Extra recess time: The Miami-Dade County School District adds 15 minutes a week to recess time for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school students. That gives those students an hour of free play time each week. Miami Herald.
Construction planning: Palm Beach County school officials are optimistic that a 1-cent increase in the sale tax will be approved by voters in November, but they're making plans for construction projects with or without the money the tax will generate. If the tax hike passes, the district will build four new schools and rebuild seven others, and replace roofs and air-conditioning systems. If the tax doesn't pass, a scaled-back plan will focus on repairs instead of replacements. Sun-Sentinel. Palm Beach Post.
Collaborative time killed: Teachers in Palm Beach County will not be required to attend weekly 90-minute collaborative planning sessions with other teachers, School Superintendent Robert Avossa has decided. Teachers union officials had complained about the time spent on forced collaboration. Palm Beach Post.
Alternative discipline: Highlands County students who commit minor disciplinary infractions will be assigned after-school service work instead of being given in-school suspensions. Among the jobs will be completing assigned work projects and/or helping with school beautification. Highlands Today.
Chronic absenteeism: Florida has the lowest rate in the United States of students who were chronically absent from school in the 2013-2014 school year, according to an analysis of U.S. Education Department statistics. Florida's rate was 4.5 percent, well under the 13 percent national average. Associated Press.
Scholarships for disabled: A study shows that parents with disabled children are eager to apply for scholarships or vouchers, even when it means spending more for their child's education and giving up some rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Council for Parent Attorneys and Advocates did a review of the 11 states that offer such options for the disabled, including Florida. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administers the Florida program known as the Gardiner Scholarships. Education Week.
Mentoring program: The Obama administration's mentoring program, My Brother's Keeper Success Mentors Initiative, is expanding to Orlando. The program matches chronically absent students with mentors three times a week to try to keep students in school. Orlando Sentinel.
Shared sick leave: More than 1,200 sick days were transferred to Pasco County School District employees whose health problems extended beyond their own leave time. Gradebook.
More resume problems: Newly hired Pittsburgh school superintendent Anthony Hamlet, formerly an administrator in the Palm Beach County School District, appears to have plagiarized his educational philosophy from the Washington Post and included it in his resume, according to published reports. Earlier this week, he acknowledged errors on his resume but defended his record. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Palm Beach Post. (more…)
