Charter schools. New checks on charter schools join testing among South Florida districts’ top legislative priorities. Sun-Sentinel.
Curriculum. A showdown over textbooks in Collier schools could be a preview of controversies elsewhere. Naples Daily News.
Teachers. The first year in the classroom proves exhausting but fulfilling for a teacher profiled by the Orlando Sentinel in an article highlighting challenges with teacher turnover. Orange County teachers will get raises and bonuses under a new contract. Orlando Sentinel.
Superintendents. Hillsborough Superintedent MaryEllen Elia faces political pressure despite winning plaudits from her peers around the country. Tampa Bay Times. Her potential ouster could cost the district $1 million. Tampa Tribune. Tampa Bay Times. Accolades don’t always insulate district leaders from hostile school boards. Tampa Bay Times. A one-month contract extension could net Palm Beach’s superintendent $19,000 in pension benefits. Palm Beach Post.
Testing. People who support school choice but oppose parents opting out of high-stakes tests are being hypocritical, Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano argues. Parents need to help students prepare for new assessments, Gadsden County’s superintendent says. Havana Herald, via Gradebook.
STEM. Students at Title I schools in Palm Beach County take part in neuroscience labs. Palm Beach Post.
Allegations. Volusia schools officials investigate allegations that district employees went out for a night on the town paid for by an instructional materials vendor. Daytona Beach News-Journal. An investigation clears Lee County’s superintendent of wrongdoing. Fort Myers News-Press.
Music. An elementary school drum line is set to debut at a South Florida MLK parade. Palm Beach Post.
Safety. The Hillsborough school district faces a lawsuit accusing a school of not calling 911 fast enough to prevent a child’s death. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune. Leon County students campaign against online bullying. Tallahassee Democrat. A parent says agreeing to a plea deal that sent her son to a juvenile detention facility was a devastating mistake. Florida Times-Union.
Rural districts. The Hernando County school district may no longer qualify for a state “sparsity supplement” intended bolster budgets of rural schools. Tampa Bay Times.
Facilities. High school students complain about mold, cockroaches and other problems on social media. WTVJ.
Discipline. Parents protest a middle-school student’s suspension stemming from a bus stop fight. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Financial literacy. A bill to add financial literacy requirements for students returns in Tallahassee. WLRN.
Controversy. The Fort Myers News-Press writes up legislation that would require schools to show a conservative film about America’s role in the world. Brevard social studies teachers can decide whether, and how, their lessons address same-sex marriage. Florida Today.
Administration. A clay County district official is in line for a promotion. Florida Times-Union.
