Student-funding bill: House PreK-12 Appropriations chairman Manny Diaz, R-Miami, files a bill that details the specific amounts the Legislature would allocate for per-student funding and other education initiatives. H.B. 3A would boost the base student allocation by $43.24 over the amount legislators initially approved, and slightly cut the required local tax effort for districts. Most of the other amounts for projects align with Gov. Rick Scott’s proposals. Gradebook. Several school superintendents continue to call Gov. Scott privately to lobby for a veto of H.B. 7069. Politico Florida. Volusia County school officials say the extra money for education Gov. Scott is proposing will help, but still isn’t enough to meet the district’s needs. Daytona Beach News-Journal. An education analyst discusses the pluses and minuses of the charter schools funding provisions in the education bill. WUSF.
School schedules: Lake County School Superintendent Diane Kornegay proposes an extension of the school day by an hour, and the school year to 11 months. She’s also asking for a boost in college-readiness efforts and for more opportunities for associate degrees and industry certifications. Kornegay is urging school board members to shift funding from existing resources to pay for the changes. “Everyone wants to hold onto everything,” said Kornegay, who began her job in January. “And we can do anything we want — but we cannot do everything we want.” Orlando Sentinel. The Brevard County School District is sticking to its spring break schedule for 2018, from April 2-6, despite complaints from parents and students. Forty-four percent of those who took an online survey voted for that week because they think it will have a “lesser impact on testing” and allow “more instructional time in classroom prior to testing window.” Florida Today.
Testing schedule: Pasco County graduation ceremonies for 2018 could collide with the College Board’s Advanced Placement testing. Comparative government and politics, world history and statistics AP tests are scheduled for May 17, and human geography, microeconomics, European history, and Latin tests May 18. The Pasco calendar sets graduations between May 17 and 20. Gradebook.
Personalized learning: P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School is a lab school that focuses on personalized learning. The model, which includes competency-based learning, has been a success at the Gainesville school, which has received an A grade from the state. redefinED.
Personnel moves: New Flagler County School Superintendent James Tager appoints Matanzas High School principal Earl Johnson as executive director of leadership development and John Fanelli as principal of Buddy Taylor Middle School. Flagler Live.
Union fight: Santa Rosa is a small county, but it’s home to a big fight between the local teachers union and a statewide teachers union over representation for its educators. Politico Florida.
Teacher arrested: A veteran Volusia County teacher is among 18 men arrested in an undercover sex sting operation in New Smyrna Beach. Todd Johnson, 49, is charged with an unnatural and lascivious act and indecent exposure. He had been working at Volusia Online Learning, but has been removed from having contact with students pending the outcome of the legal process. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Opinions on schools: Florida’s secret budget deal undermines education and public trust. Sun Sentinel. It is a fact that parents will not consider moving their child from a school if that child is happy and performing well at his or her current school. It’s also a fact that parents will move their child if given a better option. Rod Jurado, Gainesville Sun. The Florida Department of Education should add Indiana, Tennessee and Texas to the study of states that perform at a relatively high level in middle school math and reading. Paul Cottle, Bridge to Tomorrow.
