Rallying for choice: As many as 11,000 supporters of school choice rally at the Florida Capitol to support tax-credit scholarships and urge the Florida Education Association teachers union to end its lawsuit that alleges the program is unconstitutional. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer those accounts. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. Sunshine State News. Tallahassee Democrat. AP, via Bradenton Herald. News Service of Florida. WUSF.
Recess reconsidered: Hours after agreeing to consider a resolution that would urge elementary schools to offer at least 20 minutes of recess on days when students do not have a physical education class, the Pinellas County School Board backs off and now will consider whether to require it. The R’Club Child Care Inc., which supervises thousands of children during non-school hours at 27 elementary schools, has offered to help. Tampa Bay Times.
Teacher bonuses: The Senate Education Committee considers the teacher bonus program today. Several senators are publicly questioning the wisdom of basing bonuses partly on teachers’ performances on such tests as the SAT and ACT. Gradebook.
School health clinics: The Brevard County School District is considering onsite health clinics for school employees to provide low-cost medical services and prescriptions and limit rapidly rising health costs. Florida Today.
Pay raises: The Hillsborough County School Board approves raises or bonuses for the 20,000 teachers, teacher aides and many other school-based employees. Tampa Tribune. Tampa Bay Times.
Osceola superintendent: Debra Pace is named superintendent of the Osceola County School District. The other finalists were Hernando County Superintendent Lori Romano and Anna Diaz, area superintendent for East Learning Community in Orange County. Tampa Bay Times. Florida Today.
School impact fees: An Orange County advisory group will look into whether the county should raise its impact fees, which help pay for new schools. Orlando Sentinel.
Exams explained: Polk County school officials explain how end-of-year exams are weighted in determining final student grades. Lakeland Ledger.
Testing forum: Lee County School Superintendent Greg Adkins will hold a forum Thursday with parents, students and the community about school testing. Fort Myers News-Press.
District options: The Manatee County School Board, presented several options for balancing school enrollment, wants to take some time before deciding which option to choose. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
School calendar: The Sarasota County School Board’s draft calendar now sets Aug. 22 as a start date. The board considered moving that date a week earlier, but protests from parents caused it to scrap the idea. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Stadium configuration: Bay County school officials say building the new Tommy Oliver Stadium in its current east-west footprint instead of orienting it north-south would save a million or more dollars. Panama City News Herald.
Chasing threats: Police officers from the Palm Beach County schools are asking for the public’s help to identify the people who have made at least eight threats against the school system since October. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel.
Resource officers: The Mount Dora Police Department shows off new vehicles for school resource officers, as the integration of officers into Lake County schools continues. Daily Commercial.
Jury gets bribe case: The case of grand theft, money laundering, racketeering and other charges against former Broward Teachers Union President Pat Santeramo is now in the hands of the jury. Sun-Sentinel.
Teacher arrested: A first-grade teacher at Bob Sikes Elementary School in Crestview is arrested after allegedly starting a fight at a hospital. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Opinions on schools: Teaching kids about sex may be uncomfortable, but it is absolutely necessary. Laurie Futterman, Miami Herald. The PreK-12 Committee of the Florida Senate should amend the teacher bonuses bill to focus on recruiting and retaining math and science teachers and teachers in high-needs schools. Paul Cottle, Bridge to Tomorrow.
Student enrichment: Microsoft is making a version of Minecraft for schools to use in classrooms as a teaching tool. CNN. Hundreds of volunteers worked Monday to clean up and beautify Myrtle Grove K-8 Center in Miami Gardens. Miami Herald. About 50 Golden Gate High School students show off their entrepreneurial skills at INCubatoredu, a program that teaches students how to turn ideas into businesses. Naples Daily News.
