Wharton grad: Superintendent Maryellen Elia defends principal who cut short a graduation speech by salutatorian Harold Shaw. Tampa Bay Times.

Special needs: Rodgers Middle School, where a student with Down syndrome drowned last year, no longer will have full-time exceptional student education classes. Tampa Bay Times.

Budget fixes: New Polk County schools Superintendent Kathryn LeRoy looks at ways to reduce $12.7 million shortfall. One way: eliminating a $2.5 million summer reading remediation program. The Ledger.

Funding: Columnist John Romano takes issue with Gov. Scott bragging about Florida, criticizing the state's level of student funding and practice of steering money to for-profit education companies, among other issues. Tampa Bay Times.

Turnaround plans: When the state education board meets next week, it will review turnaround plans for 58 schools. Gradebook.

School grades: John Padget, the new vice chairman of the state education board, says Florida schools should have prepared for the tougher standards tied to school grades. Gradebook.

Sleeping in: Some Broward County schools will start later in the coming school year and the district works to streamline bus routes and cut transportation costs. Sun Sentinel.

Wi-Fi: The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency will talk about providing the families of Galaxy Elementary students who qualify for free lunch with home Wi-Fi. Sun Sentinel.

Testing: Pasco school leaders take a look at latest testing scores for instruction ideas. Tampa Bay Times.

Tax hike: Seminole County School Board approves a property-tax increase to pay for building repairs and program improvements. Orlando Sentinel.

Lt. Gov.: Orange County schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins is the leading candidate for Florida's next lieutenant governor. Orlando Sentinel.

Principal shuffle: Broward County school district's plan to shuffle low-performing principals has angered parents and teachers. Miami Herald. (more…)

Career and technical education is attracting a lot of attention from Florida lawmakers this year, and an effort to expand it in the upcoming session appears to have bipartisan support.

CTE is the centerpiece of proposed legislation that builds on the state’s Career and Professional Education Act, which created industry-certification programs at the high school level.

Senate Bill 1076, filed last week by Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, would add more partnerships with business and community leaders to develop similar initiatives in middle and elementary schools. It also would elevate industry certifications to a level that can satisfy certain high school requirements.

Senate President Don Gaetz, a Republican from Destin, told redefinED this week that passage of the legislation would result in historic changes that, ultimately, would make education in the Sunshine State more relevant. He said lawmakers should be able to back it no matter their party affiliations.

“All of us … want our graduates to walk across the stage and get a degree in their hands that results in a job,’’ Gaetz said. “It’s a sea change in educational delivery.''

Sen. Bill Montford, a ranking Democrat from Tallahassee, said he endorses the bill and the sentiment behind it.

“We need a different pathway for a lot of our students,” said the former Leon County schools superintendent, who heads the state superintendents association. “This is not a dumbing down of our curriculum. It’s not a retreat. This is what is best for our children in these schools.’’

Freshman lawmaker Shevrin Jones agreed. The Democratic representative from West Park has co-sponsored a bill that calls for more focus on career education.

“Not everyone is going to college,’’ said the former high school educator, who taught Advanced Placement Biology until his election to the House last year. “What this will do is allow us to make sure that our students are prepared to go into the workforce.’’

But expanding career education doesn’t shut the door on a college degree, Montford said. “Most college students work,” he said. “This is a good fit.’’

Legg’s bill is at the forefront of this overhaul, serving as the cornerstone of another bill the lawmaker filed last month that ties education to economic development.

The so-call STEM zone bill would create hubs that invite colleges and universities - as well as K-12 district schools, private schools and charters - to help develop a pipeline of highly-skilled workers for careers in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Florida industry leaders like what they’re hearing.

“It’s very difficult to connect skilled workers to jobs,’’ Ron Avery, chairman of the St. Augustine-based Ronco Group, which includes industrial, engineering and manufacturing businesses, told lawmakers at a committee hearing last month. “There are 4,000 manufacturing jobs open in Florida. We need to figure out today how to fill these.’’ (more…)