School spending: Even if Gov. Rick Scott’s K-12 education spending plans are approved, Florida will continue to lag behind more than 40 states in per-pupil spending. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Consultants and charters: A Tampa couple’s consulting firm is being paid $35,000 by the Hillsborough County School District, and the company’s owner is also in line to oversee seven charter schools. The events demonstrate a change in the relationship between the district and charter schools. Tampa Bay Times.
Poverty and performance: A study of Escambia schools by the Studer Community Institute and the University of West Florida finds that 10 of the 11 elementary schools with free- and reduced-price lunch rates above 85 percent were given D or F school grades. Pensacola News Journal.
Foreign languages: A study of Collier County students shows that a majority now speak a language other than English at home. Naples Daily News.
System audit: A state legislator is requesting a follow-up audit of the way the Leon County School District has handled past construction projects. Tallahassee Democrat.
Charter school moving: The Nap Ford Community School, one of Orange County’s oldest charters, is moving from the Parramore neighborhood at the end of the school year. Orlando Sentinel.
School properties: The Renaissance Charter School at Cooper City has been sold for $15.5 million. The Real Deal. Property owned by the Miami-Dade School District in the Design District neighborhood is appraised at $54 million. The school board votes this week on putting it out for bid. Miami Herald.
New school’s model: The new Plantation Key School will be modeled after Boynton Beach’s Galaxy Elementary School, which was ranked in 2014 by one group as the best school in the state. Florida Keys Keynoter.
Autism center: Parents of autistic children are cautiously optimistic about plans to build a public school center for those students in Duval County. Florida Times-Union.
Rallying around school: A neighborhood group has formed Friends of North Shore Elementary in St. Petersburg, trying to convince people living around the school to send their children there instead of choosing a private or magnet school. Tampa Bay Times.
Teacher, administrator pay: Average salaries for Marion County teachers, principals and assistant principals continue to lag near the bottom third of the state’s largest school districts. Ocala Star-Banner.
Teacher shortage: Lee County schools are temporarily using 20 exceptional student education teachers to help fill teacher shortages. Fort Myers News-Press.
Teacher academy: The Chain of Lakes Collegiate charter high school in Winter Haven is starting a pilot program for a teacher academy in the spring semester. Lakeland Ledger.
Superintendent search: The Osceola County School Board has a list of nine semifinalists to replace superintendent Melba Luciano, who is retiring July 31. Four of the candidates are from Florida. Osceola News-Gazette.
Transgender reading: The Florida-based nonprofit Liberty Counsel, a religious activist group, threatens to sue a Wisconsin school district that had a story about a transgender girl on its reading list. The district removed it after the threat. New York Daily News.
Sexting penalties: The state’s new sexting law gives law enforcement more options for penalties. Officials say sexting is a problem in high schools and middle schools, and the new rules allow for “teachable moments.” Tampa Bay Times.
Testing cut scores: The State Board of Education is weighing the arguments for settling on a grading scale – also commonly called cut scores – for the Florida Standards Assessment. The board will vote in January. Palm Beach Post.
School zoning: A series of proposed Broward County school boundary changes – and two in particular – have some parents angry. Sun-Sentinel.
School sidewalks: The Lake County Commission is moving ahead with 10 sidewalk projects in Eustis, Mount Dora and Leesburg. Parents of school children have complained about the lack of sidewalks around schools. Daily Commercial.
Opinions on schools: It’s time to consider smaller school districts. Orlando Sentinel. The State Board of Education should set the Florida Standard Assessment test cut scores at levels that will eliminate the gap with NAEP proficiency levels, writes Dominic M. Calabro, president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch. TCPalm. A referendum for Palm Beach County schools will be a hard sell. Sun-Sentinel. High school students need a broad base of math and science to keep their college and career options open. Bridge to Tomorrow. The Duval County School Board and Superintendent Nikolai Vitti need to work out their differences. Florida Times-Union. School achievement is more than a test score. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Collier County students’ required economics with financial literacy course reflects the new financial literacy standards for high school. Naples Daily News.
School, teacher settle: The Collier County school district will pay $32,500 as part of a settlement to a former teacher who claimed retaliation after she alleged the system was misusing federal grant money. Naples Daily News.
Teacher loses in court: The Florida Supreme Court rules that the statute of limitations does not apply in the case of a former Bay County school teacher accused of “misconduct in office by a public officer or employee.” He was originally charged in 2012 with several counts of sexual misconduct with minors between 2001 and 2006, but the charges were changed to the more general misconduct in office, which has a longer statute of limitations. Panama City News Herald.
Teachers in trouble: A teacher at Centennial High School in Port St. Lucie has been arrested and accused of sexual battery on a student. WPBF.
Student enrichment: Florida International University and the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science are collaborating to set up a science education program in Miami-Dade preschools. FIU News. Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School in Tampa is one of 335 U.S. high schools selected as a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Tampa Tribune. Orange County schools receives a “silver level district” award from the Florida Green School Network for promoting environmental sustainability. Orlando Sentinel. Jackson Middle School in Titusville gets a grant for a mentoring program. Florida Today. Students in Volusia and Flagler counties are changing their lives and the lives of others through giving. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Eight Braden River Elementary School students are chosen for the All-State Elementary Chorus. Bradenton Herald.
