Feds order ESSA revise: The U.S. Department of Education says Florida is among 10 states that will have to revise their plans on implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act. The department's letter to Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart says the state's plan does not fulfill ESSA requirements in three areas: identifying schools with large achievement gaps between student subgroups, including English-language learners' proficiency scores in the state's accountability system, and providing the state's tests in students' native language. The letter informs the state it has no choice but to change its plan to comply with ESSA. Education Week. Politico Florida.
Graduation rates: Florida school districts are expecting graduation rates for the class of 2017 to fall because the state's new education law, H.B. 7069, won't allow them to count students who left for private schools. Legislators fashioned the bill to stop districts that were suspected of funneling students who couldn't pass the state's test to alternative schools, where they could graduate without passing the tests. But many educators think the law unfairly penalizes schools that try to help students who struggle with the traditional graduation path. TCPalm.
Personalized learning: A pilot program on personalized learning would be opened to any school district in the state under bills filed by Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, and Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg. A 2016 law created the pilot program for school districts in Pinellas, Palm Beach, Lake Seminole counties, and the P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, to experiment with “competency-based learning” that allows students to progress at their own pace. The bills would also change the words "competency-based" to "mastery-based." redefinED.
Bright Futures: State Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, files a bill that would make the expansion of Bright Futures passed in this year's legislative session permanent. Under it, more than 46,000 qualifying Florida students would have state university tuition and fees fully covered. Senate leaders say they also want to expand the payments to Medallion Scholars, the next scholarship tier down, to cover 75 percent of tuition and fees. Sun-Sentinel. Gradebook. Bradenton Herald. Politico Florida. Associated Press. Sunshine State News.
Board term limits: State Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, files a bill that would limit school board members to two four-year terms. If the measure is approved in the Legislature, it also would need to be approved by 60 percent or more of voters since it would amend the state's constitution. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. WUSF. Monroe County School Board members are divided over the term limits proposal. Keynoter.
DeVos visit: On the second day of her visit to Florida, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos meets privately with education, business and advocacy group leaders to urge them to reshape the state's education system so it provides more choice for students and better prepares them for jobs. She also says the K-12 and higher education systems need to work better together. News Service of Florida. Miami Herald.
The sleep-in effect: A RAND Corp. study concludes that Florida would get a $9 billion economic boost over the next 15 years if schools adjusted their schedules to allow later starting times for students in middle and high schools. Later times would cut fatal car crashes and boost student performance, the theory goes, which in turn would boost the likelihood of students graduating and going to college. Miami Herald.
Guns and schools: The number of Florida children killed by guns is up 20 percent since 2010, and injuries are up 36 percent. Some legislators think more guns is the solution to the problem, and are proposing that gun-free zones - including at K-12 schools - be eliminated. State Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, says people are less safe in gun-free zones because they can't protect themselves. “There’s not a school resource officer in every one of our elementary schools,” Steube said. “If a terrorist wants to come in and start shooting our kids, there’s nothing to stop them.” Tampa Bay Times.
Charters vs. districts: The debate about state funding maintenance and construction for charter schools and public schools will intensify when the Legislature begins its session March 7. Both the Senate and House want to increase state funding for charter schools, but have different ideas about how to make it happen. Miami Herald. redefinED.
Whistleblower bills: Two bills are filed that would protect school employees from retaliation for revealing fraud or violations of laws or rules at the state's schools. The "whistleblower" bills, H.B. 1035 and S.B. 1236, were filed by Rep. Kim Daniels, D-Jacksonville, and Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, respectively. Gradebook.
Teacher's fall from grace: Samantha Major was a natural for the mentoring program at Boca Raton High School. Her bosses said the young teacher was empathetic and had a rapport with students. But within months of trying to help a troubled 15-year-old girl, Major was the subject of a school investigation alleging she mishandled the situation, and the Palm Beach County School Board will consider firing her this week. How did it come to this? Palm Beach Post.
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