Miramar High scandal: A 3,000-page report concludes that officials at Miramar High School allowed students to cheat, made questionable grade changes and showed favoritism to football players in 2014. Former principal Brian Faso and current assistant principal Cornelia Hoff deny any wrongdoing and say they will fight any disciplinary action. The football coach at the time, Matt Strout, was fired when the allegations surfaced two years ago. Sun-Sentinel.
Teacher evaluations: Florida officials said a new teacher evaluation system started in 2011 would be a "game-changer." Five years later, little has changed. Before the new rules were set, 99 percent of Florida's teachers were rated satisfactory. Under the new rules, 98 percentage of teachers are rated effective or better. Orlando Sentinel.
'High' high school: The Orange County School District is considering building a six-story high school in the southwest part of the county to meet the demand of growing school enrollment. One problem: The land the district is looking at is just 50 acres, which doesn't meet the county ordinance requirements of 65 acres for high schools in unincorporated areas. The school wouldn't open for at least six years. Orlando Sentinel.
After the storm: Schools in Leon and Wakulla counties will reopen Wednesday. Both counties are still trying to restore power and clean up schools after Hurricane Hermine hit the area late last week. Tallahassee Democrat. WFSU. Jefferson County schools also reopen Wednesday. WTXL. The Manatee County School District may consider using the first days of Thanksgiving week to make up two days lost to the storm last week. Bradenton Herald. (more…)
Florida Virtual School has the authority to sue to protect its trademarks, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
The decision is the latest twist in a long-running legal battle between FLVS and online education company K12, Inc., Florida's two largest players in online education.
FLVS sued its rival provider for trademark infringement in 2011.
The suit argues K12 used names like Florida Virtual Academy and Florida Virtual Program, which were too similar to Florida Virtual School and caused "confusion" in the online education marketplace. As noted in this summary of the case by Education Week, however, K12 uses the name "virtual academy" in other states.
K12 argued the state virtual school did not have the authority to sue to protect its trademarks, since Florida law gives that authority to the Department of State. A federal appeals court asked the state Supreme Court to resolve that issue.
In Thursday's unanimous opinion, justices said Florida Virtual School has the power to sue to protect its trademarks and other intellectual property because, unlike some other government entities, state law gives FLVS all the powers of a corporation.
Parent trigger. The House parent trigger bill clears a second committee in face of growing opposition. Coverage from redefinED and The Buzz. The parent trigger is all about privatizing, editorializes the Bradenton Herald (though the piece appears to be word for word the same one that ran in the Palm BeachPost.)
School choice. Once again, there are far more applicants than slots at the "fundamental schools" in Pinellas, meaning lotteries will leave many parents unhappy. Gradebook.
Charter schools. Florida Virtual Academy, a network of online charters run by K12 Inc., will not seek to open three schools in Central Florida next years as it originally hoped, reports the Orlando Sentinel. A STEM-oriented charter on Marco Island is moving out of a church and into new digs, reports the Naples Daily News.
Graduation requirements. The Orlando Sentinel gives a thumbs up to plans for alternative diploma routes that tie into career education.
Teacher pay. Gov. Rick Scott takes a dig at House Speaker Will Weatherford for not supporting Scott's proposed across-the-board hike in teacher pay, reports The Buzz. More from the Associated Press. Lawmakers wrestle with how much to set aside and what constraints to put on it, reports the Tallahassee Democrat. Growing numbers of teachers are taking second jobs, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune.
Testing. The Board of Education votes to create a task force to help districts reduce duplication as they create a massive number of end-of-course exams. Tallahassee Democrat. (more…)
State of the State. Gov. Rick Scott gives props to teachers and pushes for a boost in ed funding. Coverage from Gradebook, Tampa Bay Times, Orlando Sentinel, SchoolZone, Palm Beach Post, Gainesville Sun, Tallahassee Democrat, The Florida Current, StateImpact Florida. A special spotlight for a Temple Terrace teacher, reports the Times/Herald Capital Bureau.
More on the legislative session. An education issue overview from StateImpact Florida. A roundup of school choice bills from redefinED.
Virtual schools. Pasco drops a challenge to a proposed Florida Virtual Academy charter. Tampa Bay Times.
McKay vouchers. Another reason Texas should adopt them. EdFly Blog.
AP tests. Should Florida students get paid for passing them? Gradebook.
School spending. The Brevard school board revises its $30 million list of cuts in response to community input, reports Florida Today. The Flagler school board moves towards putting a tax referendum on the ballot for next spring, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal. An audit committee in Manatee sees progress in how the district is responding to budget errors that led to a $3.4 million deficit, reports the Bradenton Herald. More from the Sarasota Herald Tribune. (more…)
Charter schools. An Orange County charter that served dyslexic students is closing after seven months because of financial problems, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The parents of a charter in Miami-Dade are in limbo after a church decides unexpectedly to end the school's lease, reports the Miami Herald.
Virtual charter schools. In a repeat of last year, the charter school appeals commission sides with the Orange and Seminole school boards in their rejection of applications for Florida Virtual Academy schools. The state Board of Education will make the final call. SchoolZone.
Parent trigger. Two civil rights groups in Florida, LULAC and the NAACP, are opposed. StateImpact Florida.
Magnet schools. Parents plead with the St. Lucie County School Board to not close an arts magnet because of budget cuts, reports TCPalm.com. A new elementary school arts academy is in the works in Okaloosa, reports the Northwest Florida Daily News.
Career and technical. A bill filed by Sen. John Legg, R-Port Richey, would allow students to substitute industry certifications for other graduation requirements, reports Gradebook. More from the Orlando Sentinel. The Pinellas school district plans to create several new career academies for middle schools and put STEM labs in every elementary school in an effort to boost career education, reports the Tampa Bay Times. River Ridge Middle School in Pasco is realigning its curriculum to better reflect career education, the Times also reports. (more…)
