School spending: Florida schools are still struggling to recover from spending cuts made during the Great Recession of 2007-2009, say superintendents and other school officials. The Florida School Finance Council, which advises the commissioner of education, says the state would have to spend an additional $1.86 billion over the next three years to offset those cutbacks. "School revenue is back to where it was in 2007, (but) does anybody believe costs are the same?" asked Escambia County Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. "I think where we're feeling the pinch now is just the operational costs to really support and educate your kids." Naples Daily News. St. Johns County school officials are "cautiously optimistic" after delving into Gov. Rick Scott's proposed education budget, which would give them $17.6 million more. “In this day and age, that’s a pretty healthy increase,” said Mike Degutis, the district’s chief financial officer. “If this stands through the process, that’d be great for us.” St. Augustine Record.

Open enrollment: Orange County school officials say only 29 of the district's 188 schools will be open to transfer students under the state's new open enrollment law that begins in August. The list includes 20 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools and a K-8 school. Students who live in Orange County can apply now for one of those seats, while those who live outside the county can apply starting May 15. Orlando Sentinel. The Lake County School District begins accepting applications for transfers under the new law. Only 14 of the district's 43 schools have openings for transfers. Daily Commercial.

Class size suit dismissed: A judge dismisses a lawsuit accusing the Palm Beach County School District of violating the state's school class-size limits. A voter-approved amendment in 2002 capped K-3 "core" class sizes at 18 students. Paul Kunz filed the suit after his son was placed in a kindergarten class of 21 students. The judge ruled that an individual can't sue a local school board over class-size rules since the state is responsible for their implementation. Palm Beach Post.

Charter regulation: Margate city commissioners give tentative approval to a rule that would require new charter schools to adhere to the same property regulations as traditional public schools. City rules require 12 acres for elementary schools, 20 acres for middle schools and 45 acres for high schools. Because there is little vacant land in Margate, Mayor Tommy Ruzzano says the rule would "pretty much" end new charter school applications. Sun-Sentinel. (more…)

More on budget: An item in Gov. Rick Scott's budget would eliminate restrictions on students' eligibility for online classes. Right now, students in grades 2-5 cannot take virtual courses part-time, and students in middle and high schools can take select virtual courses only if they were in a public schools the year before. redefinED. Scott's budget also includes $50 per student more for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program, boosting it to an average of $2,487. That's still below the 2005 total of $2,500, and is far below the national average of $4,520. Orlando Sentinel.

Money for charters: Senate Education Appropriations chairman David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, files a pair of bills that would create a consistent revenue stream to charter schools for construction and maintenance. S.B. 604 would allow districts to boost the property tax rate from a maximum of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value to $1.70. And S.B. 376 would funnel some of that money to qualifying charter schools. Gradebook.

Trafficking education: A bill is filed in the Legislature that would include instruction on the dangers of human trafficking in Florida schools' health education curriculum. Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, says he got the idea for the bill, S.B. 286, from a high school student. WFSU.

School leasing: Palm Beach County School Board members express reservations about leasing a high school rather than building one and owning it, and decide to schedule a workshop to discuss the proposal further. Board members are open to the idea of a private-public partnership to get a high school built in Boynton Beach, but would want the district to eventually own it. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. (more…)