Teacher bonuses: The Best and Brightest teacher bonuses program is renewed for another year, as part of an overall state budget agreement. The Senate, which had been hesitant to include funding for the program, voted to set aside $49 million to reward teachers based on their effectiveness and their SAT or ACT test scores. The Legislature is expected to vote on the budget Friday. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. Earlier in the legislative session, the teacher bonuses bill was passed by a single vote in the Senate Pre-K Education Committee. Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, was that vote. She's an opponent of the plan, calling it the "worst and dumbest," but says she voted for it just to get out out of the committee for a larger debate. Miami Herald.

Education bill: The Senate's sweeping education bill would allow open enrollment, permit athletes to transfer and play immediately, punish school district that overspend on construction, and much more. If the Senate passes it, the bill kicks back to the House. Here's a guide to what's in the bill. Politico Florida.

Education on trial: A lawsuit alleging Florida has failed its constitutional mandate to provide high-quality public education goes to trial Monday in Tallahassee. Citizens for Strong Schools contends the state has has not provided a uniform system of free public schools because it fails poor and minority students. The Department of Education says even if some inequities do exist, they are not caused by the state and cannot be fixed by the state. The nonjury trial is expected to last about five weeks. FloridaBulldog.org.

SAT feedback: A College Board survey of students who have already taken the new SAT test shows they prefer it by a 6-to-1 margin over the old version. More than 70 percent say the test reflects what they've learned in school. Students will get their results in mid-May. Palm Beach Post. (more…)