School safety grand jury: Florida’s Supreme Court unanimously approves Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call for a statewide grand jury to investigate whether schools are following safety requirements and to “make recommendations about what some of the various school districts could do better.” The grand jury will also investigate whether school districts have accepted state school safety money but failed to make improvements, and whether school officials are underreporting criminal incidents to the state. Eighteen jurors will be drawn from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, and meet for a year. Broward Chief Circuit Judge Jack Tuter will preside. Sun Sentinel. News Service of Florida. Tampa Bay Times. WCTV. WWSB. WFSU. Florida Phoenix. Associated Press.
Alternative discipline: The Broward County School Board will consider making changes in the district’s Promise program, the controversial alternative discipline program that’s been under fire since the deadly shooting last year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The state commission that investigated the massacre said the program had no bearing on the shooting, but criticized it as creating a lenient system in which students committing their 10th minor offense could be treated the same as ones committing their first. Among the proposed changes: Students will get fewer chances to repeat the program, and law enforcement will be alerted about the students who enter the program. Sun Sentinel.
Contentious meeting: The latest in the series of school safety meetings between Broward County residents and school district officials turns contentious along racial lines with bitter words exchanged between those who want Superintendent Robert Runcie fired and his supporters in the black community. “Just as you feel strongly about getting rid of Bob Runcie, we feel just as strong that it ain’t going to happen,” said state Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Lauderhill. Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime died in the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, said, “I am frustrated as hell at what is happening in this room tonight to make this about color and socioeconomic status. This is about security.” Miami Herald. Sun Sentinel. Broward teachers are anxious to see more security measures in schools, with the union president suggesting a ban on backpacks. Sun Sentinel. Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow died in the shooting, comes face-to-face in court with two men he holds partly responsible for her death. Sun Sentinel.
Choice survey: Public school advocates are critical of a survey from a pro-school choice organization that shows strong support for school choice among Florida parents. The Florida Education Association, the largest teachers union in the state, says the survey was “poorly designed and flawed” with deliberately misleading questions meant to elicit desired responses. The Foundation for Excellence in Education says it stands by its findings. Tampa Bay Times. Another key finding in the survey: Education was judged just the state’s 6th-most important issue among the 10 categories listed. Florida Phoenix.
Emergency drills: An unannounced active-shooter drill at Palatka High School in Putnam County causes chaos and panic among students and staff. School officials said they didn’t alert everyone about the drill in advance because they wanted it taken seriously. Some parents are criticizing the school’s decision. WJXT. Sarasota County school officials announce they’ll hold a district-wide school safety drill Wednesday. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Contract negotiations: Pasco County teachers and the school district are at an impasse in contract negotiations, but both sides are willing to try federal mediation before choosing a magistrate to preside over hearings and issue a recommendation to the school board. Gradebook.
New school name: The Manatee County School Board is scheduled to vote today on a name for a new high school that’s opening next fall in Parrish. Residents of the area want the board to change the name from North River High School to Parrish High School to honor community patriarch Crawford Parrish. Some are objecting because Parrish was a slave owner. Developers of the 5,900-home community near the school also are against the change, saying they called the community North River Ranch based on the school name and that it’s too late to change their marketing efforts. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Bradenton Herald.
Textbook purchases delayed: The Palm Beach County School Board was expected to approve the purchase of new math textbooks and other materials this week. Now those purchases are on hold after the governor’s call to end Common Core standards. The math books the district uses now are already six years old, and will be 10 years old by the time they’re replaced. Palm Beach Post.
Hope Scholarship concerns: Almost 2,500 Florida students have applied for a Hope Scholarship, which offers bullied students state scholarships to switch to private schools. Only about 117 students have been granted one so far, and Alachua County school officials say there are several problems with the application and granting processes. “The only real headache is the poorly drafted wording of the new law,” says board attorney Brian Moore. WUFT.
School expansions: Florida High School, which is one of the Florida State University Schools, has begun a $15 million, 50,000-square-foot addition for science, technology, engineering, arts and math classrooms, amphitheaters and an auditorium. Completion is scheduled for the fall of 2020. Tallahassee Democrat. The K-8 St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Port Charlotte is also a STEAM school, but has incorporated religion into the curriculum as well. Charlotte Sun.
Bus service extended: Polk County school officials have agreed to extend busing service for another year to two special education charter schools. The district had intended to end the service in the fall, but decided the schools need more time to prepare. Service to eight other charter schools will end as proposed, saving the district up to $130,000 a year. Lakeland Ledger.
School calendar: The Monroe County School Board is expected to approve the 2019-2020 school year calendar, with school starting Wednesday, Aug. 14, and finishing at the end of May. Students would be off a full week at Thanksgiving, and winter break would run from Dec. 20-Jan. 7. Key West Citizen.
Retaking command: Mike Woodbury has regained control over the Barnabas Christian Academy in Port St. Lucie, according to papers filed with the state. Woodbury had resigned his role a couple of weeks ago while the state investigated the school’s operations. TCPalm.
Coach not retained: Prosecutors decided not to prosecute West Orange High School football coach Bob Head after his arrest last month on a domestic violence charge, but he won’t return to his coaching position. “I thought I was coming right back in, but they didn’t want me to be a distraction,” says Head, 44, who is scheduled to resume teaching physical education at the school Monday. Orlando Sentinel.
Charges dropped against bus driver: Charges have been dropped against an Okaloosa County school bus driver who dropped off an 8-year-old disabled student about a mile from home. Anthony Wayne Campbell was arrested in February 2018 and charged with child neglect. An investigation showed Campbell had not been told the student had a disability, and had followed all the district’s transportation rules. He’s now eligible to be reinstated. Northwest Florida Daily News.
School threats: A 19-year-old man is arrested and accused of making a threat over social media against William H. Turner Technical Arts High School in Miami-Dade County. Miami Herald.
Opinions on schools: Gov. Ron DeSantis and most Florida legislators know little about the quality of the private schools into which they’re eager to shovel more public money. That accounts for the flaw in the persistent argument that parents deserve to choose the education for their children. It’s a powerful reason for supporters of public education to resist with every legal means. Sun Sentinel. Florida is at the bottom in per-pupil spending and teacher pay, and job openings for quality teachers continue to grow. So what’s our state’s response? School choice: Let’s give more public money to private schools. Perry E. Thurston Jr., Tallahassee Democrat. What should replace Common Core standards in Florida? It must have something, and Massachusetts has developed what appear to be the most useful set. Why not call up the Bay State and see if anyone there can send over a copy? Matthew Ladner, redefinED.
Student enrichment: A group of Manatee County high school students help win the national F1 in Schools model car competition in Austin, Texas. Bradenton Herald. The Volusia County School District and the Daytona Tortugas, a minor league baseball team, may collaborate to provide a summer reading program for students, a high school ambassador program and field trips in exchange for advertising opportunities for the team in schools. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
