Florida roundup: Charter privatization, teacher quality, dual enrollment & more

Charter schools: Pembroke Pines city leaders release a privatization plan for its charter schools system that could result in hundreds of teachers losing their jobs. Miami Herald. The city plans to contract with Charter Schools USA for $10 million a year to operate the system. Sun-Sentinel.

florida roundup logoSchool grades: Education officials from across the state head to Tampa today to talk with Board of Education members about the state’s school-grading formula. Miami Herald.

Budget cuts: Lake County School Board members on Monday discussed changing school start times and cutting courtesy busing to fill a $16.3 million budget shortfall for next fiscal year. Orlando Sentinel.

Prison: Former Rosarian Academy teacher Stephen Budd faces a life in prison surrounding allegations that he traded candy for sex with 9-year-old students. Palm Beach Post.

Lawsuit: Palm Beach County schools sues the city of West Palm Beach for unpaid stormwater fees. Palm Beach Post.

Tony: Education Commissioner Tony Bennett talks Common Core, charter schools, teacher quality and more. Tampa Bay Times.

Explorers: Pinellas teens get a crash course on being a law enforcement officer in a new summer three-week program. Tampa Tribune.

Changes: Lincoln Park Elementary in Escambia County will open with a new principal and staff, and only prekindergarten through second grades. Pensacola News-Journal. Dixon School of the Arts, a 3-year-old charter school, will become a private school. Pensacola News-Journal.

Last day: Lee County outgoing Superintendent Joseph Burke leaves leaving the district with the highest graduation rate and the lowest dropout rate it’s had in years. News-Press.

Reprimand: The Florida Education Practices Commission reprimanded Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry for failing to complete a college course in ethics to resolve a misconduct complaint. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

AARP: Brevard County schools rank 36th in AARP’s 50 Best Employers for Workers Over 50. Florida Today.

Teacher pay: Brevard County schools and the local teachers union are at an impasse on salary negotiations. Florida Today.

Dual enrollment: Brevard County schools and Brevard Community College reach an agreement that should allow high school students to continue taking college-level courses. Florida Today.

Expansion: Lake Wales Charter Schools Inc. looks to expand with another middle school. The Ledger.

Standby: St. Lucie County School Board members put two remaining superintendent finalists on standby while they continue searching for suitable candidates. TCPalm.


Avatar photo

BY Sherri Ackerman

Sherri Ackerman is the former associate editor of redefinED. She is a former correspondent for the Tampa Bay Times and reporter for The Tampa Tribune, writing about everything from cops and courts to social services and education. She grew up in Indiana and moved to Tampa as a teenager, graduating from Brandon High School and, later, from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications/news editing. Sherri passed away in March 2016.