Herald.

Class sizes: Almost 74 percent of all Florida schools are now considered choice schools and are exempt from the strictest class-size rules, according to the state Department of Education. Legislation is pending that would tighten the definition of choice schools. Orlando Sentinel.

Testing and grades: The Citrus County School Board adopts a resolution to disregard the Florida Standards Assessments results for school grading and teacher evaluation. Citrus County Chronicle.

District reorganization: Palm Beach County School Superintendent Robert Avossa says a reorganization of the administrative staff will put more workers and programs into schools. Palm Beach Post.

Debate league: The Urban Debate League, in its first year in 18 low-income Miami-Dade schools, pushes students to debate their way to better grades and maybe a college scholarship. Miami Herald. (more…)