Testing. A computerized testing SNAFU leads to a painful ordeal, then a cheating accusation, then a firing, for an elementary music teacher. Tampa Bay Times.
Elections. American Federation of Teachers leader Randi Weingarten says Donald Trump seeks the “decimation of public education.” Florida Politics. A retired teacher ventures into a state House race, challenging a heavily favored Republican incumbent in a conservative district. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A civics teacher uses campaign season to bring class to life. Orlando Sentinel.
Collective bargaining. Rising health insurance premiums complicate labor negotiations for Indian River County teachers. TC Palm.
Charter schools. Pepin Academies, a charter school for children with special needs, offers programs to help older students get jobs. Tampa Bay Times.
Lead in drinking water. “We are not Flint,” a professor who detected excessive lead levels in two Leon County schools’ water systems says. Tallahassee Democrat. The district plans to create a Water Quality Assurance program. Communication needs to improve, the Democrat editorializes. The district is following EPA guidelines, a school board member writes.
Funding. Why lottery revenue hasn’t solved school funding issues. Palm Beach Post. A local tax referendum could fund new school construction. Palm Beach Post.
Free speech fight. Chris Guerrieri, a teacher and persistent critic of both his school district and statewide education policies, lands in hot water over a blog post. Florida Times-Union.
STEM. A Southwest Florida student is one of 18 worldwide to earn a perfect AP Calculus score. Naples Dialy News. Northwest Florida students compete in robotics. Pensacola News-Journal.
School names. An online survey elicits some explicit suggestions for the name of a new Lee County high school. “Harambe Memorial High School” is the top request. Fort Myers News-Press.
Turnarounds. The Lakeland Ledger delves into a long-awaited turnaround plan for a Polk elementary school.
Recovery. A student recovering from a traumatic brain injury finds a sense of normality at his school. Tampa Bay Times. Students rally around a classmate who lost his leg to a drunk driver. Palm Beach Post.
School quality. Teachers say a Pensacola school is worth more than its test scores alone suggest. Pensacola News-Journal.
Student conduct. A football player is charged with battery for stripping clothes off another student. Pensacola News-Journal.
Leadership. The current Duval County School Board chair and a candidate for a different board seat debate the future of district superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Florida Times-Union.
