Florida schools roundup: Transgender bathrooms, charter schools and more

florida-roundup-logoTransgender bathrooms: The Sarasota County School Board is split on issuing a district-wide policy on bathroom use by transgender students. For now, the issue will be decided case-by-case by individual schools. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Charter district: Florida Sen. Bill Nelson joins the Florida League of Women Voters in opposing a constitutional amendment that would set up a statewide charter school district. Tampa Bay Times.

Education bills: Several education bills are up for a House vote this week. News Service of Florida. WUSF. Politico Florida.

Charter schools: Orange County commissioners deny a developer’s request to locate two charter schools in Avalon Park. The school district opposes the charters, citing traffic concerns. The developer says he may take the issue to court. Orlando Sentinel. A new Bay Haven Charter Academy School for K-5 will be built in Lynn Haven. The Bay County Commission agreed to issue $5.5 million in tax-exempt financing for the project. Panama City News Herald.

District repairs: The Palm Beach County School District will pay architects $175,000 to help compile a list of repairs needed at schools. Palm Beach Post.

Band gets political: Suncoast Community High School band members played Monday at a rally for Hillary Clinton in Riviera Beach. That’s a violation of the Palm Beach County School District policy. Officials are investigating. Palm Beach PostSun-Sentinel.

Duval reorganization: Duval School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti proposes several changes to existing schools, including a magnet program for cybersecurity, information technology and sports medicine at Andrew Jackson High School. Not mentioned at the meeting were text messages from a board member to a school staffer criticizing Vitti. Florida Times-Union.

Students readmitted: The Escambia County School Board votes to readmit two students involved in a hazing incident on a school bus. One board member, Jeff Bergosh, questioned the formal hearing officer’s ruling to reinstate one of the students. Pensacola News Journal.

Board member criticized: A complaint is filed against Orange County School Board member Christine Moore that center on her support for an Apopka city commissioner. It accuses her of pressuring someone to support commissioner Sam Ruth. Meanwhile, Moore herself filed a complaint against a drama teacher for allowing an ad supporting Ruth’s opponent during a school production. Orlando Sentinel.

Student exodus: Hillsborough County school officials are looking for ways to address a net loss of 1,200 middle school students in a single school year. Gradebook.

Academic coaches: The idea to provide academic coaches to high school athletes in Haines City is not dead yet. The City Commission tabled the $4,000 request from the mayor, but now the city manager trying to raise the money from city residents and businesses. Lakeland Ledger.

Testing protest: Parents opposed to the proliferation and use of state tests send red clown noses to legislators and other state leaders. The message: Use the noses to “smell the baloney” in the state’s school accountability system. Orlando Sentinel.

School changes: The Hillsborough County School District revises its rezoning plan to alleviate overcrowding at Stowers Elementary in Lithia. Tampa TribuneGradebook. Members of the community support building a new Melrose Elementary School in St. Petersburg. Gradebook.

Club kept alive: The Flagler County School Board approves a donation of $25,000 to keep the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club going for another year. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Public records fight: A St. Augustine activist says the state should just provide public records on request instead of trying to change the law governing how attorney fees are granted in open-records lawsuits. St. Augustine Record.

Notable deaths: Michael Shapiro, a longtime teacher and football coach at several south Miami-Dade high schools, has died. Shapiro, 67, taught English and Latin and helped prep athletes for SAT tests. Miami Herald.

Opinions on schools: The Hillsborough County School District is rightly focusing on improving outcomes at seven struggling schools. Tampa Bay Times. Public schools do not deserve the attacks they’re getting in the Legislature. Tampa Tribune.

Student enrichment: Every week, a team of Florida State presidential scholars visits the Carter-Parramore Academy to help students do things they thought they couldn’t. Tallahassee Democrat. Fifth-graders from Miami’s Lenora B. Smith Elementary participate in a one-week program at their school with instructors from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Miami Herald. A dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater leads a class for fourth- and fifth-graders at Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary Center for the Fine Arts. Gainesville Sun. Students at Melrose Elementary will receive 1,000 free books from the nonprofit First Book. Melrose has been the lowest-performing traditional elementary school in Florida for the last two years. Gradebook. Satellite High School’s marching band members are trying to raise $56,000 to replace their 19-year-old uniforms. Florida Today. Ollie Phillips, an assistant principal at Shadowlawn Elementary in East Naples, combines entertainment with education. Naples Daily News.


Avatar photo

BY NextSteps staff