Florida schools roundup: Bright Futures, $500 bill, ethics, planning time and more

florida-roundup-logoBright Futures: A bill that allows high school students to fulfill service or religious requirements and still receive Bright Future scholarships is signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott. Gradebook. Scott also signs more than 30 other bills into law. Miami Herald.

Fire-breather’s bill: Atlantic High School is being billed $500 for the fire-breather’s performance that went awry when his face caught on fire. It’s unclear if the school is planning to pay. Palm Beach Post.

Ethics ruling: The Florida Commission on Ethics rules that a school board member may not accept more than $100 in gifts from her boyfriend if he’s a vendor with the school district. Gradebook.

Teacher planning time: Lee County middle- and high-school teachers will get daily planning time built into their schedules for the first time in more than a decade, school officials announce. The time will be equivalent to one class period a day. It starts in August and is expected to cost the district $2.5 million. Fort Myers News-Press.

Activities and absences: Pasco County schools officials are reconsidering the district’s policy that prohibits extracurricular activities for students with unexcused absences. The district now believes such a ban may increase unexcused absences. Tampa Bay Times.

Pay discrepancy: A teacher’s complaint about pay inequity prompts an investigation by the Manatee County School District and the teachers union. A Lee Middle School civics teacher says another teacher with the same number of degrees and experience is being paid more than she is. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Strategic plan: Collier County school officials are starting to pitch their three-year strategic plan. The plan stresses accelerated learning options at all levels, a greater focus on the arts, a higher graduation rate and greater community involvement. Naples Daily News.

Rezoning scrutinized: Proposed boundaries for Stowers Elementary School are a concern for some parents. The Hillsborough County School Board will consider the revisions Tuesday. Tampa Bay Times.

Teacher investigated: A Sebring High School language arts teacher’s relationship with a student is being investigated by the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. It’s the fourth such accusation in the past two months in Highlands County schools. WFLA.

Opinions on schools: The Pinellas County School District is drawing a lot of criticism for the poor performance of predominantly black schools. But progress is being made. Tampa Tribune. The fight over public education, now taking place as a civil trial in a Tallahassee courtroom, is a battle for the 2.75 million public schoolchildren who have no high-paid lobbyists in Tallahassee. Kathleen Oropeza, Orlando Sentinel. Ashley Elliott tells how a tax-credit scholarship got her turned around in school. Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship program is administered by Step Up for Students, which hosts this blog. Sunshine State News. An agreement between Jacksonville and the city-owned utility company JEA will benefit the city, but deprive the school system of badly needed funding. Ron Littlepage, Florida Times-Union. While some qualities of great teachers can be observed, they are difficult to quantify. The best show love for education and students. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Student enrichment: Breakthrough Miami is partnering with the Gulliver Preparatory School to offer Saturday classes and activities to low-income students. The program is tuition-free. Miami Herald. About 40 Orlando-area students tour the Electronic Arts Tiburon studio in Maitland, learning about game development and potential career paths. Orlando Sentinel. Wadley Pierre, a senior at Lehigh Senior High School, is one of 20 U.S. finalists for the Award of Excellence, which recognizes athletic achievement, excellence in academics and community engagement. Fort Myers News-Press. Sarasota High School’s new gymnasium and cafeteria are open. They are the second part in a four-phase renovation project at the school. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Micanopy Middle School, a charter school, turns a corner both academically and financially. Gainesville Sun. The strength of women is celebrated at SAIL High School’s “Phenomenal Women” event. Tallahassee Democrat.


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BY NextSteps staff