Civics exam proposed: All graduating high school seniors will be required to take an exam measuring their knowledge about U.S. government, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday. The test will be similar to one that immigrants must pass to become U.S. citizens. “I would like initially to just understand where we are,” said DeSantis. “You see some of these national numbers where they do surveys and it’s pretty bad. I kind of think we would do a little better than that." He said it's possible the state could someday require high school seniors to pass such an exam to graduate. “I wouldn’t rule it out,” he said. “But I think my main goal with this is just to see if we are okay.” Florida already requires middle-school students to take a civics course and pass a standardized civics exam, and high school students to take American history and U.S. government classes and pass a standardized exam. Naples Daily News. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. WGCU. WTSP. News Service of Florida. Florida Phoenix. WINK. Florida Politics.
Legislative bills: A bill that would require Florida public school students to be educated on the signs and dangers of human trafficking has been approved by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. S.B. 154 “will include, but is not limited to information on warning signs of human trafficking, terms used by traffickers, red flags that would indicate a trafficker’s malicious intent toward a student, websites that are popular with traffickers and details on how students may get help,” according to its sponsor, state Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale. It had already been approved by the Senate Education Committee, and the next stop is the Senate Appropriations Committee. Florida Politics. A bill to improve the safety of Florida high school student-athletes gets a hearing today before the House PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee. The bill, filed by state Rep. Ralph Massullo, R-Lecanto, would require defibrillators to be available for all games, practices, workouts and conditioning sessions, with an employee or volunteer trained to use it, and amend guidelines for when schools should have cooling zones or cold-water immersion tubs available. Tampa Bay Times.
Costume merits suspension: Broward County School Board members reject Superintendent Robert Runcie's recommendation to demote an administrator for wearing a risque Halloween costume to school. Instead, the board voted to suspend Mary Coker, the director of director of procurement and warehouse services, for seven days. Runcie had recommended she be demoted to a managerial position that pays about $44,000 less a year for wearing the costume that consisted “only a black coat and hat, with a tight fabric underneath which replicated a naked female body” and for “flashing” children, staff, and colleagues at a work brunch. Board members said they were alarmed by the costume, but they thought the district's investigation was rushed and that Runcie's recommendation didn't follow the normal policy of progressive discipline. Sun Sentinel.
Interim superintendent: Mitsi Corcoran, the Sarasota County School District's chief financial officer, has been appointed interim superintendent. She had been the acting superintendent since Nov. 19, when Todd Bowden resigned after being accused of mishandling a sexual harassment accusation. The board wanted former Seminole County superintendent Bill Vogel to act as the interim, but he withdrew his name from consideration last week. Corcoran is expected to lead the district for at least a few months as the board looks for a permanent replacement for Bowden. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. WWSB. Patch. WFTS.
Board appealing ruling: The Sarasota County School Board has voted to appeal a judge's ruling that the board pay for private schooling for a student who was, for six years, wrongly placed in a program for students with severe cognitive abilities. District officials say there could be as many as 112 other students who were improperly placed in the program and could ask for the same financial consideration. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Contract negotiations: Collier County School Board members approve a contract agreement that will provide raises between $950 and $3,150 for every district teacher. It's the highest pay raise in five years for teachers, and will cost the school district more than $9 million. Naples Daily News. Contract negotiations between the Pasco County School District and its teachers have been postponed indefinitely. The biggest sticking point is teacher pay. The district wants middle and high school teachers to have an extra class every day in return for an 8 percent pay hike over two years. Teachers have rejected that. Gradebook.
School choice in Florida: A Florida Department of Education official outlined the benefits of the state's school choice programs this week to the House Education Committee. Eric Hall, the chancellor for innovation, said choice is helping close the racial achievement gap and boost graduation rates, especially for students with disabilities. Florida Politics. Improving access to quality schools and schools of choice is one of the priorities of the Department of Education's strategic plan for 2020-2025. DOE wants to see more students exercise choice options including open enrollment, dual enrollment, charter schools, career and professional academies, IB programs, lab schools and private schools through the state’s various scholarship programs, with an overall goal of making Florida No 1 in the nation on this and other metrics by 2025. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, administers several of the state's scholarship programs. redefinED.
Medical marijuana in schools: The Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee school boards have approved policies that will allow students with prescriptions to receive medical marijuana treatment at schools. A caregiver must bring the drug to the school and remove it after it's administered. WTSP. WFLA.
Security in schools: The Charlotte County School District's request for $24 million for security from a proposed extension of a 1-cent sales tax makes it through a initial cut by county commissioners. District officials want the money to help pay for an “one-button” lock down and video security system for schools. Commissioners are asking for more details before the next meeting of the county's advisory committee Jan. 22. Charlotte Sun.
School start times: Indian River County School Board members say they may reconsider later school start times. District officials have discussed changing start times several times, but never went ahead with a plan. "I know this district has been committed to having start time models that maximize the use of buses and keep our costs down," said board member Tiffany Justice. "But we do know that there are times where putting the best interest of students is important and may cost money." TCPalm.
Spelling bee changes: After the discovery that a Palm Beach County student appeared in the Scripps National Spelling Bee twice without winning a regional competition, the event's organizers are changing the vetting process. A program known as RSVBee began two years to give some local bee winners who lost at the regionals an opportunity to advance to the national championship if they paid a $1,500 participation fee and their own travel expenses. Last year, there were 294 RSVBee entrants and just 271 sponsored regional winners. Palm Beach Post. Associated Press.
School expansion: The Hernando County Commission has approved a private school expansion plan to grow from a storefront operation to a 5-acre parcel in Brooksville. For Each 1 Reach 1, which helps students with disabilities and special needs and those with some minor legal problems, plans to build two 6,550-square-foot classroom and administration buildings, a 7,000-square-foot activity center and gymnasium, and a 900-square-foot equipment building for up to 135 K-8 students. Tampa Bay Times.
Personnel moves: Four new principals are named for Hillsborough County schools. They are Alan Black to the planned Elementary "D" in the Apollo Beach area, Connie Chisholm to Burney Elementary, Richard Shields to Lamb Elementary and Colleen Faucett as a principal coach. Gradebook. The Hillsborough County School District is looking for a new principal at Jackson Elementary School after Jarrod Haneline left the position. He had been principal there since 2018, and the school's state grade improved from a D to a C this year. Gradebook.
Body spray empties bus: A Manatee County school bus was evacuated this week because of a noxious scent caused by a rider who had applied an excessive amount of Axe body spray, according to school officials. The bus was taking students home from Buffalo Creek Middle School. Bradenton Herald. WWSB.
District bus contract protested: About 200 Duval County school bus drivers are protesting the school board's decision to hire Student Transportation of America to transport students on Jacksonville’s north side. STA is hiring drivers at $13.50 an hour for the 2020-2021 school year, while the current company, First Student Inc., just agreed to pay starting drivers $15.50 an hour. WJXT.
Teachers' jobs: A Broward County teacher who was arrested two years and accused of molesting a 12-year-old girl has been fired. Wyman Gresham, 50, had also been accused of being inappropriate with two other girls. He was removed from his job as a reading teacher at the Lauderhill 6-12 school in December 2017 and arrested in February 2018. Sun Sentinel. A teacher at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in Miami-Dade County has resigned during an investigation into allegations that she was involved in a sexual relationship with a student. No criminal charges have been filed against the teacher, whom the district has not identified. WSVN. The Palm Beach County School Board will vote today on a recommendation to fire a teacher who threatened to kill someone. A district investigation found that Raymond Berger, 56, a physical education teacher at Eagles Landing Middle School in Boca Raton, cursed and yelled the threat in front of students. Palm Beach Post. A teacher at Englewood High School in Jacksonville has been reassigned while the Duval County School District investigates undisclosed allegations. WJAX.
Guns at schools: Leon County deputies arrested a Tallahassee man for taking a loaded gun to W.T. Moore Elementary School on Tuesday. Ronald Doss, 31, has been charged with possession of a firearm on a school campus and driving with a suspended license. Tallahassee Democrat.
Students and the law: Alachua County sheriff's deputies arrested 15 students after a fight during lunch at Eastside High School in Gainesville. Gainesville Sun. Melbourne police say 10 Palm Bay High School students students were arrested after a "large-scale brawl" broke out Tuesday afternoon. Florida Today.
Opinions on schools: There is absolutely no reason that the Trump administration should limit who qualifies for the federal food stamps program when that decision could put nearly 200,000 Florida children at risk of losing their direct enrollment in free school lunches. Tampa Bay Times. The legal mess over the improper assignment of a Sarasota County student to a program for students with severe cognitive disabilities is threatening to become a spreading stain, and the cleanup should not be left solely to the lawyers and the money people. The district must apologize, and prevent this from happening to more students in the future. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. If the Alachua County School Board wants buy-in for its decisions, parents and other residents need to be given an opportunity to have their voices heard and have their input taken seriously. Gainesville Sun.
Student enrichment: Ten students from Hollywood Middle School in Broward County who were taking a tour of the Broward County Courthouse sat in on a hearing Tuesday for accused Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz. Teacher Fenoune Sainvil said the opportunity just "popped up" during the tour. WLRN. Shayna Singer, a 17-year-old senior at North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, wins the first prize in the Schmidt Vocal Competition for high school singers that was held in West Palm Beach. Sun Sentinel. Downtown Doral Charter Upper School is one of 300 U.S. schools chosen as finalists in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, which encourages middle and high school students to creatively use STEM skills to solve a community challenge. Miami's Community Newspapers.
Educator bonuses repeal: A bill that would repeal the state's Best and Brightest educators bonuses program was unanimously approved Monday by the Florida Senate Education Committee. The bill aligns with Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposal to do away with the program in favor of his own $300 million bonuses plan, which would provide extra money for teachers and principals working in improving low-income schools. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said: "I think we are all excited about having a conversation this session about teacher compensation ... freeing up these dollars and making them available is part of the first step of that conversation.” News Service of Florida. Tampa Bay Times. Politico Florida. Florida Politics. WFSU. Three seniors from Armwood High School in Hillsborough County appeared before the Senate Education Committee to lobby for a change in the law to allow English language-learners to graduate even if they can't pass the required 10th-grade reading test. Committee members approved the bill after amending it to make the waiver optional for districts. Tampa Bay Times. More than three-dozen local education bills got the approval of the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee at a meeting Monday. Another 30 will be reviewed on Thursday. Florida Politics.
District, educators honored: The Miami-Dade County School District has been chosen as the nation's school district of the year by the online educational publication Education Dive. The district was honored for its high achievement, continuing improvement and innovation, community involvement and for embracing and adapting changes brought on by the school choice movement. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the district works closely with the school board to send a "clear message of stability to the community." Education Dive. East Lee County High School's Melissa Robery has been named the Lee County School District's principal of the year, and Jackson Morgan of Lehigh Elementary has been chosen as assistant principal of the year. Fort Myers News-Press.
Violence in schools: A push for inclusion has put unstable children into school classrooms without the support those students need, and they are injuring teachers, bus drivers and employees in Broward County and thousands more across Florida, according to records. In just the past 18 months, more than 100 students across Florida have threatened to kill their teachers, classmates or themselves, according to records from 10 major counties. Almost half had histories of mental problems, and more than half had access to weapons. And state and federal laws make it difficult to remove these students. Sun Sentinel.
Baker Act and students: The rate of involuntary commitments of students in the Tampa Bay area under the Baker Act are up 35 percent in the past five years, and in Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties the rate rose more than 75 percent. Tampa Bay Times. The Baker Act law was written in 1971 by Maxine Baker, a first-year legislator from Miami-Dade County as a way to improve protections for people with mental illnesses. Tampa Bay Times.
Cost of 'flasher' costume: Wearing an flasher costume to work at Halloween could mean a demotion for the Broward County School District's director of procurement and warehousing services. Superintendent Robert Runcie is recommending that Mary Coker, 46, be moved to the position of manager of materials and logistics for wearing the costume that consisted “only a black coat and hat, with a tight fabric underneath which replicated a naked female body” and for "flashing" children, staff, and colleagues at a work brunch. If the school board approves the recommendation, Coker's pay will be slashed from $154,286 to $110,702. Sun Sentinel.
Board-certified teachers: Just four Florida teachers earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards this year. That's the same number that earned it in 2018, and puts the state 42nd in the nation. The number of state teachers applying for the prestigious designation has dwindled since 2015, when legislators stopped paying for the training and the bonuses teachers who completed it used to get. Florida remains second among states in the total number of board-certified teachers with 13,552, and Broward, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough and Palm Beach are still among the top 10 districts. Gradebook.
Board considering appeal: The Sarasota County School Board is meeting today to consider whether to appeal a judge's ruling that that district must pay for private school for a student who missed out on the standard lessons from 3rd-9th grade because he was wrongly placed in a program for children with severe cognitive disabilities. The cost of doing that could be $100,000, and board members worry that the more than 100 other students who were not disabled and were also placed in the program could sue for the same remedy. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
School mental health services: The Lee County School District and Lee Health are collaborating on a one-year program to provide “health navigators” to work at Ray V. Pottorf and Colonial elementary schools. The navigators would be hired by Lee Health and work under the supervision of Kids' Minds Matter, which raises money for pediatric behavioral health. The navigators would provide mental health services guidance for students and their families. Fort Myers News-Press.
U.S. push for choice: President Donald Trump and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pushed school choice at an educational summit in Washington, D.C. Trump praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who attended, for promoting choice initiatives, and said “people want school choice.” Trump and DeVos are lobbying for a $5 billion federal tax credit program, similar to the one in Florida that's administered by Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, that would provide scholarships for students to attend private schools or expand their education options. Politico Florida.
Construction updates: Alachua County school officials are holding a community forum Wednesday to provide an update on the district's construction progress and timetable. More than $10 million has been collected so far from a half-cent sales tax increase for school facilities that was approved by voters in 2018. Gainesville Sun.
Schools taking applications: Destin High School, a charter school that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2020 for 9th- and 10th-graders, has begin accepting applications. The deadline is Feb. 15. Northwest Florida Daily News. Tallahassee Classical School, a charter school that's expected to open next fall, has begin accepting applications for enrollment. The deadline is Jan. 16, and a lottery will be held the following day to select the 504 K-8 students. District officials say the school also has been approved for a $689,000 from the U.S. Department of Education for the “assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation” of startup charter schools. WFSU.
Superintendent search: Martin County School Board members will be looking for a superintendent who communicates well with the board and the community, they decided at a meeting Monday. Other qualities board members want are a master's degree, 10 years of experience, including at least five years in an executive leadership position and someone who will be an advocate for students with disabilities and early childhood programs. They want to hire someone by September so she or he can work with Superintendent Laurie Gaylord until she steps down in November. The salary will fall between $145,000 and $190,000. Voters decided in 2018 to switch from an elected superintendent to an appointed one. TCPalm.
Personnel moves: Marion County School Board attorney Paul Gibbs will leave for his new job with the Brevard County School Board on Jan. 6, which is about two weeks earlier than expected. Ocala attorney Suzanne Green, who works for the Bice Cole law firm, will serve as interim board attorney. Ocala Star-Banner.
Old school, new use: Twenty-three years after the old Sarasota High School closed, it will be reopened this weekend as the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College. The renovation cost about $22 million. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
School bus drivers needed: At least five central Florida school districts are short of school bus drivers and actively looking for candidates. School officials from Orange, Lake, Osceola, Volusia and Marion counties all say the number of applicants is down and the number of openings is up. WFTV.
Student struck, injured: A 7-year-old boy on his way to his school bus stop in Immokalee was struck by a vehicle Monday morning and seriously injured. Troopers say Carlos Cortez Jr. was trying to cross a street with his mother when he ran in front of a Jeep Renegade. He was airlifted to Lee Memorial Hospital. Naples Daily News.
School board sued: A student's mother has filed suit against the Brevard County School Board, claiming the school district failed to protect the boy from alleged bullying and sexual abuse by a classmate at Audubon Elementary on Merritt Island. Florida Today.
Employees disciplined: A Collier County teaching assistant who is accused of having sex with students and providing them drugs and alcohol has been fired, according to district officials. Kirstie Rosa, a 27-year-old teaching assistant at the Phoenix Naples alternative program, was arrested last week . Naples Daily News. One Pasco County school employee has resigned and several others are being investigated for allegedly misstating their incomes in order to qualify for free and reduced-price school lunches under a federal program. Gradebook.
Students and the law: A 16-year-old Orange County student has been arrested and accused of taking a loaded handgun to Jones High School in Orlando. Orlando Sentinel. A 16-year-old Broward County student is arrested and accused of making threats to commit violence at Cypress Bay High School in Weston. It's the third such arrest in Broward since Thursday. Miami Herald.
Opinions on schools: Lake County school Superintendent Diane Kornegay won the top award from the consortium of 64 county school foundations in Florida by making her school district's foundation a real partner in filling roles for which the school has no money, and that's making real, verifiable change in the lives of Lake’s students. Lauren Ritchie, Orlando Sentinel. Perhaps competition from charter schools could motivate Charlotte County district schools to improve so that they would be more attractive to parents. Harvey Goldstein, Charlotte Sun.
Student enrichment: Students in the construction program at South Lake High School in Lake County have built 20 beds that were donated to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace Orlando West organization, a nonprofit that provides beds for needy children. Daily Commercial.
