Bright Futures boost: The Florida Legislature's Joint Legislative Budget Commission will consider adding $25.3 million into the Bright Futures scholarship program when it meets next week. The Legislature allocated $520 million in the budget for the program, but the latest projections show an increase in the number of students qualifying, boosting the cost to $545 million. The scholarships provide full tuition and fees for students who qualify as Academic Scholars in Florida high schools and colleges, and 75 percent for Medallion scholars. News Service of Florida.
Hope Scholarships: When the Legislature launched a state scholarship for students who were bullied in public schools, it expected as many as 7,300 students to apply for money that would allow them to attend private schools or use for transportation to another public school. But only 60 Hope Scholarships have been awarded in three months, even though $4 million was raised in the first month from car-buyers who chose to direct $105 from state taxes into the scholarship fund. Some are blaming the “laborious application process.” Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, administers the scholarships. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)
School funding: State Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, files a bill that would require a study of the "district cost differential" portion of the state's school funding formula. S.B. 1394 would require a study by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, which would then make recommendations on possible changes. Some districts think the formula is unfair. News Service of Florida. Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, files a bill that would create a website showing the total federal, state and local dollars spent on students' education. Bradley proposes allocating $500,000 for S.B. 1414. WFSU.
Drug test challenge: A retiree who wants to be a substitute teacher, classroom aide or tutor is suing the Palm Beach School District over its requirement that applicants for those jobs pass a drug test. Joan Friedenberg objects to the "suspicionless drug test." Palm Beach Post.
School testing: The Manatee County School Board rejects a proposal to end district-mandated testing. School officials' arguments that the tests have led to higher Florida Standards Assessments, SAT and ACT scores and a higher graduation rate persuaded Charlie Kennedy, who proposed the cutbacks. “I am kind of in a different place now than I was coming into it ... having a better understanding of the data we are using to guide (and) the benchmarks as a way to improve FSA scores,” Kennedy said. Bradenton Herald.
Legislative preview: Education issues affecting students from kindergarten through college are being considered in the legislative session that begins Tuesday. Here are previews of some of the issues being debated. Miami Herald. News Service of Florida. (more…)
