Legislature. The Senate Education Committee looks like it’s done for the session, meaning bills like Sen. Jeff Brandes’ micro-credits idea are stranded and maybe dead. Gradebook.
Charter schools. About 300 charter schools students lobby lawmakers for charter school funding, reports Naked Politics. Rep. George Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale, says he wants to remove a provision in his charter schools bill requiring districts to share unused facilities with charters, reports The Buzz. Pasco district officials debate errors in charter schools applications, reports Gradebook. The teachers at a closed-down Miami-Dade charter school earned state recognition money for an improved school grade, but district officials are having trouble finding them, reports the Miami Herald.
Magnet schools. The Polk school district is considering creating a K-12 arts system with an elementary and middle school in Lake Wales, where all the other schools are community-run charters. Lakeland Ledger.
Class size. Broward’s progress in reducing class sizes to meet state law is resulting in some negative tradeoffs, like ballooning AP classes. Miami Herald. More from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Superintendents. The Lee County School Board votes 3-2 to not launch an investigation into allegations of misconduct by Superintendent Joseph Burke, reports the Naples Daily News. More from the Fort Myers News Press.
School boards. Former Osceola County School Board Chair Cindy Hartig, who lost re-election, won’t get unemployment compensation after all, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The Hillsborough board debates whether teachers are to blame when students wander, reports the Tampa Tribune.
School spending. The Polk school board debates dropping a class period to help cover an $18 million deficit, reports the Lakeland Ledger. Lee expects to see a funding increase this year, reports Fort Myers News Press. The Sarasota district considers cutting middle and high school media specialists, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune.
School security. Panhandle superintendents offer a mixed reaction to a legislative proposal for arming teachers. Northwest Florida Daily News.
School closings. A battle over the proposed closing of three Brevard schools is now in the courts. Florida Today.
Educator conduct. The Hillsborough school board votes to make the district’s handling of employee discipline cases less public, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Bradenton Police are recommending criminal charges against five Manatee school district officials, including an assistant superintendent, in a case involving an assistant football coach accused of groping a student, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune. A Sarasota County sub is charged with battery on a student, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune.
STEM. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University shows middle school girls the wonders of science. Daytona Beach News Journal.
