School testing: State senators will consider competing school testing bills this week. SB 926 would push testing back to the final three weeks of the school year, and the test results would have to be returned to teachers within a week. It’s sponsored by Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami. The second bill, SB 964, also delays tests until the final month of the school year, but eliminates specific tests, allows districts to give pencil-and-paper tests, and gives principals wider discretion on teacher evaluations. It’s sponsored by Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee. Tallahassee Democrat. Montford is confident his bill will be given consideration, even though it was left off the Senate Education Committee’s next meeting agenda while SB 926 was included. Gradebook. An amendment added to the Senate’s school testing bill would specify that any school board member could visit any school in his or her district at any day and any time. No school could require advance notice, and a campus escort would not be required. The amendment was proposed by Flores. Gradebook.
School recess: The House has finally scheduled a hearing for a bill that would require recess for elementary school students. But the bill, HB 67, has several significant differences from the Senate bill, which has moved through committees and is headed to the Senate floor. The House bill calls for daily recess time, but allows schools to count recess time toward physical education class requirements, allows P.E. classes to count for recess time, and removes fourth- and fifth-graders from the requirement. Miami Herald.
Graduation rates: A bill drafted late last week in the House would count students who move from traditional high schools to alternative charter or private schools in the graduation rate of the school the student left. The bill surfaced just after the Florida Department of Education announced it would investigate whether traditional high schools were pushing struggling students into alternative charter schools in order to boost their graduation rates. That investigation was sparked by a report in ProPublica in February. redefinED.
Education bills: Education is one of five areas to watch as the Senate and House start putting together their proposals for a state budget. Gov. Scott has proposed a budget of $83.5 billion, but lawmakers, especially in the House, have other ideas about spending for education, the Everglades, tax cuts and state workers. Tampa Bay Times. Here are nine bills moving through the Florida Legislature that, if passed, would have an impact on the Brevard County School District. Florida Today. Volusia County teachers speak out about their frustrations with the state’s teacher bonuses program. The Legislature is considering changes in the program. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Teacher assignments: A look at teacher assignments in Hillsborough County schools shows that schools with higher minority populations tend to have less-experienced teachers. Superintendent Jeff Eakins says, “You will find that scenario is nationwide.” He says the district has a four-step plan to buck the trend: Get more seasoned principals at high-minority schools who will attract more experienced teachers, get teachers interested in programs that put them in higher-need schools, find effective ways to deal with classroom disruptions caused by students with unsettled home lives, and get more children into quality preschools. Gradebook.
Vitti’s Detroit interview: Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s interview for the Detroit superintendent’s job is moved up to Wednesday since of the three finalists has dropped out. Vitti and Derrick Coleman, superintendent of River Rouge schools that neighbor Detroit’s, are the remaining finalists for the job. The Detroit school board is expected to make a decision next week. Florida Times-Union. The Detroit job is a daunting one, but succeeding at it would give Vitti an opportunity to make a national name for himself. “Some superintendents of large urban school districts make their careers by moving in and working on improving academic achievement,” says Linda Eldridge, coordinator of the University of Florida’s educational leadership program. “They can write their own tickets when they are able to achieve that.” Florida Times-Union.
WLRN’s future: An advisory committee suggests that the Miami-Dade County School District can resolve the dispute with the public radio and TV station it holds the license for, WLRN, by selling the license. The district wants more oversight over fund-raising at the station, but critics say that would give the district too much influence over the station’s content. Miami-Dade School Superintendent Albert Carvalho appointed the committee to look into the dispute and make recommendations. Miami Herald.
School choice: The St. Johns County School District fills less than half the available seats in schools under the state’s new open enrollment plan. There were 360 seats available at four schools, but only 118 people were assigned. Fifty-one were from other schools in the county, and 67 were from neighboring Duval, Clay, Putnam and Flagler counties. St. Augustine Record.
Charter school vote: The Manatee County School Board votes today whether to end the contract with the Manatee Charter School. Superintendent Diana Greene has recommended termination for the school, saying it has failed to meet its contractual obligations. Bradenton Herald. Bradenton Times. The board also is expected to rule on the contract impasse between the district and the teachers union. Bradenton Herald.
Magnets expansion: The Pinellas County School District applies for a $15 million, five-year grant from the federal Magnet Schools of America program to improve and expand its existing magnet programs. If the application is accepted, Pinellas would begin accepting more students into existing magnet programs for the 2018-2019 school year. Gradebook.
School start times: A committee studying start times for Okaloosa County schools will present its recommendations to Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson on April 11. The question is whether to start schools later than 8:30 a.m. Jackson will then present options to the school board for a decision in May. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Back in the class: A month after nearly being fired last month for her actions in dealing with a troubled student, Samantha Major is back in a Palm Beach County classroom. Major, 27, is now teaching sociology classes at Spanish River High School. When she was accused of not properly reporting a student’s claim of raped, the district wanted her charged with a felony. Prosecutors declined, and the district then decided to fire her. But that move was rescinded after a wave of public support for Major, who had been rookie teacher of the year in the district a few years ago. Palm Beach Post.
Lacrosse growth: A push by the Orange County School District to increase the number of high school lacrosse teams is starting to catch hold. Two of the three schools targeted for expansion started programs this year, and the third hopes to have a team in the future. The district’s goals are to provide the same sports at each of its high schools, and make lacrosse more accessible to minority students. Orlando Sentinel.
Union battle: Two unions are fighting over the right to represent Santa Rosa County teachers and educational support staff. The Santa Rosa Professional Education represents those groups now, but its contract expires in August. The Santa Rosa Education Association is trying to convince the approximately 1,900 instructional employees and 600 education support professionals to make a change. Santa Rosa Press Gazette.
Board attorney: Four attorneys are being considered for the new job of in-house counsel for the Brevard County School District. The district has been represented by a firm for the past 22 years, but decided it needed a fulltime lawyer on staff. Florida Today.
Historic school burns: The old, historic William Stevens High School in Quincy has been badly damaged by a fire. The school was built in the 1920s as the Dunbar School. It’s owned by the Gadsden County Commission, and most recently has been used as the African Artifact and Cultural Museum. WTXL.
Teacher killed: A longtime Duval County music teacher is found dead in her Panama Park home, and police suspect she was murdered. Deborah Liles, 62, was a teacher at San Jose Elementary School. WJAX. Florida Times-Union.
Sexual assaults at school: A second Island Coast High School student says she was sexually assaulted at the school in September. She said she didn’t initially report the assault at the school in Cape Coral because she “did not want to face repercussions if she came forward.” Last week, a student reported she was sexually assaulted during school hours. Fort Myers News-Press.
Trespassers arrested: Three teenager trespassers are arrested on the Forest High School campus, and one of them is accused of punching a sheriff’s deputy in the nose. Ocala Star Banner.
Employee suspended: A Monroe County School District teacher’s aide is suspended after her arrest for allegedly stealing $18,000 from a previous employer. Kunia Rodrigues, 31, is accused of taking the money from a vault at First State Bank, where she was a teller. She left that job and was hired at Horace O’Bryant School in Key West. Keynoter.
Opinions on schools: If Florida’s legislators truly cared about public schools, they would try something else: Listening. Not to other politicians or the private think tanks that demonize public education. But to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to education. Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel. Brevard County’s public schools have nothing to fear about school choice. We provide or monitor options galore for Space Coast families. Superintendent Desmond Blackburn, Florida Today. Orange County commissioners, who are considering revisions to the School Siting Ordinance in April, have an opportunity to bring back the neighborhood high school. They should not hesitate to allow them. Rick Geller, Orlando Sentinel. My philosophy on praying in public schools is simple: religion is great. And it belongs in your home or house or worship. Don’t bring it into schools. Gary Stein, Sun-Sentinel. Measuring student progress is not an exact science, and testing is just one way to try. But there are far too many variables outside either school or teacher control that may have an impact on student performance. Paul D. Bohac, Panama City News Herald. Those responsible for plotting the course of education need to understand that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Not every child learns at the same level or speed nor do they have the same abilities or skills. However, what every child has in common is that he or she is teachable and should be allowed to rise to their fullest potential with resources in place to make that happen. Patricia Jackson, Daily Commercial. Lawmakers are missing the point when they try to boost computer science enrollment by sacrificing some other subject. Paul Cottle, Bridge to Tomorrow.
Student enrichment: The first robotics class in the Okaloosa County School District will be offered at Shoal River Middle School in Crestview. Northwest Florida Daily News.
