Arming school employees: More than a third of the 24 Florida school districts that chose to hire armed guardians for their schools are having trouble recruiting applicants, according to a review conducted by a newspaper and University of Florida student journalists. And some are having trouble with the ones they have hired. Those problems have led many to miss the state deadline to have the guards in place in schools. Tampa Bay Times. School districts had money to spend on school security and few guidelines on how to spend it, and some chose travel, banners and clothing over training supplies, weapons and salaries. Tampa Bay Times. Students at Booker Middle School in Sarasota County get training in the "see something, say something" warning program developed by the Sandy Hook Promise organization. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The St. Lucie County School District now has a deputy and single points of entry in all schools. TCPalm.

Taxes for capital projects: A bill is filed that would allow local school boards to raise their capital tax rates to as much as 2 mills per $1,000 assessed property value with a supermajority vote. Almost 10 years ago, the Legislature capped those rates at 1.5 mills, and several attempts to push the limit back up have failed. The bill filed by State Rep. Susan Valdes, D-Tampa, is intended to help districts pay for long-deferred maintenance. Gradebook. Work is expected to begin soon on repairing or replacing air-conditioning systems at Hillsborough County schools with sales tax money approved by voters in November. The tax could generate up to $150 million a year. Gradebook. (more…)