Selling the bill: House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, posts a cartoon on YouTube to explain and defend the education bill that was passed last week. Corcoran calls it “#toontruth for anyone who likes the truth in animated video format.” Orlando Sentinel. How the education bills passed in Tallahassee on recess, testing and charter schools could affect St. Johns County schools. St. Augustine Record. Teacher bonuses would be smaller and many more teachers would earn them under the new education bill. Bridge to Tomorrow. The school choice movement is breaking into two camps: one that wants to use choice to improve public schools, and one that wants greatly expand choice by using tax money. Associated Press.
Title I, Medicaid concerns: The Legislature's decision to distribute federal Title I funding directly to schools and spread it to more schools could have devastating long-term effects on poor students, say district officials. Districts will be forced to cut special programs for low-income students, including after-school and summer school, or shift money from other programs to make up the difference. "A number of our community members and parents are aware of the services we provide in our 63 Title I schools," said Felita Grant, Title I director for Pinellas County schools. "It would be a shock to them, if this bill goes through, the number of services we would have to cut back on." Tampa Bay Times. School districts around the country say proposed cuts in the Medicaid program will have a significant impact in schools. Associated Press.
Teachers honored: Diego Fuentes, who teaches music to students with severe disabilities at the Hillcrest School in Ocala, is chosen as one of five finalists for the Department of Education’s 2018 Florida teacher of the year award. Fuentes was awarded $5,000. The winner will be announced July 13. Ocala Star Banner. Palm Beach County's teacher of the year and school-related employee of the year are surprised with free, two-year leases of BMWs. Palm Beach Post.
Teaching incentives: Experienced teachers are being offered up to $70,000 in incentive pay over three years to work at struggling Carver Middle School in Orlando. More than 100 teachers have already applied, school officials say. Those hired will get an extra $20,000 for the 2017-2018 school year, and $25,000 in each of the next two years. Carver has received two Fs and a D in school grades in the past three years, and nearly 80 percent of its students failed their Florida Standards Assessment exams. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)
Recess in schools: The Florida Senate unanimously approves a bill that would require 20 minutes of daily recess for the state's nearly 1.3 million elementary school students. But the bill is at odds with the one moving through the House now, which would eliminate the daily mandate, allow schools to blend time in physical education classes with recess time, and not require any recess for fourth- and fifth-graders. Senate bill sponsor Anitere Flores, R-Miami, says she hopes the House gets the message that senators “feel strongly that if we’re going to have recess, it should be actual recess.” Miami Herald. Sunshine State News. Politico Florida.
Charter funding challenge: The Florida Association of Independent Public Schools files an administrative challenge to the state's new rules for charter school capital funding. The rule denies any construction and maintenance money to charter schools that receive an F grade from the state, or consecutive D grades. There are no such restrictions on traditional schools, and the association argues that all public schools should be treated the same. Gradebook.
Charter changes: Three Duval County middle schools could become charter schools in the next school year if the Legislature approves a bill that allows such transitions for traditional schools that get D or F grades for three years in a row. Ribault Middle School, Matthew Gilbert Middle and Northwestern Middle could all change hands, says school board chairwoman Paula Wright. “We still have time to pull together as a community so we make certain they understand that this is not what we want,” Wright said. Florida Times-Union.
School bus bill: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee approves a bill that would stiffen penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses and kill or injure someone. They would be required to pay bigger fines, lose their licenses for a year and perform community service in a trauma center or hospital. News Service of Florida. (more…)
