Hope Scholarship: With some Florida school districts saying they’re confused by the law that offers state scholarships for bullied K-12 students, state Sen. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, has filed a bill intended to clarify the rules and further expand the scholarship. S.B. 1410 would remove school districts from making any decisions[Read More…]
Tag: Henry Kelley
Florida schools roundup: Climate change, evolution, Bible classes, security and more
‘Alternative theories’: A bill is filed that would allow Florida school districts to teach students alternative theories to what it calls “controversial theories” such as evolution and human-created climate change in a “factual, objective and balanced manner.” The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who says schools[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Security measures, nation’s report card and more
School security: The Broward County School Board accepts Superintendent Robert Runcie’s recommendation and votes unanimously against participating in the state’s guardian program to arm specified school employees. The district will ask the state if it can redirect money from the guardian program to hire resource officers. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald. The[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Teacher housing, court case, signs and more
Housing for teachers: It’s becoming harder for Miami-Dade County teachers to find a place they can afford to rent in Miami-Dade County. So the county and the school district are collaborating on a plan to build apartments for teachers above a new school. The first phase of the plan would be[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Shooting video, superintendents, CRC and more
Shooting video: Security video taken around the Parkland school building where a massacre was taking place Feb. 14 shows the school resource officer drawing his gun but staying outside the building. After the shooting ended, with 17 people dead, deputy Scot Peterson said he thought the gunshots were coming from[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: ESSA, active shooter training, bonuses and more
ESSA plan: After federal education officials recently raised questions about Florida’s plan to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act, the state asks for an extension beyond the Jan. 4 deadline to rework the plan. State officials say they are still reviewing the letter federal officials sent that questions the[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Schools of Hope rules, grade pressure and more
Schools of Hope rules: Rules have been proposed to implement the “Schools of Hope” part of the education bill passed in the Legislature earlier this year. The rules define what companies can be “hope operators,” who can then open a charter school within 5 miles of a persistently low-performing public school.[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Schools of Hope applicants, term limits and more
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[Read More…]