New superintendent: Diana Greene is chosen as the new superintendent of the Duval County School System. Greene, who has been superintendent of the Manatee County district since 2015, was unanimously approved by the school board. She replaces Nikolai Vitti, who left last summer to take the top job in Detroit. Greene started her teaching career in Duval before moving into administration. At Manatee, she is credited with turning around a difficult financial situation while improving student achievement. In Duval, Greene will immediately have to contend with a $62 million budget deficit. Greene's start date and salary have yet to be negotiated. Florida Times-Union. WJXT. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Smooth testing season: Florida Standards Assessments testing ended last week, and Florida Department of Education officials say there were few reports of problems with the test. Students took 4.2 million computerized tests and another 1.2 million with paper and pencil, and the only issues reported were local Internet and power outages. Results are expected in June. Gradebook.
Ad rebuts 47-cent claim: Florida House Republican leaders are fighting back against the claim by educators that the Legislature's funding for schools amounts to just 47 more cents for each student. Calling it the "47 cent myth," the lawmakers contend in a 5-minute online ad that they bumped per-student spending by $101.50, an all-time high, and that they put requirements on some of the increases to stop districts from squandering the extra money. "That's why we put this $100 increase in per student funding directly into the classroom, bypassing the bureaucracy," the narrator of the ads says. "To them [bureaucrats], it's not about kids. It's about control." Gradebook. (more…)
School security: After Manatee County officials declined to provide more money to protect schools, the school district is now planning to hire 44 armed security guards to be stationed at county schools. Deputy superintendent Ron Ciranna says the district will tap into the state's fund for its guardian program to pay for the guards, and he expects to present the plan to the school board May 22. Bradenton Herald. Pinellas Park City Council members agree to provide money for resource officers at the five Pinellas County schools in the city, but only for the 2018-2019 school year. Gradebook. Cape Coral city officials vow to work with the Lee County School District to place resource officers in every city school. WBBH. The Citrus County School Board is offering the sheriff $954,500 to provide school resource officers at all 22 schools. If the sheriff declines, the board will consider creating its own police department. Citrus County Chronicle. More details on the Brevard County School District's plan to hire "security specialists," which came as a surprise to many residents because the possibility hadn't been mentioned previously. Florida Today. Eighty-three people have applied to run the Pasco County School District's security department. Gradebook.
Superintendent admits error: Hernando County School Superintendent Lori Romano signs a settlement agreement acknowledging that her decision to fire all 47 teachers at a troubled elementary school was a violation of the contract the district has with the teachers union. Romano was reprimanded by the school board, and three of the teachers wrongly dismissed were given their jobs back. Romano has maintained that she had to fire all the teachers to prevent Moton Elementary, which has received D grades from the state the last two years, from being taken over by the state. Tampa Bay Times. All but 10 of the Moton positions have already been filled, Romano says. Tampa Bay Times.
Unaffordable housing: A teacher making the $49,013 median salary in Miami-Dade County can afford to buy just 9 percent of the homes in the area, according to new data from the online residential real estate site Trulia. That's down 9.7 percentage points in just the past year. The median price for a home in the metro Miami area is now $450,000, up 12.8 percent in the past year. The numbers are better in Tampa, at 34 percent, and Orlando, at 20 percent. Affordability is defined as a monthly payment at or below 31 percent of monthly income. Miami Herald. (more…)
School safety proposals: Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders present their plans to bolster security in the state's schools. Both plans would boost the age for buying guns to 21. Scott's plan, which he estimates would cost $500 million, would also ban bump stocks, an accessory that converts semi-automatic rifles into automatic; allow authorities or relatives to take guns from mentally unstable people without first having them committed; require people who are committed under the Baker Act to surrender their guns for at least 60 days; provide more access to mental health counseling; put at least one armed guard at every public and charter school, including one for every 1,000 students; assign a Department of Children and Families case manager to law enforcement officials in all 67 counties; conduct active shooter drills in every school; and require state-approved school safety plans. The legislative plan also proposes a three-day waiting period for gun purchases, a program to train and arm teachers in the classroom, and a requirement that a person be Baker Acted before his or her weapons could be confiscated. Neither plan calls for a ban on assault weapons. Sun-Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. News Service of Florida. Tallahassee Democrat. Politico Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press. Palm Beach Post. Florida Times-Union. Broward County School Superintendent Robert Runcie pleads with legislators to not put guns into the hands of teachers. Miami Herald.
Queries into shootings: Gov. Rick Scott is asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the response by Broward County authorities to the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. The Broward County Sheriff's Office is also investigating claims from another law enforcement agency that three other deputies waited outside the school during the shooting. Sheriff Scott Israel insists just one deputy was at the school during the shootings. Sun-Sentinel. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald. Associated Press. Palm Beach Post. Israel is rejecting a call to resign because of the problems in his department's response to the shootings. Dozens of Republican state representatives are urging Gov. Scott to replace Israel. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald. WPEC. CNN. Time. Officers are trained to “move to the sound of gunfire quickly and stop it” in school shooting scenarios, say law enforcement experts. Sun-Sentinel.
Education budget: Battle lines are forming over the House's nearly 200-page education bill, H.B. 7055. The House Democratic caucus says it will oppose the bill, calling it an "attack on public education," and even some Republicans in the Senate are critical of the way the House has put so many issues into a single bill. The House could vote on the bill as soon as today, and the Senate is expected to begin considering its version today as well. Florida Politics. Tampa Bay Times. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. The House Education Committee approves a proposal to create a scholarship for bullied students, called the Hope Scholarship, after hearing stories from parents whose children have been victimized. The program is part of the omnibus education bill. Step Up For Students, which publishes this blog, helps administer the tax credit and Gardiner scholarship programs and would help administer the Hope Scholarship program if it is created. redefinED. WZVN. WFLA. News Service of Florida.
Funding for charters: The House's education bill would set aside $120 million in state funding for charter schools' capital needs, lifting the burden off school districts and undercutting one of the reasons many of them are suing the state over last year's education bill. The benchmark amount would increase annually with inflation and the growth of charter school enrollment, and school districts would have to chip in with local property tax money only if the state funding fell below that benchmark. redefinED. WLRN.
Turning over schools: Six struggling Polk County schools will be turned over to an outside operator in August, district officials have decided. Bartow Middle, Garner Elementary, Griffin Elementary, Kathleen Middle, Lake Alfred Polytech Academy and Lake Marion Creek Middle have all received grades of D or F from the state for three straight years, which requires the district to close them, reopen them as charters or turn over their operation to an outside company. Three companies have submitted proposals, and school officials expect one will be chosen to manage all six schools. Lakeland Ledger.
District to sue state: The Broward County School Board votes to pursue a lawsuit against the state over H.B. 7069, saying the law improperly forces districts to share property tax revenue with charter schools and strips local boards of the authority to approve or deny charter applications. The Miami-Dade, Orange and Pinellas districts are considering joining the suit, says the Broward board's attorney, Barbara Myrick. The board set aside $25,000 to begin work on the suit, which will argue that some provisions of the bill are unconstitutional. Myrick couldn't say when the suit will be filed, but there's a six-month window to file a suit under the single-subject clause. Sun Sentinel. Miami Herald. Tampa Bay Times. News Service of Florida. The Capitolist. WSVN.
Change talk 'premature': Many politicians and educators are already pushing for the Legislature to revise H.B. 7069, the broad education bill signed into law last month and effective since July 1. But Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, who chairs the House’s pre-K-12 education budget committee, says any talk of change is "way too premature. Making adjustments going forward — we first have to see what happens instead of jumping the gun.” The primary complaint about the bill is the money it sets aside for charter schools. Miami Herald. Levy County School Board members add their voices to those complaining about the education bill. Board members say it excessively favors charter schools, restricts local decision-making and doesn't adequately fund public education. Cedar Key Beacon.
School traffic safety: Traffic studies urge the Flagler County School District to encourage bus riding and discourage parents driving their children to and from school. The traffic endangers students and causes congestion, according to the studies of each of the county's elementary and middle schools. The studies were sponsored by the Transportation Planning Organization, which is made up of elected officials from all local governments. Flagler Live. (more…)
Education spending: Gov. Rick Scott releases his proposed budget today, which calls for an increase in the state's Bright Futures program but doesn't account for enrollment growth in schools or provide an answer to the House's plan to trim property taxes, which could cut funding for schools. News Service of Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida.
Alternate graduation path: Florida Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, files a bill creating alternative paths to high school graduation for students who don't pass state-required algebra and language arts tests. Unlike the House's version of this bill, Montford's does not allow state students to skip the exams and still have options for graduation. Gradebook.
District considering leasing: The Palm Beach County School Board is considering a proposal to have a developer build a high school that the district would then lease. "We can't build. We don't have the money," said school board member Karen Brill. "This would be the answer to the prayers of many young families in west Boynton Beach." The district will receive $1.6 billion from a sales tax initiative approved in November, but that money is committed to repairing existing schools, upgrading technology and buying school buses. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. (more…)
Bathroom access: The Marion County School Board approves a policy to ban transgender students from using the bathroom based on their gender identity. The measure goes into effect today. Ocala Star Banner. Earlier Tuesday, the ACLU of Florida issued a letter warning the board that the policy would harm students and "violate Title IX sex discrimination requirements, violate the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution and jeopardize federal funding for the school district." Ocala Star Banner. WCJB.
LGBT policy: A divided Brevard County School Board is asking school officials to amend the district's nondiscrimination and equal employment policies to include protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and staff. The revisions would be discussed at a public meeting before being voted on by the board. Florida Today.
Test scores: U.S. high school seniors' National Assessment of Educational Progress test scores dropped slightly in math and stayed about the same in reading, according to the 2015 Nation’s Report Card from the National Assessment Governing Board. Florida seniors' results mirrored the national ones, though Florida scored slightly higher than the national average in both subjects. Sunshine State News.
District overspending: The Broward County School District's police department has overspent its budget by about $2.5 million, prompting an audit and a request to the school board for more money. The department has just $50,000 left in its budget for this fiscal year, and $3.5 million in expenses that have not been paid. The financial problems were discovered in a review of the way the department handles personnel investigations. Sun-Sentinel.
School choice: Dismantling school choice would harm Florida students, schools and taxpayers, warns John Kirtley, venture capitalist and chairman of Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog. He was speaking to the Economic Club of Florida. The Florida Education Association and other groups have sued the state, challenging the constitutionality of the school choice programs. The case goes to a state appeals court in May. Step Up For Students administers tax-credit scholarships for about 80,000 low-income students, and also the Gardiner Scholarships for students with disabilities. Tampa Tribune. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. WFSU. (more…)
Education bill: The House has amended the massive education bill, HB 7209, and sent it back to the Senate for a vote. It does not include a provision that aimed to prevent charter school operators from using public dollars to construct or improve buildings they own. “If there’s a 150-page amendment or something that flies over here, and it’s a take-it-or-leave-it, we’ll probably leave it, and we won’t do it,” Senate President Andy Gardiner said. “And I think they would probably do the same thing, because that’s where you end up doing something you regret.” Miami Herald. Politico Florida.
Competency bill: The Legislature approves a bill to set up a five-year pilot program that allows students to be promoted if they can demonstrate they've mastered what they should be learning. Pinellas, Palm Beach, Lake and Seminole counties will take part in the competency-based education program, as will the P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School in Gainesville. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. Sunshine State News. WFSU. The bill would also ease certification requirements for science, technology, engineering and math teachers. Politico Florida.
Testing alternative: A Senate bill that would have allowed students to use alternatives to state exams appears to be dead in the House. The Senate is expected to pass the bill, which allows tests such as the SAT and ACT to be used instead of the Florida Standards Assessments. Politico Florida. Meanwhile, Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, proposes canceling the state's standardized testing contracts. Politico Florida.
Teacher bonuses: Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, tells colleagues the amount for teacher bonuses was bumped up to $49 million because $44 million wasn't enough to give teachers who qualify almost $10,000 apiece. Politico Florida.
Scott signs bills: Gov. Rick Scott signs a bill setting standards for school leadership programs that prepare educators to become administrators. Gradebook. He also signs a bill that changes the makeup of the 25-member Education Practices Commission, which judges whether to suspend or revoke educators’ licenses. Politico Florida. (more…)
Education capital: Traditional public schools and charter schools would each get $75 million for construction and maintenance under a compromise worked out by the chairs of the Senate and House appropriations committees. There are about 650 charter schools in the state and about 3,600 public schools. Miami Herald. redefinED.
Teacher bonuses: Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, suggests the teacher bonuses program could be inserted into the Senate omnibus education bill as a one-year compromise. Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, and Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, are still negotiating the 2016-17 budget in conference committee. Miami Herald. The Senate combined two large education bills into a single omnibus bill. Politico Florida. Only 11 of the 240 Pasco County teachers who were named "high-impact" teachers by the Department of Education received the teacher bonus under the state's Best and Brightest program. Teachers have criticized the program as unfair. Gradebook.
Recess rejected: A last-ditch effort to revive daily elementary school recess fails when the Senate again declined to consider it. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida.
Education bills update: Here's an update of where prominent education bills stand as the Legislature begins its last week of the regular session. Sun-Sentinel.
The new SAT: The new SAT debuted last week. The changes, announced two years ago, are designed to better reflect what students should learn in high school, according to the College Board. Students who have taken both the old and new say the English portion aligns with what they're taking in school, but the no-calculator math section was harder. Orlando Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. Florida Times-Union. U.S. News & World Report. (more…)
Testing routine: What is Florida Standards Assessments testing like for students? Here's a typical day during testing season for a P.K. Yonge student. Gainesville Sun. Nearly a week into testing, Polk County officials say things are going smoothly. Lakeland Ledger.
Charter problems: The latest problems at Windsor Prep Academy in St. Petersburg and two other charter schools in Clearwater are putting greater scrutiny on their management company, Newpoint Education Partners. This isn't the first time Newpoint has had problems with financial issues and failing schools. WFLA. Tampa Bay Times. Tim Kitts resigns as CEO of the Bay Haven Charter Academy in Panama City. He says organizational changes stripping him of his authority leave him unable to lead. He also was the subject of complaints from two administrators. Panama City News Herald.
Campaign lessons: Anti-bullying campaigns have been in most U.S. schools for years, so this presidential campaign has been confusing for some schoolchildren. “If students are following this election – and they should be – we have a lot of re-educating to do,” Buffalo school administrator Will Keresztes said. Associated Press.
School tax holiday: The back to school sales tax holiday will be cut down to three days this August. Last year it went for 10 days. Associated Press, via Naples Daily News.
School recess: State Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, is making one last pitch for mandatory recess every day in elementary schools. But his plan faces several procedural hurdles. Miami Herald. Is your elementary school child getting the 150 minutes of physical education every week as state law requires? Palm Beach Post. (more…)
