Revised S.B. 86, tuition breaks for grandchildren, transgender athletes, parents’ rights and more

Revised S.B. 86 gets OK: A significantly revised S.B. 86 won the approval of the Senate Education Appropriations Committee on a 6-3 vote Tuesday. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, deleted the most controversial provision, which would have reduced Bright Futures Scholarships for students who choose majors that are on a list of degrees judged by a board of university educators to “NOT lead to jobs.” But still in the bill is a change in the way Bright Futures is funded, taking it from a set percentage of tuition and fees to whatever the Legislature appropriates annually for the program, a provision that is drawing criticism from students and their parents. Sen. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, said tying the funding to the budgeting process was unfair and could lead to an exodus of talented students to other states. “How can we expect lifelong decisions to be made when the state is essentially saying we won’t commit to fully funding the scholarship programs?” Cruz said. “Families rely on this program to access education, to climb out of generational poverty.” The bill, which does not have a companion in the House, now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. News Service of Florida. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. Capitol News Service. Florida Politics. WKMG. WFSU.

More from the Legislature: Out-of-state students could get in-state university tuition if they have grandparents living in Florida and if their home state reciprocates for Florida students, according to a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate Education Committee. Tampa Bay Times. WTLV. Senators on the education committee backed a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing in K-12 or university women’s sports unless they maintained low testosterone levels. Florida Politics. The Parents’ Bill of Rights legislation was approved Tuesday by the Senate Education Committee. It would prohibit government bodies from infringing on the rights of parents to make educational and health care decisions for their children. Florida Politics. State colleges and universities would be authorized to create and sponsor charter schools under a bill approved by the Senate Education Committee. News Service of Florida. A proposal requiring universities and other groups to disclose funding from China and six other countries was approved by the House Education and Employment Committee. Florida Politics. Both the Senate and House are considering bills (S.B. 358 and H.B. 1119) that would require schools to ask students if they can can swim, and point parents to free or low-cost programs if the answer is no. Florida Politics.

Around the state: A Palm Beach County School Board member has backed off asking the sheriff to make a proposal to take over the district police force, Seminole County School Board members hire board attorney Serita Beamon as superintendent after a judge denied an injunction to stop the process, a 16-year-old Crestview High School student uses the CPR skills he’s learning at school to help save a 6-month baby who wasn’t breathing, summer school will be expanded in the St. Lucie County School District, and students at a Hillsborough County high school have started a drive to save the job of a black school resource officer who was recorded saying the n-word. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:

Hillsborough: Middleton High School students are rallying in support of a black school resource officer who was fired March 2 for using the n-word. Delvin White had been at the school three years and had built a strong rapport with students, according to administrators and members of the community. A petition to reinstate White is circulating, and he’s gotten the backing of the police union for his appeal to the city’s Civil Service Board. White’s body camera recorded him using the n-word when describing his dealings with students, and he also acknowledged using it during an arrest of a student. Tampa Police Chief Brian Duggan defended the firing, saying, “People need to understand I can’t fire a white officer and not fire a black officer for saying that. The policy is pretty clear that unless there are mitigating circumstances, you’re going to get terminated if you talk like that. My stance has to be color-blind.” Tampa Bay Times.

Orange: The transformation of Stonewall Jackson Middle School to its new name, Roberto Clemente Middle School took another visible step with the painting of a mural depicting key moments in the Hall of Fame career of Clemente, the late baseball star and Puerto Rican icon. Local graphic artist Neysa Millán donated her time for the project, and said, “It is a community with a high Hispanic population so giving [life] to someone they can admire like Roberto Clemente is a great honor for me.” Orlando Sentinel.

Palm Beach: School board member Karen Brill dropped her proposal to ask the sheriff’s office to submit a bid to take over the district’s police force after Superintendent Donald Fennoy said he would personally look for cost savings in the school police budget. “He’s committed to me that he’s going to review the budget of the school police,” Brill said. “I will allow him to do that first.” Monday, Brill suggested that it would be “fiscally irresponsible” not to explore the potential savings. Fennoy said the school board decided in 2018 against a merger with the sheriff’s office, and “since that time, our police department has increased in size and efficiency. I see no reason at this time to revisit the idea of a merger or takeover.” Palm Beach Post. WPTV.

Duval: A new report by the nonprofit civic group 904WARD shows that the academic performance gap between racial groups has persisted over the 20 years that it’s been studied, and efforts to address the differences have had little effect. “As our school district works through a new strategic plan with its newly elected school board and recently named superintendent of the year, there is explicit acknowledgment of the need to address literacy and the disparate school grades,” the report concluded. “To accomplish these goals, there must be serious emphasis on changing the outcomes for students of color since they make up the majority of the school district.” Florida Times-Union. Attendance was heavy Tuesday at the second community meeting to discuss the proposal to rename Robert E. Lee High School. A district spokeswoman said there is 20 to 25 times more interest in the renaming of Lee than any of the other eight schools. WJXT. WTLV. A teacher at Lee High was ordered by school officials to take down a Black Lives Matter flag she placed in her room. Amy Donofrio’s flag was criticized on social media after a community meeting held Monday to discuss a proposal to change the school’s name. Hours after the post, Donofrio said, she was told by principal Timothy Feagins to take it down or have it removed. District officials issued a memo in December banning employees from supporting social movements or posting flags and signs on district property. WJXT.

Pinellas: Juniors at St. Petersburg High School are taking the SAT today for a second time because the school gave them the wrong test March 3. The 2020 exam that was supposed to be given after spring break in 2020 was placed in storage when students didn’t return because of the pandemic, then mistakenly administered. “It was an honest mistake,” said district spokeswoman Isabel Mascareñas. Tampa Bay Times.

Seminole: A judge has denied a request for an injunction against the school board’s decision-making process of hiring a superintendent. An attorney representing a parent claimed the board violated its own bylaws by deciding to hire Chad Farnsworth, then rescinding the offer two weeks later to hire board attorney Serita Beamon. Later Tuesday, the board approved a contract that will pay Beamon $190,000 a year plus benefits. She replaces the retiring Walt Griffin, and becomes the first African-American and first woman appointed to the job. Orlando Sentinel. WKMG.

Manatee: School board member Scott Hopes is one of two finalists for the job of acting county administrator. County commissioners voted down a motion to hire Hopes immediately, but kept him as a finalist. The other finalist is Joseph Napoli, the city manager of Cooper City in Broward County. A decision is expected April 1. Hopes has said if he’s chosen, he’ll resign from the school board within 60 days. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Collier: An 11-year-old Estates Elementary School student was taken into custody Tuesday under the Baker Act after deputies said she brought a knife onto a school bus and threatened to hurt herself and others. She’s being charged with aggravated assault and possessing a weapon on school grounds. WINK.

Sarasota: After the school district announced proms could be held, but without dancing, parents of Venice High School seniors began planning their own prom. “We just wanted to make sure we could do better for our kids this year,” said Pam Syx. It will be held at the Plantation Country Club, and will include masks, temperature checks, outdoor seating and distancing. And dancing. WTVT.

St. Lucie: The school district is planning to expand its summer school program to help students catch up on learning they may have lost during the pandemic. All schools will now offer Elementary Learning Adventure camps, and a kindergarten transition camp will introduce students to their new schools. Enrollment is expected to be three times the usual summer school attendance, and 650 teachers are expected to participate. TCPalm. A 46-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly beating up a student younger than 15 at the Dale Cassens Education Complex on Monday. Deputies said Sheila Marie Wilson was seen repeatedly punching the girl, who is a family member, and has been charged with child abuse. TCPalm.

Escambia: The community partnership school at C.A. Weis Elementary is celebrating its fifth anniversary, and school officials said it has transformed the school and the surrounding community. Community schools offer educational, health and food services, as well as after-school programs and parent resource centers. “It’s always just making sure our kids always have that level playing field that every other child has. We’re not trying to give them extra. We just want them to have that level playing field and let them shine like they should,” said Lisa Smith-Coleman, the community partnership school director at Weis. Pensacola News Journal.

Okaloosa: A 16-year-old Crestview High School student recently used the CPR skills he’s learning at school to help save a 6-month baby who wasn’t breathing. Savion Harris, a junior, jumped into action while he was working at a Thai restaurant. “The baby was turning blue and I decided to do CPR,” he said. “I did two good compressions and the baby started crying, so I knew he was getting oxygen to his lungs. The color started returning to his face and at that point the ambulance arrived.” Northwest Florida Daily News. WEAR.

Citrus: Members of the Academy of Environmental Science charter board of directors met in private March 18 to discuss two applicants for the open principal’s position, an apparent violation of the state’s Sunshine Law. After the meeting, board members voted publicly to reject both candidates and repost the job. Karen Gaffney, the board’s attorney, said, “The volunteer board very often does not have the tools or training to fully understand the complexity of the government in the Sunshine Law. In the event a non-public meeting was in fact held, the AES board of directors now understand that the most important thing, other than the students, is compliance with the Florida in the government Sunshine Law.” Citrus County Chronicle.

Around the nation: With the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package approved, the Biden administration is now working on a proposal to spend $3 trillion improving the nation’s roads, bridges, railways and waterways, and providing free community college and universal pre-kindergarten. Associated Press. New York Times. Washington Post. About 44 percent of the nation’s elementary students and 48 percent of middle school students are attending classes remotely, according to a survey by the U.S. Department of Education. The survey also showed a disparity by race: 69 percent of Asian 4th-graders are fully remote, as are 58 percent of black students and 57 percent of Hispanics, compared with only 27 percent of white students. NPR. Chalkbeat.

Opinions on schools: The future of Bright Futures Scholarships just got a little brighter, now that lawmakers have listened to young people and turned a bad bill into a not-so-bad bill. Miami Herald. After listening to those who do hybrid homeschooling, it is hard not to be bullish on its potential. But even if hybrid homeschooling isn’t for you, it might be worth taking a page or two out of their book to make traditional schools happier and healthier places. Michael McShane, redefinED. The Alachua County School District should work with county and Gainesville city commissioners to bring forth strategies to reduce the digital divide by providing greater e-learning access in after-school programs. Gunnar Paulson, Gainesville Sun. Here’s some advice to prepare students and their parents for college admissions decisions. Susan Chan Shifflett, Orlando Sentinel.


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BY NextSteps staff