College alternatives: Increasingly, rural students in Florida are choosing to learn a trade instead of going to college. Among the reasons for their choices: Practicality, price and even politics. “It’s all about practicality,” says Wakulla County School District Superintendent Robert Pearce. “The mindset is: What makes the most sense?” Tampa Bay Times.
Governor's race: Was race the primary reason Democrat Andrew Gillum lost the governor's race to Republican Ron DeSantis? While many Democrats think so, others aren't so sure. It wouldn't explain why Gillum received only 86 percent of the black vote, well below even the 90 percent white Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson got. One possible reason for the low black total for Gillum may have been his call to end tax credit scholarships, which allow low-income, mostly minority students to attend private schools. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)
School budgeting: Property owners in Orange and Seminole counties can expect to pay more in school taxes this year. The millage rates for the districts will be slightly lower, but increases in property values will more than offset the millage declines. Orange County is projecting a school budget of more than $3.5 billion. Seminole County's budget is set at $951 million. Orlando Sentinel. The Volusia County School Board will consider a budget of $847 million that still leaves the district $9 million short of what it had hoped to spend. Daytona Beach News-Journal. The Manatee County School District will use about $4 million from its general reserves to balance its $608 million budget. But its reserves will still meet the state minimum of 3 percent, officials say. Bradenton Herald.
School suspensions: Bay County School District suspensions hit a seven-year high, even as state suspensions are at a three-year low. More than 3,000 students - 1 in 10 - were suspended in 2014-2015 school year. School officials say they are working on alternatives. Panama City News Herald.
School construction: School construction projects could be moved up under a Broward County School District proposal that will be reviewed by the school board this week. The projects originally scheduled for 2018 and 2019 would be undertaken in 2017. Voters approved a bond proposal in 2014 to repair schools. Sun-Sentinel.
Gifted program: The Duval County School District plans to expand the number and type of gifted middle school programs. But so far, the school board has called for revisions to the district's plans. Florida Times-Union.
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Second-graders Rosalia Garduno and Iritsali Lopez, both 8, are thrilled to learn they can give Carly the horse a hug. The girls spent the afternoon participating in a therapy program to help learn more about horses – and themselves.
Sixteen second-grade girls rode the school bus with the windows open, pigtails and ponytails whipping in the wind. For many, it was their first trip outside the city.
“It smells like grass,’’ said one girl. “It smells like McDonald’s,’’ said another.
“No,’’ said teacher Matilda Bediako-Ortiz, holding her nose, “it smells like something else.”
The girls were on a journey to see horses, part of the curriculum offered at their single-gender charter school, Just For Girls Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
The horses help teach compassion, consideration, courage - all part of the school’s emphasis on character development.
Many of the girls come from single-parent families, where moms juggle jobs and classes. Some were bullied at their old school, so they feel safer at the academy with only 89 students. Others just seem to learn better without boys.
“We have a culture of caring here,’’ said Principal Jennifer Rosenboom.
Sixteen students from Just For Girls Academy take a bus trip recently to the country to take part in a horse therapy program that uses the animals to help teach life lessons, such as building trust and reading body language. The girls also learn to have fun.
The ability to cater to a particular learning style or need is what’s fueling the growth of charter schools in Florida and beyond. Across the country, there are now more than 6,000 charter schools, including 529 that opened in August. In Florida, more than 200,000 students are enrolled in 574 charter schools across 44 school districts.
The schools are funded with public tax dollars based on enrollment, like traditional public schools, and sometimes supplemented with private donations. They have their own school boards. They can hire and fire teachers. They set their own hours.
But what really makes the schools attractive for many parents and students is the freedom to design unique curriculum and programs, says Eric Paisner, the vice president of knowledge and partnerships at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. (more…)
