Carvalho staying: Miami-Dade School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho accepted an offer to be New York City's chancellor of schools on Thursday. Then, after meeting with the school board and hearing from students and members of the community who pleaded with him to stay, Carvalho changed his mind. "I just don’t know how to break a promise to a child, how to break a promise to a community,” Carvalho said in explaining his decision. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had already announced the appointment, said his first response was just "profound surprise.” His press secretary, Eric Phillips, tweeted: “He was a Yes for a week+, until he was a No 15 minutes ago. Bullet dodged. Who would ever hire this guy again? Who would ever vote for him?” Miami Herald. Politico Florida. New York Times. Associated Press. According to a timeline of events, Carvalho appeared to mislead people in both Miami and New York City. Politico Florida. Chalkbeat.
Armed teachers: Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor warns legislators that their proposed school marshal program would turn black students into nothing more than "target practice" for "trigger happy teachers." Leon School Superintendent Rocky Hanna called Proctor's rhetoric an embarrassment to the community. Later on Thursday, Proctor was joined by the Legislature's 28-member black caucus, which said arming teachers would only expose African-American students to more gun-related danger. “This is a recipe for disaster,” says Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens. Tallahassee Democrat. Miami Herald. Tallahassee Democrat. Gov. Rick Scott opposes arming teachers, but he and the family of one of the victims urge the Legislature not to let differences bog down the effort to act. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. GateHouse. News Service of Florida. The National Association for School Resource Officers does not support arming teachers. But if it happens, the organization is offering tips on what to do and not do. Gradebook. School board chairpersons around Florida get an email blast from the Pinellas County School Board, asking them to join Pinellas in supporting a ban on assault weapons. Gradebook. The Brevard County teachers union and most teachers in Lee County come out against the proposal to arm select school employees. Florida Today. Fort Myers News-Press. The subject of arming teachers draws strong comments at a community meeting in Martin County. TCPalm.
Schools of Hope: The Senate-House conference committee negotiating the final form of the education bill agree to spend $140 million to continue the Schools of Hope program. The program offers money for extra services at struggling public schools, and for recruiting highly regarded charter companies to open schools in areas with persistently low-performing schools. redefinED. The Senate and House are close to an agreement on funding for higher education, but are still trying to reconcile how to pay for mental health services, more armed school resource officers and teacher supply grants for K-12 schools. Politico Florida.
Florida lawmakers are moving closer to an agreement that would create more stable, predictable funding for charter school facilities.
The state House is pushing ahead with a plan, included in its budget package, that would require school districts to steer some of their local property taxes to charters. A similar effort had stalled in the Senate, but was jump-started this week and won bipartisan approval today from the Appropriations Committee.
SB 376 would steer more than $150 million to charter schools statewide, though funding would vary significantly among districts.
Before the committee passed the bill, Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, said he wanted to add more protections to head off "private enrichment" in charter school real estate deals.
"No one wants to have taxpayer money go to enrich someone, and then when they sell or divest, they make money, and they walk away with taxpayers' money," Braynon said. He had proposed an amendment to that effect, but withdrew it for the time being.
The bill already aims to rein in profiteering by requiring charter schools to either ensure their land would wind up in public hands if they ever closed, or enter lease agreements with companies that have no ties to the charter organization. (more…)
Bathroom access: The Florida ACLU files a sex discrimination complaint against the Marion County School District after it suspended a transgender student for his bathroom choice. The student, born female but identifying as a male, used the boys bathroom after the district passed a rule restricting students to using the bathrooms of their birth sex only. Ocala Star Banner. Politico Florida. Florida Politics. The Obama administration is telling all U.S. school districts to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity or face lawsuits or a loss of federal aid. New York Times.
Playoff changes: The Florida High School Athletic Association wants to change the high school football playoffs for the 2017 season. Instead of playing in district, schools could play anyone they wanted to, with points awarded for strength of schedule. The top point-gatherers in each region would earn playoff spots. The FHSAA hopes to have a decision by the fall. Miami Herald.
Girls football game: Plans for the Powder Puff tackle football game between Jupiter High School seniors and junior girls are proceeding, now that the town of Jupiter has agreed to rent the high school stadium for the event. The tentative game date is May 27. The game had been canceled by school officials, who cited safety concerns. But the players and others at the high school persisted, and the town stepped in to assume some responsibility in the school's place. Palm Beach Post.
Early education: One-third of all children in Escambia County are unprepared for kindergarten, and most of them live in poverty, speakers tell attendees at the fourth annual Early Education Summit in Pensacola. Pensacola News Journal. (more…)
