Charter schools: The Miami-Dade school district rejects a charter application for a public safety-themed high school. Miami Herald.
School safety: Hillsborough County school leaders continue to debate having armed guards at schools. Tampa Bay Times.
Teacher pay: Raising the starting salary for new teachers is one of the best ways to boost the public schools, says the Palm Beach Post. Orange County is the only large school district without a teacher-raise plan. Orlando Sentinel.
Name change: StateImpact Florida talks to two students whose Duval County high school is getting rid of its name because it honors a Confederate soldier and member of the Klu Klux Klan.
Class size: Duval County Superintendent Nikolai Vitti believes the school district will pay less than a million dollars this year for its oversized classrooms. Florida Times-Union. While many districts have seen a drop in their enrollment, St. Johns County continues to grow but stays within class size limits. Florida Times-Union.
Community service: Escambia County middle school students make quilts for homeless people. Pensacola News-Journal.
Cell towers: The Pasco school board approves a cell phone tower on the campus of a local elementary school, despite parents objections. Tampa Bay Times.
Conduct: A Lee County high school student is arrested on charges of kicking a 72-year-old man and slapping an 89-year-old man. Fort Myers News-Press.
