Florida Board of Education openings. Two coming up, notes Gradebook.

When Florida and Mississippi schools were peas in a pod. Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

Welner

Tax credit scholarships in Chronicle of Philanthropy. (subscription required) The story leads with Step Up For Students and quotes “neovoucher” expert Kevin Welner: “He also argues that most states don't really know if they are saving money, since few have closely tracked how many students receiving scholarships would have gone to private schools without them.” Welner has raised this argument before, and it’s not the case in Florida, as redefinED has noted.

Charter school facilities funding. A state task force deadlocks on recommendations, reports the St. Augustine Record.

Charter school pay raises. Charter schools in Lake Wales look for ways to compensate their teachers, reports the News Chief.

F charter schools. Two in Escambia offer updates to the school board, reports the Pensacola News Journal.

Amendment 8 in the Washington Post. The amendment and its impact on vouchers is referenced, incorrectly, in a story on quality control issues with the D.C. voucher program. Here again is the real story.

Oldest African-American school in Florida. St. Peter Claver Catholic School in Tampa is profiled by Fox 13 in Tampa. Many students attend with tax-credit scholarships.

A different take on charter school payout controversy. Red flags should have prompted more oversight from the Orange County school district, writes Adam Emerson at the Choice Words blog after doing some independent reporting.

Informing or advocating? Some question whether Volusia Superintendent Margaret Smith crossed the line in “informing” voters with automated phone calls about an upcoming tax referendum, reports the Daytona Beach New Journal.

Task force looking at tax hike. From The Florida Current: “A task force looking at construction needs of public schools is finalizing a proposal for a half mill property tax increase with the money split between traditional schools and charter schools.”

Virtual settlement. From the News Service of Florida (subscription required): “Days before an appeals court was set to hear arguments, the Duval County School Board and backers of a proposed virtual charter school have agreed to settle a legal dispute about approval of the school, an attorney said Thursday."