Florida schools roundup: conversion charter, Common Core, Tony Bennett & more

Charter schools. An arts magnet in Manatee considers converting to a charter school because of the district’s ongoing financial woes. Bradenton Herald.

florida roundup logoCommon Core. Hillsborough school board members voice all kinds of concerns about Common Core. Tampa Bay Times.

Tony Bennett. StateImpact Florida gives ink to anonymous, garden variety critics.

Teacher pay. Rick Scott’s teacher pay raise tour continues, reports the Orlando Sentinel. Volusia teachers will probably get less than the $2,500 Scott pitched, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal.

Teacher Appreciation Week. South Florida Sun Sentinel takes note.

School spending. Budget cuts in Pasco look bigger than anticipated, reports Gradebook. The school board responds by cutting all literacy coaches and media specialists, reports the Tampa Bay Times. The Flagler school board debates potential  cuts, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal.

School rankings. Jacksonville’s Stanton Prep is ranked No. 10 by Newsweek. Florida Times Union.

School security. Hillsborough will pursue a federal grant with the sheriff’s office to pay for up to two dozen armed deputies at elementary schools, reports the Tampa Tribune. A schools security task force is still at work in Walton County, reports the Northwest Florida Daily News.

School turnarounds. Pinellas Superintendent Mike Grego shuffles principals to put three new ones in place at struggling schools facing heightened state intervention. Tampa Bay Times.

Superintendents. Lee’s Joseph Burke announces he’ll retire next month. Fort Myers News Press and Naples Daily News.

Tutoring. The math tutor/doctoral student in computer science is a former adult entertainment actor/producer? Parents got upset. South Florida Sun Sentinel.


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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.