Schools of Hope: The Florida Department of Education is reopening the process for schools to apply for an extra $2,000 per student under the state's "Schools of Hope" program for struggling schools. The Legislature set aside $51 million in the new education law, H.B. 7069, to pay for the extra services at up to 25 schools. Fifty-nine schools applied for the grants, and 11 received them in the first round. Now the DOE is giving the other 48 schools, and other eligible schools that didn't initially apply, until Dec. 1 to submit an application. Up to 14 more could receive the grants. Gradebook.
Displaced students: Three Florida members of Congress send a letter to FEMA officials asking for extra money for housing, schooling and other services for the more than 90,000 people from Puerto Rico displaced by Hurricane Maria. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, signed the letter along with Orlando Democratic representatives Stephanie Murphy and Darren Soto. They're asking that Florida get reimbursement from FEMA's host-state program. Florida Politics.
Searching for options: Parents who are given more school choice options tend to do more research for schools for their children, according to a recent study by researchers Michael Lovenheim and Patrick Walsh published in EducationNext. The authors looked at areas with newly expanded school choice options and found a correlation between more choice and an increase in the number of searches on the website Greatschools.org. redefinED.
Teachers needed: Just days before the school year begins, school districts in west-central Florida still need hundreds of teachers. Hillsborough County has the most openings, 205. Pasco needs 128, Polk more than 110 and Sarasota, Hernando and Citrus counties are also hiring. Pinellas County has just seven jobs left to fill. “You have 67 public school districts in Florida, so we're all competing for that same small group of students that are graduating from Florida universities and colleges,” says Teddra Porteous, assistant superintendent in Polk County. WFTS. WTSP. Lakeland Ledger. WFLA.
Spending analysis: The Duval County School Board delays an outside audit of the district's spending, opting first to have the board auditor and district staff do an analysis of how the district spent $21 million more than it was budgeted to last year. Two state representatives had asked for an audit, which board members rejected. Now those members are saying they will likely have an outside audit done after the spending analysis. Board chairwoman Paula Wright says the first analysis should be able to narrow the focus of the second, which should lower its cost. Florida Times-Union.
School recess: Elementary students in Pasco will get their 20 minutes of free, unstructured recess every day. The district's new student progression plan calls for "at least 100 minutes of supervised, safe, and unstructured free-play recess each week for students in kindergarten through grade 5 so that there are at least 20 consecutive minutes of free-play recess per day," according to the plan. Decisions on how to make that happen will be made by each school's principal. Gradebook.
