Fighting against charters: Leon County School Superintendent Rocky Hanna is ignoring the recommendation of a review committee and is asking his school board to reject the applications of two companies that want to build charter schools. Hanna says the schools aren’t needed, and that he doesn’t like that charters don’t have the same regulations as public schools. “If we start opening mom and pop schools on every corner we’re going to slowly bleed our traditional schools to death. … Until we have some type of oversight on their expansion, I’m going to keep denying these requests,” said Hanna, who further explains his position in an op-ed column. The board votes on the applications April 10. If they are rejected, the charter schools can appeal to the Florida Department of Education. Tallahassee Democrat.
Graduation rates warning: The Duval County graduation rate could drop 10 percentage points next year because the state is raising the scores students need to pass alternative tests to the state’s assessments, warns assistant superintendent Kelly Coker-Daniel. She says as many as 1,000 students who complete the course requirements but can’t pass the Florida Standards Assessments standards take an alternative test, such as the ACT or SAT, to meet the requirements for graduation. The state recently announced it was sharply raising the passing grades for all tests. Florida Times-Union.
Security in schools: Brevard County students and residents will discuss a proposal to arm school employees at a town hall meeting Saturday in Satellite Beach. The meeting is one of 100 or so Town Halls for Our Lives being held around the United States. Meanwhile, Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey makes his pitch for arming school employees by citing a 1764 school massacre. “To those that want to use this most recent tragedy for anything but finding a solution to protect our children, I say: ‘Stop it,’ ” Ivey demanded in a Facebook video. “This is not about politics, the Second Amendment or automatic weapons. … It’s about implementing strategies that will stop an active shooter today, not two years from now.” Florida Today. The Volusia County School District is considering hiring a private firm to provide security at county schools. WFTV. Improving school security in Martin County will cost $12 million, school board members are told. They are considering raising the sales tax or property taxes. TCPalm. Citrus County officials are trying to determine if the Academy of Environmental Science, the only charter school in the county, will be required to have a resource officer. AES has just 73 students. Citrus County Chronicle.
District warfare: A very public feud between Sarasota County School Board member Eric Robinson and Superintendent Todd Bowden is escalating. At issue is how to pay for school security upgrades. Bowden says the district faces a $3.1 million shortfall because of the decision by the sheriff and two police departments to stop splitting the costs, and Robinson blames Bowden for souring those relationships. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
H.B. 7069 revisited: The politics of the Legislature’s signature education bill of 2017, H.B. 7069, shifted this year when lawmakers tweaked a key provision that was a major source of conflict. Now charter schools will get capital funding from the state instead of districts’ local property tax revenues. redefinED.
Teacher strikes: Teachers in several states are showing their displeasure at their pay and working conditions by striking, but the largest teachers union in Florida is reminding district unions that walking off the job is against state law, and is advising against it. “Walking off the job or reporting to work late is not an appropriate action and it comes with harsh consequences. It is important for all FEA members to follow the law,” reads a statement from Florida Education Association officials on the group’s website. Tampa Bay Times. The average pay for a Florida teacher is $47,858. WJXT.
Horizons 2040 project: The Florida Council of 100 is calling for higher pay for outstanding middle school teachers and leaders, more personalized learning for grades 4-8 students and increased emphasis on positive behavior and firm discipline to foster a caring school environment. “The Horizons 2040 Project: Grades 4-8” is the council’s second of three preK-20 reports. The council is a private, nonprofit group of business, civic and academic leaders. Florida Trend.
Nature vs. nurture: A University of Florida study of birth and school records of 24,000 twins and about 275,000 siblings born in Florida between 1994 and 2002 concludes that genetics and environment have about an equal impact on the learning ability of students. Associated Press.
Open enrollment: Seventy-one Palm Beach County schools will accept students who live outside their attendance boundaries for the 2018-2019 school year, school officials announce. The window to apply to one of those schools through the state’s open-enrollment law began this week and continues through April 30. Palm Beach Post.
Seclusions and restraints: The Marion County School District is restraining and secluding fewer mentally challenged students now than it did in 2012, when its seclusion rate was 13 times the state average and its restraint use three times the state average. But even the improved rates are still too high, according to the Florida Department of Education. Ocala Star-Banner.
Data breach effect: Bay County school officials say 1,275 students had their personal information compromised in the data breach at the Florida Virtual School that happened between May 6, 2016, and Feb. 12, 2018. Panama City News Herald. WMBB. WJHG.
CRC proposal-shaping: The Constitution Revision Commission’s Style and Drafting Committee begins the work of sorting through 24 proposed amendments to consider their language and potential groupings. The 11-member committee is concerned about “ballot fatigue” of voters sorting through so many complicated amendments. Four education proposals are under consideration. Politico Florida. Gradebook. News Service of Florida.
Portable problems: Pinellas County’s portable school classrooms need maintenance to “reduce the risk of the occupants’ health and safety,” according to a report from the Florida Auditor General’s Office. WFLA.
Gambling in schools: The Pasco County School District’s student code of conduct is being updated to make specific references on bans of any sort of gambling, and to add the words “live ammunition/bullets” to the list of objects and devices not allowed at schools. Gradebook.
Flag football growth: Fifteen years ago, flag football for girls debuted as a sanctioned high school sport in Florida with 60 teams. Today there are 260 teams and more than 6,000 participants. USA Today.
District settles suit: The Collier County School Board agrees to pay $100,000 to a former bus attendant who was punched in the eye by a student. The bus attendant, Jonas Francoeur, resigned Dec. 12, about two weeks after the settlement was reached. Naples Daily News.
Students arrested: A 13-year-old 7th-grader at River Springs Middle School in Orange City is arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot up the school. He’s the 20th Volusia student arrested for making threats against schools since the school shooting in Parkland on Feb. 14. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Orlando Sentinel. A 17-year-old University High School student is arrested for allegedly breaking into a chicken coop on campus and biting the head off a chicken. The chicken was there as part of a Farm to Table event held at the school last weekend. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Opinions on schools: Clear backpacks won’t keep students safe. But what students are doing with them is genius. Fabiola Santiago, Miami Herald. I know “school choice” is a popular mantra in many circles. I just don’t get it. I support experimentation and innovation — at public expense. But I don’t support the steady, near messianic push to create a second (mostly private) school system — also at public expense. Carl Ramey, Gainesville Sun. The sweeping disrespect some lawmakers have directed at the honorable profession of teaching in Florida and in other places is leading to strikes. Teachers are fighting back and maybe people are finally saying “Hey, wait a minute….” It’s a shame it took this long. Joe Henderson, Florida Politics. Zero tolerance doesn’t necessarily mean zero tolerance in Collier County and Florida schools. Brent Batten, Naples Daily News.
Student enrichment: Daytona State College donates 40 computers for a lab at Campbell Middle School in Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
