Schools of Hope operators: Two more charter schools companies are applying to the state to become Schools of Hope operators. KIPP New Jersey and Democracy Prep Public Schools are asking the Florida Board of Education to approve their applications at its meeting Wednesday. If approved, they would join Somerset Academy and IDEA Public Schools as Hope operators. The program is meant to encourage established, successful charter schools to open in neighborhoods with persistently struggling traditional public schools. No Schools of Hope have opened yet in the state. Gradebook. redefinED.

School security: The Legislature intended for school districts, not law enforcement, to be responsible for the expenses of guarding the state's schools, a lawyer for the Florida Sheriffs Association says in a legal opinion that has been distributed around the state. "It is apparent the act requires school districts to fund any general appropriations shortfall either through reallocating funds under their respective budgets or accessing their reserved funds or raising their millage rates," association general counsel Wayne Evans wrote. The reluctance of law enforcement agencies to help finance school security has pushed many school districts to consider hiring armed guards instead of sworn school resource officers. Gradebook. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The Hillsborough County School District will hire armed security guards to be assigned to about 100 elementary schools that don't have a police presence now. The cost will be about $7 million the first year and $5.3 million a year after that, and the district will use $6 million from the state's guardian program to help cover the costs. Tampa Bay Times. WFLA. Monroe County School Superintendent Mark Porter promises anxious parents that security improvements will be made to schools this summer. Key West Citizen. Where northwest Florida counties stand on school security. WJHG. (more…)