Tax credit scholarships. The Ocala Star-Banner and Pensacola News-Journal take in-depth looks at the growth and impact of the program. Florida’s tax credit scholarships are administered by organizations like Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog and employs the author of this post.
Busing. Race, discipline, cultural competency, school integration and magnet schools converge in this Tampa Bay Times examination of a Brandon middle school.
Charter schools. Several high-performing Duval charters are set to expand, and school board member calls for a “needs assessment.”
Florida Times-Union. A South Florida charter school breaks ground after acquiring land. South Florida Business Journal. The state attorney’s office in Pensacola is investigating possible wrongdoing at an Escambia charter school. Pensacola News-Journal. Parents weigh in here.
Class size. Changes to Florida’s class size limits advance in the Legislature. Times/Herald.
Lobbying. Times/Herald stories on citizen lobbyists and interest groups reference education issues from school accountability to Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts.
Superintendents. More than 70 apply to be Palm Beach’s next school superintendent, with Hillsborough’s ousted MaryEllen Elia among them. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times.
Reading. An extra hour of instruction appears to be helping struggling schools. Tampa Tribune.
Testing. A Pasco assistant principal is accused of violating test security protocol. Gradebook. Republican lawmakers’ testing comments make the rounds on YouTube. Gradebook.
Paddling. The Gainesville Sun explores the use of corporal punishment in Florida public schools.
Teachers unions. Volusia teachers resume contract negotiations with the school district, which had previously declared an impasse. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
School boards. Monroe board members prepare to undergo efficiency training. Key West Citizen.
Construction. Sarasota’s superintendent splits with the school board over who should build a proposed technical center. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
STEM. Palm Beach students prepare for an international robotics competition. Palm Beach Post.
High school sports. The Palm Beach Post weighs in on the tension between lawmakers and the Florida High School Athletics Association.
Prom. South Florida students up the ante in their prom proposals. Sun-Sentinel.
College. High school seniors turn to local nonprofits to cobble together enough financial aid to pay for college. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
