Framers may weigh in: The so-called "framers" of the 1998 constitutional amendment that requires the state to provide high-quality public schools will be allowed to file a brief in a court challenge of a state education law, the Florida Supreme Court rules. The group Citizens for Strong Schools is suing the state, claiming it is not fulfilling its obligation to provide a "uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system" of public schools. Ten of the members of the 1998 Constitution Revision Commission had asked to be allowed to file a brief on their intent in the phrasing of the amendment, in support of the suit. The state objected, and will still be allowed to challenge the brief. News Service of Florida.
Union threatens lawsuit: The Florida Education Association says it will file suit today against the portion of H.B. 7055 that allows teachers unions to be decertified if they can't maintain more than half the eligible membership. "This is about equity and fairness, and being targeted and singled out," says FEA president Joanne McCall, who says the law applies only to teachers unions. Gradebook.
Broward bond projects: A watchdog group says it's time for the Broward County School District to outline a plan for fixing decaying schools or admitting it can't be done before the deadline it set. Florida TaxWatch, which was hired by the district to monitor the progress of the work scheduled under an $800 million bond referendum approved in 2014, found that only 10 percent of the identified projects have been completed and only 12 percent are under construction. “We are desperately behind and we need to know why," says board member Heather Brinkworth. Sun-Sentinel. A timeline of the bond program. Sun-Sentinel. (more…)
Florida is making a concerted push toward personalized learning — tailoring lessons more closely to individual students and allowing them to advance through school based on what they know, rather than the amount of time they spent in class.
Other states are, too, but there's something noteworthy about Florida's approach: It's largely being led by school districts.A state law passed earlier this year gives four districts and one university-based lab school the ability to participate in a pilot program to experiment with personalized learning.
A new report from the Foundation for Excellence in Education looks at personalized learning in three states, and notes Florida is taking a "bottom-up" approach. The law is intended to make way for changes districts are already carrying out, or at least hoping to pursue.
Lake and Pinellas Counties began their experiments a couple years ago, as part of a grant program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The superintendent of Palm Beach County schools, Robert Avossa, was hired away from Fulton County, Ga., which is also participating in the Next Generation Systems Initiative Grant. The Seminole County school district and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School are also allowed to participate in the pilot program.
Test scores: The Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), six end-of-course exams and a statewide science test scores are released by the Department of Education. Scores were up slightly in the math portion of the FSA, while English scores remained steady. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. Sun-Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. Palm Beach Post. Florida Times-Union. Pensacola News-Journal. Fort Myers News-Press. Lakeland Ledger. TCPalm. TCPalm. TCPalm. Bradenton Herald. Naples Daily News. Tallahassee Democrat. Gainesville Sun. Panama City News Herald. St. Augustine Record. Daily Commercial. Sunshine State News. Highlands Today. Three of the five lowest-performing elementary schools in St. Petersburg show significant improvement in test scores. The other two reported mixed results. Tampa Bay Times.
Gates report: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's effort to reform education has had mixed results, according to a report by the Rand Corp. and the American Institutes for Research. More high-performing teachers are working in low-income schools, but even there they tend to teach wealthier white students. Teachers are getting more training, but they're unhappy with their job evaluation process. And while math and reading scores improved for grades 3 and 8, reading scores dipped for poor and minority high school students, and the dropout rate rose. The Hillsborough County School District took part in the Gates initiative. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter issue in court: The 4th District Court of Appeal is being asked to decide what makes a charter school innovative and who should pass judgment on charter school applications. In 2014, the Palm Beach County School Board has turned down a charter application, saying the school didn't offer anything more than the district already had. The Florida Board of Education ruled that the district had no reason to reject the application. Palm Beach board members say they alone have the right to oversee charters. Sun-Sentinel.
Paying for grades: A biology teacher at West Boca High boosted the grades of students who donated money for him to buy things for his classroom. The donating students received a "free pass" that allowed them to turn in assignments late and improve test scores or their overall class grade. Palm Beach Post. (more…)
K-12 spending: Legislators are touting the record spending on K-12 education in this year's budget. But Orange County school officials and the Florida Education Association say the increase of about 1 percent doesn't even cover inflation. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, says there are greater differences between the House and Senate on education spending than on any other budget issue. Politico Florida. Lawmakers defend their compromise agreement on education spending. Politico Florida.
Education bill: Amendments are being added to one of the two major education bills in the Legislature. Several involve the teacher bonus program. Among them: deleting it, allowing teachers to use LSAT scores to qualify in addition to ACT and SAT, allowing teachers to qualify if they graduated from a college or university ranked among the top 25 nationally by the Princeton Review or other national publication at the time of their graduation, and more. Politico Florida.
School testing: More than 200 Lee County students have opted out of the Florida Standards Assessments so far. WINK. A Pasco County School Board member agrees with parents who believe students ought to be able to read after finishing their Florida Standards Assessments tests. A few state districts allow it, but those in west-central Florida do not. Gradebook.
Recess benefits: Key lawmakers believe the decision to require daily recess for elementary students should be made at the local level. But advocates say the problem is local school boards won't commit, which is why the issue landed in the Legislature. The Senate bill won't be heard, but backers aren't quitting. They say the benefits of recess are too compelling. WTSP.
Workbook removed: A fifth-grade workbook is removed from the Walker Elementary School curriculum after a parent complained about the inclusion of the phrase "Muslims pray to Allah." The reference was in a lesson helping Okaloosa County students differentiate between the words pray and prey. Northwest Florida Daily News. (more…)
K-12 funding: The Florida Senate and House are close to an agreement that would raise K-12 spending by $458 million, or $71 per student to $7,178. Most of the increase will be absorbed by the state instead of raised through local property taxes. In his budget proposal, Gov. Rick Scott wanted an extra $507 million for K-12 education, but almost 90 percent would have come from local property taxes. Legislators say the plan amounts to $428 million in tax relief. Politico Florida. Tampa Bay Times.
Education bills: What's in the two broadly drawn education bills that still must win approval in the full Senate and agreement in the House? Teacher bonuses, a change in charter school authority, open enrollment and much more. Gradebook.
Testing season: Florida's testing season begins today, and the Florida Department of Education is hoping for improvements from last year's problems of technical glitches. The Florida Standards Assessments vendor, American Institutes for Research, has upgraded software, hardware, security and its help desk, officials say. Orlando Sentinel.
Opting out: In west-central Florida counties, opting out of the Florida Standards Assessments tests isn't easy. Some parents wonder why, especially when they see other counties work with parents to avoid disruptions for students who opt out. Tampa Bay Times. The Department of Education denies a request that an Oak Park School student be exempted from taking the Florida Standards Assessment due to medical complexities. Maddy Drew's cerebral palsy prevents her from being able to speak, use the restroom on her own, or communicate beyond an occasional gesture with her one good hand. Her angry mother says she will take Maddy out of school until testing is completed. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Computer coding: Teachers and students talk about the possibility of computer coding fulfilling foreign language requirements. Sun-Sentinel. Panama City News Herald. (more…)
