Charter schools. Some say the safety of Broward charter students is at risk without school resource officers, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The Palm Beach County school board votes to not renew one struggling charter, and to give two others a reprieve, reports the Sun Sentinel. More from the Palm Beach Post. A new charter in Alachua is postponing its opening for a year because of property rezoning and renovations, reports the Gainesville Sun.
Career tech. House and Senate committees both pass career tech bills amid concern that alternative pathways are tantamount to lower standards. SchoolZone. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
Tutoring. Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, files a bill to tighten oversight of state-mandated tutoring for low-income students in struggling schools. Tampa Bay Times.
Testing. TCPalm.com writes up the bill that would postpone Common Core testing until districts are technologically ready. It also reports that a testing security breach has resulted in the invalidation of FCAT writing scores at a Fort Pierce high school. The tests tied to Common Core will take a combined 8-10 hours over several days, reports Gradebook. More from StateImpact Florida, which also writes up a bill that would require districts to post their testing schedules.
Teacher pay. AP teachers get their bonus checks. SchoolZone.
Orwellian? Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, says a bill to give researchers easier access to state academic data – dubbed “Orwellian” by the group Fund Education Now – should not worry parents concerned about privacy, SchoolZone reports. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
School closings. Teachers and students are upset about the proposed closing of an alternative school in Pasco. Tampa Bay Times.
Superintendents. Miami-Dade’s Alberto Carvalho is headed for a raise and a long-term contract extension. Miami Herald.
Privatization. Volusia school district custodians won’t be getting severance pay when their jobs are outsourced, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal. Bay County Superintendent Bill Husfelt isn’t backing a proposal to privatize district bus services, reports the Panama City News Herald.
GEDs. Pinellas is making changes to help students on the tougher test ahead. Tampa Tribune.
