Education on trial: The groups suing the state for allegedly not providing a high-quality education for all public school students will get two more days to submit their final written arguments to the judge. Attorneys asked for the extra time to review all the testimony and documents. The final arguments are now due to the judge by Wednesday. Orlando Sentinel.
Board member resigns: Palm Beach County School Board member Mike Murgio resigns a day after his federal indictment on a bribery charge. Murgio, 65, is accused of bribing the chairman of a New Jersey credit union to hide money made illegally by a bitcoin-transferring business. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. Murgio's arrest shocks the education community. Sun-Sentinel.
Student vaccinations: The Florida Department of Health reports that student vaccinations are at their lowest level in a decade. About 93 percent of kindergarten students and 90.6 percent of seventh graders had all of their required immunizations this year. Florida law requires students to be vaccinated. Tampa Bay Times.
Construction spending: Broward County School District employees failed to get bids for nine district construction projects for more than a year after the school board approved them. Six of the projects still haven't been put out for bids. Sun-Sentinel. Central Florida school districts are tightening their rules for spending on construction projects. Orlando Sentinel.
Discipline changes: Changes in the Duval County School District's discipline policies have pushed on-campus arrests down 39 percent this school year. School officials say the flexibility of making decisions by using the code of conduct is keeping students out of the juvenile justice system. Florida Times-Union. (more…)
