Chronic absenteeism: Florida has the lowest rate in the United States of students who were chronically absent from school in the 2013-2014 school year, according to an analysis of U.S. Education Department statistics. Florida's rate was 4.5 percent, well under the 13 percent national average. Associated Press.

Scholarships for disabled: A study shows that parents with disabled children are eager to apply for scholarships or vouchers, even when it means spending more for their child's education and giving up some rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Council for Parent Attorneys and Advocates did a review of the 11 states that offer such options for the disabled, including Florida. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administers the Florida program known as the Gardiner Scholarships. Education Week.

Mentoring program: The Obama administration's mentoring program, My Brother's Keeper Success Mentors Initiative, is expanding to Orlando. The program matches chronically absent students with mentors three times a week to try to keep students in school. Orlando Sentinel.

Shared sick leave: More than 1,200 sick days were transferred to Pasco County School District employees whose health problems extended beyond their own leave time. Gradebook.

More resume problems: Newly hired Pittsburgh school superintendent Anthony Hamlet, formerly an administrator in the Palm Beach County School District, appears to have plagiarized his educational philosophy from the Washington Post and included it in his resume, according to published reports. Earlier this week, he acknowledged errors on his resume but defended his record. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Palm Beach Post. (more…)

Teacher evaluations: The Florida Department of Education has told superintendents it intends to give greater weight to teachers with multiple years of success in the value-added model evaluation system. It also sent a list of 32 elementary teachers who meet the highly effective criteria in reading and math, and those from five districts who scored unsatisfactory in both. Gradebook.

Testing scores: The Florida Board of Education votes Wednesday on how to score the new Florida Standards Assessments tests. This Q&A touches on the controversy and the potential impact of the decision. Orlando Sentinel.

Legislative agenda: State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz and chairman of the education committee, says class sizes and teacher bonuses are the most pressing education matters for the Legislature to tackle in the session that starts Jan. 12. WUSF.

Private investors: Two Florida legislators want the state to allow private investment "to solve social issues." Utah has adopted such a model to pay preschool costs for children who had been expected to need special-education services. Gradebook. New York Times. (more…)

Charter schools: A report by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that the number of charter schools opening in Florida grew at a rate of 12.7 percent per year from 2010-2014, third fastest among 16 states surveyed. The annual closing rate between 2009-2013 was 3.9 percent, the fourth highest. The report compares Pennsylvania charter schools governance with 15 other states. The Notebook.

School threats: Experts say school threats across the United States are rising rapidly - up 158 percent from Aug. 1-Dec. 31, 2014 over the same period in 2013. About 70 percent were bomb or shooting threats. Florida got 43, fifth most in the country. NBC 6 News. Palm Beach School Superintendent Robert Avossa is unhappy with Park Vista High's handling of a threat scribbled on a school wall, and has told all principals to alert parents when any threat is discovered, even if the threat isn't thought to be credible. Palm Beach Post.

Privacy bill: State Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, files a bill that would protect Florida's K-12 students from websites that mine personal information. Florida Politics.

Every Child Succeeds Act: State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, says he's still going through the Every Child Succeeds Act, the recently passed successor to the No Child Left Behind Act, but thinks the law's effects in 2017 will be substantial. WUSF.

New high schools: Lee County commissioners have taken land in a conservation area off the list of potential sites for a new high school in Bonita Springs. Naples Daily News. A survey of Manatee County residents shows they want a new high school, with the preferred location north of the Manatee River. Bradenton Herald.

Superintendent race: With more than 10 months to go before the election for Nassau school superintendent, State Rep. Janet Adkins of Fernandina Beach has raised almost $65,000 compared to just over $34,000 by her opponent, school board member Kathy Knight Burns. Both are Republicans. Florida Politics.

Deal benefits schools: Public schools in the neighborhoods around the Citrus Bowl will receive money from a partnership between Florida Citrus Sports and the College Football Playoff Foundation. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)

School change: A working group discussing the future of Duval County's Northwestern Middle School votes unanimously to reject the district's plans to turn it into a magnet or vocational school. Area residents want it to remain a neighborhood school, which is becoming a common theme against Superintendent Nikolai Vitti's plan for changes. Florida Times-Union.

School bills: State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, predicts no major education bills for the legislative session that begins next month. Gradebook.

Future discussions: Brevard School Superintendent Desmond Blackburn presents his plan for the future of the system and its schools at a meeting tonight. Florida Today. Manatee School Board members invite members of the community to a discussion Wednesday about the future of Manatee schools. Bradenton Herald.

System assessment: An independent oversight committee appointed after Marion County voters approved a 1-mill tax levy in November 2014 reports that the school district is doing a good job spending that money. Ocala Star Banner.

Black history course: An online African-American history course for hundreds of Florida schools is being developed by the Department of Education's African-American History Task Force. THE Journal.

Student incentives: Students who perform well academically go to the front of the line in the Woodrow Wilson Middle School cafeteria, a school incentive program that is drawing complaints from some parents. Fox 13. (more…)

School class sizes: More than 60 percent of Florida schools now define themselves as schools of choice, which allows them to calculate class size as a schoolwide average rather than the room-by-room count non-choice schools must adhere to. State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, says new legislation will be drafted to "stop playing shell games" that began after a 2013 law gave schools a way to sidestep the class-size requirements of the 2002 constitutional amendment. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. Palm Beach Post.

Opinions on schools: Today's tests-oriented classrooms are putting critical thinking skills at risk, and the decline started with a 2006 Florida law that says "only facts be taught when it comes to discussing the period of discovery and the early colonies." This Magazine.

School for Deaf and Blind: The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) provides hope and services for children across north Florida. Tallahassee Democrat. FSDB football coach Eric LeFors, who is deaf, talks about the school's 102nd season. Tallahassee Democrat.

Literacy project: Palm Beach County schools, the city of West Palm Beach, nonprofits and corporations team up to improve literacy in schools. Palm Beach Post.

School traffic patterns: There will be little traffic impact if children from a Pasco County subdivision are rezoned to a different school, school official say after studying the complaint by parents. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)