Funding fears: While school officials applaud voters for approving 18 ballot measures in August and November to help pay for expenses at schools, some fear that those approvals will embolden the Legislature to cut back funding and lean more on local tax efforts. That could lead to funding disparities based on where students live. "It's a grave concern," says Andrea Messina, head of the Florida School Boards Association. "The more we rely on local dollars to provide for educational needs, the greater the disparity could be." Gradebook.
School board elections: When the Florida Constitution Revision Commission proposed an amendment that would have imposed term limits on school board members, critics said it was unnecessary because of natural turnover. The Florida Supreme Court removed the amendment from the budget to make the argument moot. So how did the elections turn out? Across the state, 290 school board seats were open. Fifty-nine incumbents chose not to seek re-election. Eighteen incumbents who did run lost in the August primary, and seven more lost in the general election. Meanwhile, 73 incumbents and 53 newcomers were elected to boards without drawing opponents. Gradebook. (more…)
Avossa resigning: Palm Beach County School Superintendent Robert Avossa is resigning after two and a half years to take a job with a publisher of educational materials. Avossa, 46, plans to leave June 12 to become senior vice president and publisher of education products for LRP Publications in Palm Beach Gardens. “This opportunity will allow me to spend the last part of my career impacting education at the national level while affording me more time to commit to my family,” he wrote in his resignation letter. He is recommending the board replace him with someone already working for the district. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel.
Education bill attacked: The state's largest teachers union, the Florida Education Association, launches a public relations broadside against the House's new education bill, H.B. 7055, a nearly 200-page document that puts multiple education-related proposals into a single bill. Among them: a scholarship for bullied students, called the Hope Scholarship, a provision to make it harder for local school districts to eliminate charter schools, and a requirement that public unions maintain 50 percent membership of eligible workers or be forced to file for recertification. "This monstrosity is a clear attempt to destroy our public schools while telling professional educators they simply are not welcome in Florida," says FEA president Joanne McCall. Gradebook. Sunshine State News. Florida Politics. Politico Florida.
Florida ESSA plan: The state's plan to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act doesn't meet several federal requirements, and the state has until Feb. 16 to respond to the U.S. Department of Education's call for revisions. Specifically, the plan omits achievement levels of some student groups, such as minority, poor, disabled and English-language learners, in calculating school grades. It also has contains no provisions to hold schools accountable for how well students perform on English-language-proficiency exams or to provide some students exams in languages other than English. An analysis of Florida students' performance on National Assessment of Educational Progress exams shows little change in performance gaps between wealthier white students and others since 2005. Education Week. WUSF.
Schools of Hope: Thirty-three struggling Florida schools have applied for extra money through the state's Schools of Hope program. This is the second round of applications. In the first round, 50 schools applied for the extra $2,000 per student, but only 11 were accepted. The state is limiting the number of schools in the program to 25. The state Board of Education is expected to announce the winners next month. Gradebook.
Proposed amendments: A committee of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission approves two proposed constitutional amendments - one that would set term limits for local school board members at eight consecutive years, retroactive to 2016, and another that would require school district superintendents to be appointed rather than elected. The proposals still have to be approved by 22 of the 37 commissioners before they can be placed on the November 2018 ballot. Then, 60 percent of voters would have to approve to put the amendments into effect. Gradebook. Politico Florida. The move to require school superintendents to be appointed riles some superintendents from rural areas. Politico Florida. The panel also will consider a proposal that would allow entities other than local school districts to oversee charter schools. The proposal was made by Erika Donalds, a Collier County School Board and CRC member. redefinED.
State responds to suits: Lawyers for the state are asking a a Leon County circuit court judge to dismiss a lawsuit against six provisions in the new education bill, H.B. 7069. They argued that the 13 districts bringing the suit don't have the standing to challenge five of those provisions. They also say claims that the law will harm local schools is "speculative." The sixth provision in the law requires districts to share more local tax revenues with charter schools. It is being challenged by the Palm Beach County School Board. State lawyers point out that districts are already required to share some local tax money with charters. redefinED.
Teacher bonuses suit: A legal challenge to the state's teacher bonuses program will be allowed to proceed, a federal judge has ruled. The Florida Department of Education had asked the judge to dismiss a suit, filed by the Florida Education Association, which alleges the state discriminates against older teachers and minorities because it uses teacher scores on ACT and SAT college-entrance exams to help determine eligibility for the bonuses. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle wrote, “These allegations may or may not be true, but they are not implausible, and the truth of the allegations cannot properly be resolved on a motion to dismiss." News Service of Florida.
Constitutional amendments: The education committee of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission approves two of three proposals, and postponed consideration of a third. The committee approved proposals to impose term limits on school board members and end the elections of school superintendents. They advance to the commission's local government committee. Tabled was a proposal to end salaries for school board members. Commission member Erika Donalds, who proposed all three measures, says she's not sure if she'll revise the tabled measure. News Service of Florida. Gradebook. WJXT. WFSU. Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas says a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow schools to comply with class-size limits based on average numbers of students wouldn't help his district or any others that already allow school choice. WUWF.
District's suspensions: The number of suspensions in Duval County schools is down for the seventh straight year, but the number of students who got at least one out-of-school suspension rose 7 percent. And the heaviest punishments fell predominantly on black students. Jacksonville's NAACP wants the district to make cultural sensitivity training mandatory for teachers and school staff. Florida Times-Union.
Suit dismissal sought: The Florida Department of Education is asking a court to dismiss a challenge to the new education law, H.B. 7069. The suit was filed by the Palm Beach County School Board, and focuses on the portion of the law that requires school districts to provide money to charter schools for construction and other building-related expenses. The DOE says the lawsuit is “based on erroneous interpretations of the Florida Constitution.” News Service of Florida.
Dual enrollment: More than 15,000 south Florida high school students are now taking dual-enrollment courses to earn college credits, saving both time and money as they work toward a college degree. Several high schools are even set up specifically for students to take college courses. Sun-Sentinel.
Textbook challenges: Since the Legislature approved a law making it easier for anyone to challenge classroom material as pornographic, biased, inaccurate or a violation of state law, seven Florida school districts say they have received challenges to textbooks. Associated Press.
Amendment proposals: The Constitution Revision Commission's education committee will consider three proposals today: ending pay for school board members, requiring superintendents to be appointed instead of elected, and setting term limits for school board members. All are proposed by Collier County School Board member Erika Donalds. Politico Florida. More than 10 of the 103 constitutional amendment proposals focus on education. Here are summaries of all 103. Sun-Sentinel.
School board term limits: A proposal to limit terms for school board members is among the 103 changes to the state constitution that the Florida Constitution Revision Commission will begin considering Monday. Fourteen education-related proposals have been filed. Twenty-two of the 37 commission members have to approve proposals to put them on the November 2018 ballot. Then, 60 percent of voters would have to vote for the changes to put them into effect. The commission has until May 10 to finish voting on the proposals. News Service of Florida. WFSU.
Fighting end of TPS: Educators in south Florida vow to fight the Trump administration's decision to end the temporary protected status for 60,000 Haitians who fled the island after a 2010 earthquake. About 20 percent of them are enrolled in the Miami-Dade school system. TPS for the Haitians would end in July 2019. WPLG. WSVN. WTVJ.
Bright Futures: Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, says he agrees with the bulk of the higher education agenda of Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, including the portion of the bill that would provide $77 million to restore 75 percent funding for Medallion scholars, the second level of the Bright Futures program. Politico Florida.
Charter appeals rejection: A charter school company is appealing the Marion County School Board's decision to deny its application to open a school. Charter Educational Foundation Inc., which operates Charter Schools USA’s schools, asked the board for permission to open the 745-student Southeast Marion Charter Academy. The board decided the proposal offered nothing new or innovative, and denied it. The charter group is appealing that decision to the state. Ocala Star-Banner.
Creating charters: Erika Donalds, a member of the Collier County School Board and the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, has already proposed constitutional amendments that would eliminate pay for school board members and impose term limits on them, end the election of school superintendents and allow legislators to "make provision" for educational services in addition to the free public schools. Now she's proposing an amendment that would allow legislators to create "alternative processes to authorize the establishment of charter schools within the state." If the amendment is approved by the 37-member commission, it would need the support of 60 percent of voters to go into effect. Gradebook. Donalds may have gotten some inspiration on the proposal of no salaries for school board members from Eric Robinson, who is on the Sarasota school board and thinks taking a salary is a conflict of interest. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Regulatory relief: State Rep. Mike Bileca, R-Miami, says he is interested in finding more state regulations that can be removed from top-performing public schools through the Schools of Excellence program. The program, which was authorized through the state's new education law, H.B. 7069, provides greater flexibility and autonomy to the principals of the highest-performing 20 percent of schools at each level. redefinED.
Recycling success: Two years ago, 2nd-graders at Old Kings Elementary School in Flagler Beach began a recycling campaign for plastic and later boycotted disposable plastic lunch trays. That interest in the environment blossomed, and led to every school in the district using trays made of recycled paperboard, which will remove 1.4 million plastic trays from county landfills and save the district $14,000 a year. Flagler Live. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Displaced teachers: Florida education officials say they'd like to hire teachers who were displaced when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in late September. The state is waiving the application fee for a teaching certificate and will accept unofficial transcripts. But there are still several hurdles Puerto Rican teachers must clear before getting a job in a Florida classroom. Many will have to pass expensive tests. And others are finding that their certifications don't align with the Florida requirements. In Puerto Rico, elementary teachers are certified in K-3rd and 4th-6th grades. In Florida, it's either pre-K through 3rd or all elementary grades. State officials say they have no plans to adjust certification requirements or waive test fees. Governing.
Segregation and graduation: The resegregation of Florida schools, reported in a recent study, is likely to have a negative impact on graduation rates in the state. The authors of another study say dropout rates rise a percentage point for black students and 3 percentage points for Hispanics in U.S. school districts that don't require integration of schools. Education Week.
Board term limits: Erika Donalds, a member of the Collier County School Board and the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, is proposing an amendment to the state constitution that would impose term limits on school board members. She suggests no board member be allowed to serve more than eight consecutive years. If it's approved for the ballot by the commission, it would need the support of 60 percent of voters to go into effect. Gradebook.
Libre in Florida: The billionaire Koch brothers are financing a campaign called the Libre Initiative in Florida and several other states to convince Hispanic families of the merits of school choice. Included are bilingual mailings that back the law providing financial incentives for charter schools to move into areas with persistently struggling schools. The president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Mike Petrilli, says the Kochs' selection of school choice as a core issue is "telling us they have good reason to believe this is an issue that’s resonating with Latino families.” Politico.
Board member investigated: An anonymous complaint prompts the Florida Department of Education to order an investigation of a Hillsborough County School Board member's actions. According to a tip, Susan Valdes used her influence to have a district department dissolved so the staff couldn't detect problems with construction work done by her friends and campaign donors. Tampa Bay Times.
Extra reading results: The extra hour of reading the state requires each day at the 300 lowest-performing elementary schools appears to be paying off. In Duval County, two-thirds of the schools that have the extra hour show reading gains, and improvements among the 300 designated schools are greater than at other schools, according to data and the Florida Department of Education. “There are some dramatic results that are material and recognizable,” says state Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, who wrote the state’s extra reading law. Despite the gains, there's a lot of ground still to be made up. Last year, only 34 percent of the students at the lowest-performing schools passed the state's reading test, while almost 61 percent of other students did. Florida Times-Union.
Amendment proposals: Erika Donalds, a member of the Collier County School Board and the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, is proposing an amendment to the Florida constitution that would make all district school superintendents appointed rather than elected. Forty-four of the state's 67 districts now elect superintendents. "Our communities deserve school leaders that are focuses on excellence and not politics," Donalds said. "The nature of elected superintendents ensures the majority of applicants have no experience." Gradebook. Donalds is also proposing to make school board membership an unpaid position. Pay for Florida board members ranges from $25,546 a year (Liberty County) to $44,433 (Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Broward, Palm Beach and Orange counties). Under the proposal, board members would still be entitled to per diem and travel reimbursements. Gradebook.
Start times petition: More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition to change the starting times for Pinellas County high schools to 8:30 a.m., as neighboring Hillsborough County is doing. Supporters point to research that suggests later start times better align with the lives of high school students, and could improve students' health, safety and academic success. Among those signing is school board member Eileen Long, who has a junior at high school and will have a freshman at another next year. Gradebook.
Makeup days: School districts in Hillsborough and Brevard counties won't make up any of the days they lost to Hurricane Irma, school officials announce. Lake County school officials will convert six early-release days into full days and will have classes on a previously scheduled day off. In Indian River County, the school board will vote tonight on adding three makeup days. Florida Today. Space Coast Daily. Gradebook. WUSF. TCPalm. Daily Commercial. WTSP. Students in Lee and Collier counties return to school after two weeks off because of Irma. Fort Myers News-Press. Naples Daily News.
H.B. 7069: A prominent Republican state senator says he believes "there is a very credible argument that H.B. 7069 is unconstitutional," and that the school districts that plan to sue the state to challenge the bill have taken "a very credible position.” State Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, made the comments at a meeting organized by the League of Women Voters of Volusia County. Simmons added that the bill is “antithetical to public education” because it “condemned” Florida’s “very successful” public education system. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Meals, tuition bills: A bill is filed for the next legislative session that would require free or reduced-price meals to be offered to all students at schools participating in the national school lunch program or the breakfast program. State Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, says the goal of her bill is to make sure more eligible students are receiving the meals by requiring schools to help parents fill out the applications. WFSU. A bill is filed in the Florida House that would pay tuition to state colleges for students in households with an income of less than $125,000. The "Sunshine Scholarship Program" is proposed by State Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park. News Service of Florida.
District budgets: Lake County School Board members approve a $584.4 million budget, an increase of about $6 million over last year's. Daily Commercial. The Volusia County School Board will vote today on an $847 million budget that draw downs on the district's reserves by $1.65 million. The proposed budget is about $5 million below last year's, and calls for fewer teachers since enrollment is down 95 from last year and is 514 below projections. Daytona Beach News-Journal. School property taxes have fallen to a historic low in Flagler County. Flagler Live.
