Tax credit scholarships. The Orlando Sentinel editorializes against the proposed expansion, largely using the editorial written by its sister paper, the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano calls it a continuation of the “systematic decimation of Florida public schools.” The Tampa Tribune gives it a thumbs up, writing: “Supporting school choice is a smart policy that by no means diminishes the Legislature’s responsibility to adequately fund public schools, which will remain the first choice of most families.” (Full disclosure: the program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.)
School choice. In an Associated Press rundown of Florida education legislation this year, the Florida PTA takes aim at bills to expand charter schools and tax credit scholarships, saying they amount to “chunks being broken away from our public school system.”
Charter schools. The Orange and Seminole school districts consider whether to continue to try and fight the opening of four proposed Charter Schools USA schools in their districts. Orlando Sentinel. Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie ushers in a “new era of collaboration and cooperation” with charter schools. Education Week.
Catholic schools. Several schools in the Diocese of Venice system are looking for new principals. Fort Myers News Press.
School grades. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning pitches a more complicated system, not a simpler one. Gradebook.
School boards. Gov. Rick Scott fills a vacancy on the Broward board. Miami Herald. South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Superintendents. Interim super Hershel Lyons throws his hat in to the ring for the Alachua opening. Gainesville Sun.
Legislature. The Sarasota Herald Tribune highlights the major ed issues for the session that starts Tuesday. In their roundups, the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times erroneously report (as other outlets have in recent weeks) that lawmakers are for the first time proposing that tax credit scholarship students take standardized tests. (They’ve been required by law since 2006 to take state-approved standardized tests.)
Teacher conduct. An exceptional ed teacher in Seminole is arrested on child abuse charges after allegedly slapping a student. Orlando Sentinel. A Pasco music teacher faces similar charges after allegedly dragging a 10-year-old student across the floor. Tampa Tribune. From the Naples Daily News: “A Collier judge has denied a motion to dismiss seven lawsuits against the county school board, paving the way for parents to head to trial after seven children were molested by an unsupervised volunteer.”
Teacher evals. Obvious flaws in VAM data. Tallahassee Democrat. State leaders must go back to the drawing board. Florida Times Union. Twenty-two of the 67 reigning district teachers of the year have negative VAM scores; 16 have positive scores. Florida Times Union. Florida x VAM = SHAM, writes Times-Union columnist Mark Woods. More from the Naples Daily News, Palm Beach Post and Tampa Tribune.
Teacher unions. Walton teachers reject a proposed new contract. Northwest Florida Daily News. All three candidates running to lead the Broward union have blemishes on their financial histories. Miami Herald.
Teacher hiring. Growing Southwest Florida districts says it’s hard to find enough teachers to fill classrooms. Fort Myers News Press.
Testing. Bye-bye FCAT. Ocala Star-Banner.
Tech. New Tech High coming to Pinellas,with help from Gates money? Tampa Bay Times.
Grief counselors. They’re there in tragic times. Orlando Sentinel.
