School grading: The Seminole County School District is considering changes to its controversial middle-school grading system for assignments and tests, from the 0-4 method back to something like the traditional 0-100 model. Orlando Sentinel.

Charter schools controversy: Academica's for-profit charter school Doral Academy has narrowly won approval to open in Jefferson County, Colorado. Academica runs charter schools in Florida, and last year the Miami Herald has reported the company is being scrutinized by the U.S. Department of Education's inspector general. Colorado Independent. Convicted felon Demetrio Perez Jr. has borrowed $56.2 million in mortgages for 70 properties in Miami-Dade County, including the Lincoln-Marti charter schools. Perez served six months of house arrest in 2002 for defrauding elderly tenants in low-income apartments. Real Deal.

School achievement: Indiantown's Warfield Elementary School is full of poor students, many of whom speak only Spanish, but has been earned an A grade from the state for 11 consecutive years. How does it do it? TCPalm. A Volusia County schools program aims to get minority students and struggling ones into more advanced education classes. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

District pay raises: Administrators and non-instructional employees in the Lake County School District are getting a raise. Daily Commercial.  Orlando Sentinel. Polk County teachers are angry over the lack of progress with the school board over pay raises and teacher evaluations. Lakeland Ledger. A group within the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association is urging teachers to reject the latest contract proposal from the school district. Tampa Bay Times.

District funding: The Polk County School District is asking the legislative delegation for help with capital improvements and extra money for early learning and reading programs. Lakeland Ledger. The Manatee County School Board should resume imposing impact fees on development, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorializes. (more…)