K-12 budgets: The Florida House budget bill would provide twice as much construction funding for charter schools as it would for traditional public schools. The Florida Senate’s bill provides no construction money for charter schools. It’s still early in the process, though, lawmakers from both chambers say. Gradebook. Palm Beach Post. Politico Florida. Senate leaders are looking at ways to roll the property tax hike that Gov. Rick Scott is calling for in his education budget into the $1 billion tax cuts Scott also proposes. Tampa Bay Times. WFSU. What are some of the differences between the budgets? Gradebook. School district administrators are concerned about a possible shift in construction money to charter schools. Gradebook.
Teacher bonuses: Teacher bonuses based partly on ACT or SAT scores remain in the Florida House bill with funding of $45 million, which closely aligns with Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal. But the Florida Senate bill has recommended no money for the program. Orlando Sentinel.
High school free agency: If the Legislature passes a bill allowing students and athletes to choose any school, Florida would have the most lenient standards for athletics transfers. Advocates of the bill say it’s merely an expansion of the school choice, while critics say it would create a recruiting free-for-all among high schools. Associated Press.
Class sizes: Two South Florida school districts are on track to avoid fines for class-size violations, according to officials in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Sun-Sentinel.
District reorganization: Brevard School Superintendent Desmond Blackburn is proposing a reorganization of administration titles, job responsibilities and the chain of command. The school board will have to approve. Florida Today.
Pay raises: The Bay County teachers union reaches an agreement with the school district on a pay raise ranging from $1,100 to $1,400 a year per teacher. The way teachers are evaluated will also change slightly, with less emphasis on test scores and more on observations by the principal. Panama City News Herald.
Rezoning alternatives: Parents are offering a variety of alternatives to the Clay County School District’s rezoning proposal for Oakleaf schools. Florida Times-Union.
New school controversy: A proposal for a new high-tech “boutique” high school on the athletic fields of Highland Oaks Middle in northeastern Miami-Dade has some parents concerned about diversity at the high-performing school it might draw from and traffic in the area. Miami Herald.
Development concerns: Miami-Dade school officials worry that the proposed large-scale redevelopment of Liberty Square will include a charter school, which could cut into the area’s already under-enrolled schools. Miami Herald.
Religion and schools: Acknowledging a religious group’s contributions to the public school system is not the same as an endorsement, writes Hillsborough School Superintendent Jeff Eakins in a letter to the media in the Tampa Bay area. Gradebook.
Teacher honored: Donald Blake, who is an electricity instructor in the Marchman Technical program, is named Pasco County’s teacher of the year. Tampa Bay Times.
Substitute teachers: School districts in northwest Florida are struggling to find qualified substitute teachers. Pensacola News Journal.
Mentors needed: Escambia County schools have a good retention rate with mentors for students, but more are needed. Pensacola News Journal.
Lizard goes to school: An anole lizard from Florida, discovered when a woman unwrapped a bundle of tatsoi greens in Princeton, N.J., is adopted as a class pet by the science lab at Riverside Elementary School. The Times of Trenton.
Theft ring busted: A Brevard County School District fleet-maintenance foreman is arrested in connection with an “organized theft ring,” according to sheriff’s deputies. Edward Strobush is charged with grand theft, dealing in stolen property and scheming to defraud. More arrests are expected. Florida Today.
No reprimands: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas says no employees will be reprimanded and no public apology will be issued to a West Florida High student who was reassigned after a hazing incident on a school bus in December. The decision was overturned and the mother of the boy demanded an apology and the firing of two school officials who handled the investigation. Pensacola News Journal.
Superintendent race: Former Leon County School Board member and retired state employee Patricia Sunday joins Rocky Hanna and Michael Wynn as independents in the race for Leon County school superintendent. They will face the winner of the Democratic primary, either Scott Maddux or current Superintendent Jackie Pons. Tallahassee Democrat.
Opinions on schools: When it comes to education, we should always put students first. That’s not always the case for some promoting school choice. Daisy J. Baez, Sun-Sentinel. It’s time to start listening to the problems of teachers. Ernest Hooper, Tampa Bay Times. The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project is a great example of the power of mentoring. Frederica Wilson, Sun-Sentinel. The teacher-bashing seen in such TV shows as Those Who Can’t simply perpetuates stereotypes. Carolyn Haykin, Palm Beach Post. Schools need to get prepared for transgender bathroom issues. Terry Dickson, Florida Times-Union. The community is pitching in to help homeless children, but more help is needed. Pensacola News Journal. A recruitment letter to an eighth-grader, if the Florida Legislature allows athletes to pick their schools. Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post. The Florida teachers union doesn’t speak for everyone when it condemns tax-credit scholarships. Jeff Bergosh, Tallahassee Democrat. Tax credit scholarships are allowing my three children to thrive in school. Olivia Huron-Schaeffer, Florida Today.
School innovation: Palmetto Bay Academy, a private school in Miami, is known for customizing education for students who don’t so well in traditional classrooms. Miami Herald. Daniel Academy, a private school in Jacksonville, specializes in children with behavioral or learning disabilities. Florida Times-Union. Tyrone Middle School’s Center for Innovation and Digital Learning, a magnet program, is flush with technology that is keeping students’ attention. Tampa Bay Times. Collier County middle schools will blend the prestigious Cambridge Secondary program with the existing curriculum of advanced middle school courses in the fall, to provide a tougher academic challenge. Naples Daily News.
Student enrichment: Jimmy Qin, a junior at Seminole High School in Sanford, is one of two students worldwide who posted a perfect score on the Advanced Placement physics exam. Nearly 23,000 students took the test. Orlando Sentinel. Against the advice of some of her friends, Park Vista High School cheerleader Mikal Bartosik makes a “promposal” to a friend who’s in special education classes. Palm Beach Post. The Manatee High School cheerleaders win their fourth straight state championship title. Bradenton Herald.
