Three large school districts along Florida's I-4 corridor are angling for grants that could help them draw nationally recognized charter school networks to low-income neighborhoods.
The Orange, Polk and Hillsborough County school districts applied this month for $2.5 million in funding from round two of the Florida Department of Education's district-charter collaboration program.
The three districts are among the ten largest school systems in the Florida, and the top 30 in the country. Their proposals, published here for the first time, describe how they would use chartering to combat persistent academic struggles in high-poverty areas.
The potential collaborations break from the charged politics that often dominate the headlines. They represent an approach to charter schools that's still new for many Florida school districts.
As Polk County schools officials write in their proposal:
The Polk Charter Compact will turn charter school management in Polk from a compliance and coping exercise to purposeful tool for improved student performance in high-need areas where students are not currently receiving adequate educational services.
The department earlier this year awarded grants to Miami-Dade, Duval, and Broward Counties, but Broward's school board rejected the money, creating an opening for other districts to apply.
Three other districts — Palm Beach, Pinellas, and Pasco — were eligible to apply, but didn't. Pinellas is the only district that was eligible to apply for a grant in both rounds, but showed no interest.
Around the country, education reformers trying to help more districts and charters work together. They're also looking at the factors that can draw top-performing charter schools to low-income neighborhoods. With that in mind, the three latest collaboration proposals are worth a closer look.
Bridging the gap in Hillsborough
Hillsborough officials say they want to bring a new high-impact charter school to Tampa's urban core, where middle school proficiency rates are roughly 40 percent lower than elsewhere in the district.
The district says it wants to share know-how with the charter organization, and help with teacher recruitment and facilities, in a collaboration that could "serve as a replicable model for other districts around the nation." (more…)
Tax credit scholarships. The program does not harm public education, a former Department of Juvenile Justice head writes in the Tampa Bay Times. Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog and employs the author of this post, helps administer the program.
Testing, Palm Beach school officials call on Gov. Rick Scott to hold off any negative testing consequences. Palm Beach Post. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Lee school board members debate whether end of course exams should count. Fort Myers News-Press. A Pasco teacher gets reprimanded for encouraging students to opt out. Gadebook.
Charter schools. Polk says no to two proposed charter enrollment increases. Lakeland Ledger.
State chiefs. Ousted Hillsborough schools superintendent MaryEllen Elia is tapped as the new leader of New York schools. Education Week. Tampa Bay Times. Buffalo News. Tampa Tribune.
District chiefs. Manatee taps a top district administrator as superintendent for a year. Bradenton Herald. The field begins to develop for Okaloosa's superintendent election. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Special needs. Students graduate from Hillsborough's special education center, and prepare to figure out what's next in life. Tampa Tribune.
Facilities. A Marion high school will begin work on a $15 million athletic facility. Ocala Star-Banner.
School choice. In an editorial, the Florida Times-Union criticizes the way school choice legislation passed this year, but also argues school districts should offer students more options. The Pinellas school board agrees to expand its magnet offerings but shelves a plan to add more fundamental schools. Tampa Bay Times. A federal grant could help the district diversify its offerings. Tampa Tribune.
Charter schools. Students at an Alachua County charter school are headed back to school. Gainesville Sun.
Common Core. Glenn Beck leads a national event mobilizing people against the standards. Sunshine State News.
Safety. A lawsuit contends an inflatable sumo match gone wrong led to child's brain injury at a Miami-Dade charter school. Miami Herald.
School grades. Parents rally around an IB program despite the school's grade falling to a D. Miami Herald.
Funding. Polk Schools see a slight funding boost. Lakeland Ledger. Manatee schools project a surplus. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Minority students. Duval schools support a national effort to close the achievement gap. Florida Times-Union.
Nation's report card. The latest grades for America's high school seniors are "dismal." Associated Press. Scores are largely flat in Florida, too. RedefinED. More from the Sun-Sentinel and StateImpact.
Personal learning accounts. A new Florida program could be the state of the art in parental choice, Matthew Ladner writes for the EdFly.
Tax credit scholarships. The program doesn't hurt public schools, the Tampa Tribune editorializes.
Turnarounds. Pasco County schools honor the gains of students who started out struggling. Tampa Bay Times.
Transportation. The Hillsborough school board grapples with problems in its bus system. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune. Hernando schools officials decide to preserve busing for students living near their scores. Tampa Bay Times.
Transgender students. A transgender student hopes to become prom king. Tampa Bay Times.
School boards. The Leon County School Board delays a meeting on contracting practices. WFSU. Tallahassee Democrat. A Democrat editorial calls for an explanation of the ongoing controversy. The Palm Beach County debates disciplining its top corruption watchdog. Palm Beach Post.
Real estate. The Miami-Dade school district considers selling some of its land. Miami Herald. The Manatee County school district rejects a $1.1 million land deal. Bradenton Herald.
Catholic schools. A Catholic high school in Fort Myers taps a local to be its next principal. Fort Myers News-Press.
Teachers. A Polk County teacher is a finalist for state recognition. Lakeland Ledger.
School safety. A bomb threat keeps middle school students at school in the afternoon. Ledger.
Graduation. The Palm Beach County school district prepares to recognize graduates bound for the military. Extra Credit.
Class size. Duval County schools could achieve more flexibility by designating more "schools of choice." Florida Times-Union.
Catholic schools. A Tampa Catholic school is back "in the black." Tampa Tribune. Citrus County parents hope to get their school there, too. RedefinED.
Tax credit scholarships. Parents should have more options, one parent writes in the Sun-Sentinel. The Tampa Bay Times and the Palm Beach Post publish editorials denouncing legislation that would expand the program. An amendment set to be heard today on the House floor would remove a proposed increase in the scholarship cap. News Service of Florida.
Crowding. A Pasco County high school abandons a plan that would have had some students taking classes from home during the day. Tampa Bay Times. Escambia schools work on plans for building, repairing and rezoning their schools with the help of a tax voters would need to approve. Pensacola News-Journal.
Teacher evaluations. The Tampa Tribune writes up the VAM-free approaches being tried in Pinellas, and reports the Gates Foundation is now evaluating Hillsborough's program.
School boards. The Brevard board sets a new school closure policy. Florida Today. An assistant principal enters the race for a Hernando County seat. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter schools. More could be closing in Broward. South Florida Sun Sentinel. Miami Herald.
Tax credit scholarships. Did top Step Up For Students officials need to register as lobbyists? Times/Herald. (Step Up co-hosts this blog.)
Testing. Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart picks AIR to develop the new wave of tests tied to Common Core. News Service of Florida. StateImpact Florida. Tampa Bay Times. Orlando Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. EdWeek. WFSU. Naples Daily News.
STEM. Manatee County schools focus on growing its science and math programs. Bradenton Herald.
Teacher unions. Allegations of inappropriate behavior with students dogs some candidates for union president in Pinellas. Tampa Bay Times.
Bullying. Polk Sheriff Grady Judd says parents need to be a bigger deterrent. The Ledger.
Budgets. Brevard parents hope to stave off school closures as money gets tight at the school district. Florida Today.
Textbooks. Lawmakers advance a bill that would remove the state from the textbook adoption process advances. Orlando Sentinel.
Tax credit scholarships. House Speaker Will Weatherford and Americans for Prosperity tout the proposed program expansion (among other non-education-related issues) before the start of the session. Orlando Sentinel. Gets a mention in The Florida Current and Sunshine State News, too. Also gets a mention in this Times/Herald story, which oddly refers to the tax credit scholarship program as the " 'opportunity scholarship' voucher program" and says Republicans are moving ahead on it "to appeal to their political base and special-interest groups." First Coast News in Jacksonville logs in a brief story. (Full disclosure: The program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.)
Dual enrollment. State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, proposes "collegiate high schools" tied to Florida colleges that would help students earn more college credit and industry certifications. Orlando Sentinel.
Magnet schools. Supply and demand doesn't match up for magnet programs in Orange. School Zone.
Common Core. As the legislative session begins, the conversation shifts from what's in them to how to implement. StateImpact Florida. Does Jeb Bush realize what Common Core will do to school choice? Fox News, picking up EAG.
Teacher unions. Intercepts logs in the "melodrama" from the election for a new head of the Broward union.
Teacher evals. VAM is "bureaucratic baloney," writes Tampa Tribune columnist Joe Henderson.
Testing. Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart takes on the Florida Education Association's criticism of testing for special-needs students. Gradebook. Extra Credit. Answer Sheet.
Education spending. Mo' money, mo' problems for the Leg this year? Sarasota Herald Tribune. (more…)
Common Core. Common Core opponents begin airing radio ads. Orlando Sentinel.
Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School adds some adult classes. Daytona Beach News Journal.
School choice. Application period for district choice programs in Pinellas begins Wednesday. Gradeboook.
School spending. Mo money, mo problems? Gradebook.
School boards. Politicking in Pasco. Gradebook.
School diversity. Community and advocacy groups in Palm Beach County need to better participate in district efforts. Palm Beach Post. The Palm Beach County School Board takes a look at a minority "equity audit" Wednesday. Palm Beach Post.
School facilities. Eight classrooms at a Polk County elementary are being closed because of mold. The Ledger.
School tragedy. Grief counselors help students after a Marion County biology teacher is murdered over the holiday break. Ocala Star Banner.
Science. Looking at "tuberous remains," Flagler County elementary school students work to think like scientists. Daytona Beach News Journal. Leon County students prepare for a robotics competition. Tallahassee Democrat.
Teacher conduct. A Walton County teacher faces a 10-day suspension for alleged disparaging remarks to a student. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Cold. Columbia County schools closed. Gainesville Sun.
Common Core: The new national education standards are attracting opposition and causing a rift among Republicans. Miami Herald. Parents can expect more project-based homework, group work in class and less multiple-choice tests thanks to Common Core State Standards. Sun Sentinel. More from the Miami Herald. Parents: This school year will be the last time your student has to take the FCAT. Probably. Palm Beach Post. Treasure Coast educators say the curriculum this year will be a blend of current and new standards. TC Palm.
Charter schools: Florida's auditor general calls for increased oversight of charter schools after report shows an increase in the number operating at a deficit. In Broward County, 17 of 73 charter schools ended the 2011-12 financial year in the red. In Palm Beach County, it was four out of 35 schools. Sun Sentinel. Pembroke Pines considers selling a highly-contested 43-acre property to Discovery Schools to build a charter school. Sun Sentinel. Duval County's charter schools have tripled from seven in 1999 to 21 today with enrollment jumping from 609 in 2003 to more than 7,500. Florida Times-Union.
Parents: The Tampa Tribune looks at what some education experts say has the biggest impact on a child's academic success.
Scheduling snafu: An open house at Olsen Middle School in Dania Beach leaves parents and students waiting long hours in line to fix class schedules. Miami Herald.
Special needs: Unicorn Village Academy opens in West Boca and caters to students with autism and other learning differences. Sun Sentinel. Federal funding cuts hit home for Polk County's ESE students. The Ledger.
Bus battle: A blind Lake County mom wins her battle to get her visually impaired 5-year-old son on a bus to his district school. Orlando Sentinel.
International learning: Students from China are attending the Community School of Naples in Lee County, part of an international education program. Naples Daily News.
School security: Hillsborough County students and parents are greeted with tightened security as they head back to class, with controlled access about to be the norm at all 215 district schools. The Tampa Tribune.
Conduct: Manatee County Superintendent Rick Mills says the district still does not have a plan to replace three assistant principals charged with felonies in a recent investigation. Bradenton Herald. (more…)
Libraries: Five Miami-Dade County technical school libraries will open to the public starting the first day of school to offset expected budget cuts. Miami Herald.
Back pay: An arbitrator tells the Broward school district it owes high school teachers hours of back pay for teaching an additional class period last school year. Sun Sentinel.
Higher ed: Florida’s next higher education Chancellor will inherit a job that requires a soft touch, keen political savvy and the dexterity to manage many bosses. Miami Herald.
Tony Bennett: His last-minute changes to Indiana's school grading formula benefitted 165 Indiana schools. StateImpact Florida.
School support: Hernando County parents support Eastside Elementary as it works to improve its F grade from the state this year. Tampa Bay Times.
Teachers: StateImpact Florida looks at why teachers leave the classroom.
Business help: Polk County schools Superintendent Kathryn LeRoy pushes businesses to get involved with improving district schools. The Ledger.
School board: Former Duval County School Board member Betty Burney is cleared from any wrongdoing in a vote benefitting a company that once employed her sister. Florida Times-Union. (more…)
