School suspensions: Florida Education Secretary Pam Stewart is talking with school superintendents about ways to cut down on out-of-school suspensions and on the disparity of suspensions by race. Almost 165,000 students received out-of-school suspensions in the 2014-2015 school year, and about 43 percent of them were black. Black students make up about 23 percent of the state's student population. “That’s one of the areas that I think will make a huge impact and make a difference and actually improve education in Florida,” Stewart said. Politico Florida.

District's last choice: The Florida Department of Education rejects a turnaround plan for Jefferson County schools for a third time. The district now has until Feb. 16 to choose from three offered options: It can close the schools, hire an external operator or let a charter company run the district. Jefferson County has just two schools and 700 students. Tallahassee Democrat. WFSU.

DeVos hearing: In her confirmation hearing to become U.S. education secretary, Betsy DeVos says she will be "a strong advocate for great public schools," but "if a school is troubled, or unsafe, or not a good fit for a child — perhaps they have a special need that is going unmet — we should support a parent's right to enroll their child in a high-quality alternative." Associated Press.

Clay suspends testing: New Clay County School Superintendent Addison Davis suspends all district-level assessment testing, effective immediately. He says he wants to give teachers more time with students in the classroom. "This is nothing that is going to hinder their learning," Davis told WJAX. "It's just going to provide more time for our teachers to problem-solve, to have small group instruction and to work with our students one-on-one." Gradebook. (more…)

Superintendent jobs: Duval County School Board chairwoman Ashley Smith Juarez says she asked Superintendent Nikolai Vitti to resign because she thinks his plan to gradually close the achievement gaps between white and minority students is too timid. “To accept these results is to accept the racism that has plagued our district for decades," Smith Juarez says. "That is unacceptable.” Florida Times-Union. The list of candidates to become Sarasota County school superintendent is narrowed to four: Todd Bowden, Andrew Rynberg, Mark Porter and Brennan Asplen III. All work in Florida. Current Superintendent Lori White retires in February. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. WFLA.

Suspension options: Pinellas County school officials are considering options to further reduce out-of-school suspensions for elementary school students. Among the proposals: detentions, student work details, Saturday classes and having parents shadow their children at school. The district's suspension rate (suspensions as a percentage of total enrollment) was 8.6 percent two years ago and fell to 5.2 percent last year, but officials want to lower it further. Tampa Bay Times.

Testing optional: Almost 900 colleges and universities no longer require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores, according to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Sunshine State News.

Bright Futures: The state's Board of Governors is considering extending the Bright Futures scholarship program to cover summer classes. The proposal is getting a push from Gov. Rick Scott, who thinks it will help students graduate from state universities in four years. News Service of Florida. Associated Press.

Contract negotiations: The Polk County School District proposes no pay raises for teachers this year. Union officials say they are disappointed, and will make a counteroffer. Negotiations continue Sept. 30. Lakeland Ledger. Bay County teachers will get raises and bonuses this year under a preliminary agreement between the district and the teachers union. Panama City News-Herald. (more…)

School violence: The Miami-Dade School District becomes the first in the country to implement the Sandy Hook Promise in all its schools. It's a violence-protection program started by parents who lost children in the Newtown, Conn., elementary school massacre in 2012. It emphasizes social inclusion by reaching out to isolated students, and trains students and staff to see warning signs. Miami Herald.

Superintendent's job: The chairwoman of the Duval County School Board member asks School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti to resign or face termination at a meeting Friday, according to Vitti. He says he won't quit. Chairwoman Ashley Smith Juarez has accused Vitti of not being truthful with the board. She also has criticized the district's performance on state exams, and says Vitti's goals for improving those scores are not aggressive enough. Florida Times-Union.

CPR training: Orange County students are now being required to take CPR training before graduating. The training will be provided during a physical education course or another required course. Orlando Sentinel.

Impact fees: A Lake County commissioner urges the school board to waive part of the school impact fees on builders. Leslie Campione wants the board to reduce the fees on homes built within two miles of existing schools in established neighborhoods. Doing so could cost the school district about $1 million a year. Orlando Sentinel. Daily Commercial. (more…)