Florida roundup: charter schools, magnet schools, Bill Cosby & more

Charter schools. Florida’s first classical preparatory school, slated for opening this fall in Pasco, asks for a one-year delay so it can find better digs, reports Gradebook. A judge again rules in favor of  allowing a Sarasota principal to temporarily stay as head of an Imagine charter school that wants to split from the parent company, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

FL roundup logo snippedMagnet schools. Magnet Schools of America names Roosevelt Middle in West Palm a National Magnet School of Distinction. Extra Credit.

“Progressive” agenda. Self-styled progressive groups put forward a legislative agenda that includes “rejecting efforts to revive the so-called “parent trigger” bill and curtailing the use of private school vouchers, both of which slash public education funding while privatizing public education for corporate gain.” Central Florida Political Pulse.

School recognition money. Gov. Rick Scott wants to increase the per-student amount from $93 to $125, notes Extra Credit. In Palm Beach, he hands out $14 million in checks to schools, reports the Palm Beach Post.

Sequestration. Potential effects on Head Start, reports StateImpact Florida. More from Naples Daily News.

Teacher evaluations. More than 100 people show up – including a number of upset teachers – to a Department of Education hearing about the new evals in Orange County, reports the Orlando Sentinel. A different take from the EdFly Blog.

Take Stock in Children. Orlando Sentinel.

Bill Cosby. He’s the star attraction at Mayor Alvin Brown’s first education summit in Jacksonville. Florida Times Union.

Breakfast. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and state Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, stop by a St. Petersburg elementary school to promote it. Tampa Tribune.

STEM. A private school headmaster in Gainesville says there’s too much focus on it. Gainesville Sun.

School funding. The Poarch Creek Indians give $2 million to four Escambia schools. Pensacola News Journal.

School security. Principals could designate staff members to carry concealed weapons under a bill filed by state Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune. School safety will be a top issue in the legislative session, reports the Tallahassee Democrat.


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BY Ron Matus

Ron Matus is director for policy and public affairs at Step Up for Students and a former editor of redefinED. He joined Step Up in February 2012 after 20 years in journalism, including eight years as an education reporter with the Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times). Ron can be reached at rmatus@stepupforstudents.org or (727) 451-9830. Follow him on Twitter @RonMatus1 and on facebook at facebook.com/redefinedonline.