Parent trigger. Parent trigger is not worth the fuss, writes Orlando Sentinel columnist Beth Kassab: "We're wasting time with political gamesmanship over a bill that both sides are making a bigger stink over than it's worth."

Tony Bennett. New Indiana Superintendent Glenda Ritz accuses former super Tony Bennett, of wasteful spending on technology. Indianapolis Star.

English language learners. The growing challenge of growing numbers of ELLs. Associated Press.

Teacher retention. Pinellas is looking at ways to better recruit and retain teachers at high-needs schools. Finally. Gradebook.

Teacher evaluations. The Florida Education Association is planning to file suit over the new eval system, with details coming today. Gradebook and Orlando Sentinel.

Teacher pay. Miami-Dade teachers get performance-based bonuses - and cheer. Miami Herald. (more…)

Charter schools. Supporters are trying a different approach this year to securing facilities funding for charter schools, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Lawmakers split along party lines on a charter schools bill, reports StateImpact Florida. A new charter schools network is eyeing the site of a former fundamental middle school in Pinellas, reports the Tampa Bay Times. Parents say Polk district officials aren't telling students at a district middle school that they're eligible to attend a charter high school in Lake Wales, reports the Winter Haven News Chief. An educator returns to his roots in Cocoa to start a charter school, writes Florida Today columnist Matt Reed. The Bay County school district is reviewing a troubled charter school's finances, reports the Panama City News Herald.

Magnet schools. A magnet in Flagler aims to help student who "aren't clicking in mainstream schools." Daytona Beach News Journal.

Parent trigger. Palm Beach Post: "The goal isn’t to improve schools, it’s to improve the bottom line for for-profit charters."

Graduation requirements. Lawmakers consider alternative pathways for career education, reports the Orlando Sentinel. More from StateImpact Florida.

Parents. Parents of two students assaulted at a Pinellas school for disabled students are planning to sue, reports the Tampa Bay Times. A small group protests alleged bullying by administrators at a Deerfield Beach elementary school, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel. (more…)

School choice. The Black Alliance for Educational Options draws 650 attendees from 20 states to Orlando for its annual symposium. Check out #SY2013 on Twitter for what's happening. Legendary school choice activist Howard Fuller says attendees shouldn't be knee-jerk about the participation of for-profit companies. Also check out this redefinED podcast with BAEO President Ken Campbell.

Charter schools. Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform, tells SchoolZone Florida needs additional charter school authorizers and that the current system favors charter management companies over mom-and-pop charter schools. The House Appropriations Committee approves a charter schools bill that would tighten accountability and require school districts to share empty classroom space with charter schools, reports The Buzz.

Sequestration. Will take a bite out of already dwindling construction funds. The Florida Current. Gradebook.

Superintendents. The Hernando school board picks Lori Romano, the director of adult, community, secondary and virtual education programs for Martin County Public Schools. Gradebook.

Principals. More than 200 students and parents protest the apparent ouster of a high school principal in Broward. South Florida Sun Sentinel. (more…)

Education savings accounts. Bills filed Friday and Saturday would create a new mechanism for funding school choice options. Tallahassee Democrat.

Charter schools. Some 1,200 students apply for 650 slots at a new charter in Viera, reports Florida Today. An overwhelming majority of parents and teachers vote against the proposed conversion of a Key Biscayne school into a charter, reports Miami Herald. The Palm Beach school district is recommending that its board shut down three charters, reports the Palm Beach Post. The Pepin Academies, a charter that serves disabled students in Tampa, wants to open a campus in Pasco, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

School choice. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning is merging the district's choice programs - open enrollment, charters, career academies, etc. - in one department. Gradebook.

Parents. At Jacksonville's first-ever ed summit, Duval Superintendent Nikolai Vitti reiterates that he wants to transform how the district views parents. Florida Times Union.

Common Core. Tampa Bay Times overview of what's coming - and whether it can happen according to schedule. Part one here. Part two here.

Legislative preview. "Reforming school reform." Tampa Bay Times.

New faces. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Laurene Powell Jobs have joined the board of directors for the Foundation for Excellence in Education. EdFly Blog. (more…)

Charter schools. Florida's first classical preparatory school, slated for opening this fall in Pasco, asks for a one-year delay so it can find better digs, reports Gradebook. A judge again rules in favor of  allowing a Sarasota principal to temporarily stay as head of an Imagine charter school that wants to split from the parent company, reports the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Magnet schools. Magnet Schools of America names Roosevelt Middle in West Palm a National Magnet School of Distinction. Extra Credit.

"Progressive" agenda. Self-styled progressive groups put forward a legislative agenda that includes "rejecting efforts to revive the so-called “parent trigger” bill and curtailing the use of private school vouchers, both of which slash public education funding while privatizing public education for corporate gain." Central Florida Political Pulse.

School recognition money. Gov. Rick Scott wants to increase the per-student amount from $93 to $125, notes Extra Credit. In Palm Beach, he hands out $14 million in checks to schools, reports the Palm Beach Post.

Sequestration. Potential effects on Head Start, reports StateImpact Florida. More from Naples Daily News.

Teacher evaluations. More than 100 people show up - including a number of upset teachers - to a Department of Education hearing about the new evals in Orange County, reports the Orlando Sentinel. A different take from the EdFly Blog. (more…)

Charter schools. Democratic lawmakers have filed several bills to reign in problems that arise when charter schools close, reports Gradebook. Miami-Dade County planners reject a charter school's proposal to grow on the site of a former private school, reports the Miami Herald.

Jeb Bush. Talks Florida-style ed reform in Texas. Dallas Morning News. Texas Tribune. Associated Press. Austin American Statesman. KUT.org.

School spending. Lawmakers should loosen the strings on impact fee money, writes the Ocala Star Banner.

More sequestration. WOKV.com. Gradebook.

Teacher evaluations. Seminole officials fear good teachers could lose their jobs under the new system, reports Orlando Sentinel. In southwest Florida, only four people sound off on the evals at a DOE meeting, reports the Naples Daily News.

Teacher pay. Seminole teachers ask for more. SchoolZone.

Broad Prize. A Broad Prize site-visit team suggests Orange County could soon be in the running. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)

School recognition funds. About 1,700 schools will get about $134 million, reports Gradebook. More from SchoolZone, Miami Herald, South Florida Sun Sentinel, TCPalm.com, Florida Times Union, Naples Daily News.

Charter schools. Palm Beach Post: "Palm Beach County has pledged to help a nonprofit charter school sell $10.5 million in mostly tax-exempt bonds so it can open a new campus in Juno Beach — a move that has upset County Commissioner Paulette Burdick, who questions whether the county should aid privately run charters that pull students away from the public school district." More on Cape Coral charter schools asking the Lee County school district for facilities funding from NBC2.

Pre-K. Florida's pre-K isn't the reason its students are surging ahead of Nevada's. Heartland Institute.

Parent trigger. Lakeland Ledger weighs in.

Zero tolerance. Despite changes in the law, thousands of students are still arrested in Florida schools every year for minor infractions. StateImpact Florida.

FCAT. Time again for students to "brace" for the "dreaded" test, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel. This year, teachers and students better prepared for tougher writing standards, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

Grad rates. Another report notes Florida's rate is low but improving. SchoolZone. (more…)