Board's budget request: The Florida Board of Education's formal budget request to the Legislature asks for a $673 million boost in funding for the 67 school districts that includes $200 more in per-student funding and a $100 million increase in the safe schools initiative. Of that total, $170 million would be new funding from the state and the rest would come from increases in local school property tax collections. The board also is asking for $67.5 million for the school guardian program, and ignored one member's call to let districts use unspent funds from the program for other security measures.  The budget request now goes to the Legislature for consideration. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. Gradebook. Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Budget Commission officially rejects requests to make $58 million in unused funds from last year's school guardian program available for districts to spend for resource officers and other security measures. TCPalm.

Charter rejection overturned: The Florida Board of Education overturns the Leon County School Board's rejection of a charter school's application. The decision means the Tallahassee Classical School will be allowed to open in the 2019-2020 school year. Leon school board members unanimously denied the charter's application because they felt the school did not reflect the community's diversity and that it would discriminate against disabled students. But the state BOE sided with the Florida Department of Education's Charter School Appeal Commission, which ruled that the Leon board did not have good cause to reject the application. It's the second time this summer that the board has overruled local decisions to deny charter schools' applications. redefinED. (more…)

Budgets and tax rates: At its meeting this week to discuss its budget request to the Legislature, the Florida Board of Education will consider supporting local school districts' requests to maintain their tax rates but collect extra tax revenue from rising property values, rather than adjusting those rates downward to keep tax revenue at the same level. The Senate and Gov. Rick Scott supported such a move during this year's legislative session, but the House disagreed, and its position held. Gradebook.

District budgets: Hillsborough County School Board members approve a $3 billion budget with a lower tax rate than last year's. The district also was able to add $5 million to its reserves. Gradebook. The Pinellas County School Board also approves a budget, for $1.5 billion, with a lower tax rate than it had last year. Still, higher property values mean slightly higher tax bills for many residents. Gradebook. Collier County School Board members approve a $1.1 billion budget, up from $1.05 billion last year, that includes a slight increase in taxes for most residents. Naples Daily News. A budget of $874 million is approved by Sarasota County School Board members, which is about $24 million higher than last year's. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The Leon County School Board approves a $545.8 million budget that includes $14 million more in revenue. Tallahassee Democrat. (more…)