Private schools. A private school in an economically depressed Tampa neighborhood helps strengthen the surrounding community and educates low-income students who rely on tax credit scholarships. Mindshift. The Tampa Tribune profiles Academy Prep Center, which caters to low-income students in St. Petersburg. More on the school from StateImpact.
Digital learning. The Tampa Bay Times looks at the “flipped classrooms” and other forms of blended learning. Alachua schools roll out reading software. Gainesville Sun.
Special needs. A Broward student is allowed to bring his service dog to school, a Broward judge rules. Miami Herald. The Marion County school district settles a lawsuit brought by the family of a child with autism who said he was mistreated by his teacher. Ocala Star-Banner.
Lawsuits. The lawsuit against Florida’s tax credit scholarship program is a “dead bang loser,” a separate Saint Petersblog guest post argues. The program is administered by organizations like Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog and employs the author of this post. The Lake County school board faces a lawsuit after thwarting middle school students’ attempts to create a gay-straight alliance. Orlando Sentinel.
School grades. A South Florida charter school gets an A after an appeal. Sun-Sentinel.
Testing. Unlike some districts, Manatee schools officials say they’re ready for new state assessments. Bradenton Herald. A Saint Petersblog guest post takes a jab against vouchers while talking about testing. Leon County parents and teachers react to testing changes. Tallahassee Democrat.
School boards. Volusia school board members should understand each others’ viewpoints before hiring a new superintendent, a Daytona Beach News-Journal columnist writes.
Teacher pay. St. Johns teachers try to negotiate raises amid the shift to a performance pay system. St. Augustine Record.
Class size. Teachers and parents are miffed by what they perceive as a loophole in the state’s class-size rules. Miami Herald.
Discipline. School counselors may hold the key to resolving Hillsborough’s discipline woes. Tampa Bay Times. There are racial disparities in the use of corporal punishment in Florida schools. Palm Beach Post.
Transcripts. College-bound seniors faces paperwork problems at a Lake County high school. Orlando Sentinel.
Security. A Palm Beach teacher says she couldn’t lock the door to her classroom during an emergency. Palm Beach Post.
Administration. A Manatee County administrator is suspended pending an investigation, but details are scarce. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Teacher conduct. A teacher is under investigation for creating a “terror list” of problem students. Tampa Bay Times.
Student health. Vaccination rates are high in many Southwest Florida schools. Naples Daily News.
