Tax credit scholarships. On his blog The Fine Print, the AP's Gary Fineout lists the "voucher" testing debate as one of the five biggest questions of the session. The Times/Herald takes a look at the "powerful political forces" supporting school choice scholarships. (The tax credit scholarships program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.)

School choice. Palm Beach County School District considers expanding district choice. Palm Beach Post. South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Teacher unions. StateImpact Florida talks with FEA President Andy Ford about this year's legislative priorities.

Teacher conduct. A former Pinellas high school teacher is sentenced to three years in prison for having sex with a 16-year-old student. Tampa Tribune. Bradenton police are investigations accusations that a Manatee County School District middle school PE coach inappropriately touched female students. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Testing. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano both praises and pans Education Commissioner Pam Stewart's position on testing students with disabilities. Big changes coming for the SAT. Associated Press. (more…)

Tax credit scholarships. The Orlando Sentinel editorializes against the proposed expansion, largely using the editorial written by its sister paper, the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano calls it a continuation of the "systematic decimation of Florida public schools." The Tampa Tribune gives it a thumbs up, writing: "Supporting school choice is a smart policy that by no means diminishes the Legislature’s responsibility to adequately fund public schools, which will remain the first choice of most families." (Full disclosure: the program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.)

School choice. In an Associated Press rundown of Florida education legislation this year, the Florida PTA takes aim at bills to expand charter schools and tax credit scholarships, saying they amount to "chunks being broken away from our public school system."

Charter schools. The Orange and Seminole school districts consider whether to continue to try and fight the opening of four proposed Charter Schools USA schools in their districts. Orlando Sentinel. Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie ushers in a "new era of collaboration and cooperation" with charter schools. Education Week.

Catholic schools. Several schools in the Diocese of Venice system are looking for new principals. Fort Myers News Press.

School grades. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning pitches a more complicated system, not a simpler one. Gradebook.

School boards. Gov. Rick Scott fills a vacancy on the Broward board. Miami Herald. South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Superintendents. Interim super Hershel Lyons throws his hat in to the ring for the Alachua opening. Gainesville Sun.

Legislature. The Sarasota Herald Tribune highlights the major ed issues for the session that starts Tuesday. In their roundups, the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times erroneously report (as other outlets have in recent weeks) that lawmakers are for the first time proposing that tax credit scholarship students take standardized tests. (They've been required by law since 2006 to take state-approved standardized tests.) (more…)

Common Core. Common Core opponents begin airing radio ads. Orlando Sentinel.

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School adds some adult classes. Daytona Beach News Journal.

School choice. Application period for district choice programs in Pinellas begins Wednesday. Gradeboook.

School spending. Mo money, mo problems? Gradebook.

School boards. Politicking in Pasco. Gradebook.

School diversity. Community and advocacy groups in Palm Beach County need to better participate in district efforts. Palm Beach Post. The Palm Beach County School Board takes a look at a minority "equity audit" Wednesday. Palm Beach Post.

School facilities. Eight classrooms at a Polk County elementary are being closed because of mold. The Ledger.

School tragedy. Grief counselors help students after a Marion County biology teacher is murdered over the holiday break. Ocala Star Banner.

Science. Looking at "tuberous remains," Flagler County elementary school students work to think like scientists. Daytona Beach News Journal. Leon County students prepare for a robotics competition. Tallahassee Democrat.

Teacher conduct. A Walton County teacher faces a 10-day suspension for alleged disparaging remarks to a student. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Cold. Columbia County schools closed. Gainesville Sun.

Charter schools. The Pembroke Pines Charter Schools system, which recently cut teacher pay, is asking parents to pay $1,000 per student per year to restore the system's reserves. South Florida Sun Sentinel. Gov. Rick Scott signs the bill boosting accountability for charter schools. Orlando Sentinel.

Common Core. FEA President Andy Ford says too much testing could sour the public on it. StateImpact Florida.

School grades. Tony Bennett meets with the school grades task force, which  includes a number of superintendents, but says he won't make changes just to soften the blow of bad grades. Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, StateImpact Florida, Palm Beach Post, News Service of Florida, Tallahassee Democrat.

Dual enrollment. Tony Bennett says districts and state colleges need to better collaborate in the wake of the Legislature's decision to shift costs to districts. Gradebook.

Parent power. The Pensacola News Journal writes up the new law that gives more power to parents of students with disabilities.

Superintendents. Duval's Nikolai Vitti: "Folks here know that public education can be better. And they’re willing to put their shoulder to the wheel to make it better." StateImpact Florida.

Teachers unions. The Broward union wins an arbitration case involving changes to the high school schedule. South Florida Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald.

Tardiness. Alachua looks for ways to crack down on chronic tardiness. Gainesville Sun.

School spending. Walton will consider upping the millage rate for capital improvements. Northwest Florida Daily News.

FCAT. FCAT writing scores up. FCAT reading and math scores flat. Miami Herald. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. Orlando Sentinel. Florida Times Union. StateImpact Florida. Gainesville Sun. Ocala Star Banner. Associated Press. Naples Daily News. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald Tribune. Pensacola News Journal. Tallahassee Democrat. Panama City News Herald. StateImpact has more from Education Commissioner Tony Bennett.

FCAT success. How a Tampa elementary magnet school got traction. Gradebook.

FCAT retakes. Daytona Beach News Journal.

Vals and sals. Backlash is growing to Hernando's decision to ban vals and sals. Gradebook.

Nerds. Spelling bee champ Nupur Lala of Tampa helped make nerdy cool. Associated Press.

Turnaround schools. Hillsborough is proactive about trying to spark them. Tampa Bay Times.

Teacher training. The Hechinger Report uses Florida to base a story about reformers' aims with teacher training and recruitment. (more…)

Charter schools. An arts magnet in Manatee considers converting to a charter school because of the district's ongoing financial woes. Bradenton Herald.

Common Core. Hillsborough school board members voice all kinds of concerns about Common Core. Tampa Bay Times.

Tony Bennett. StateImpact Florida gives ink to anonymous, garden variety critics.

Teacher pay. Rick Scott's teacher pay raise tour continues, reports the Orlando Sentinel. Volusia teachers will probably get less than the $2,500 Scott pitched, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal.

Teacher Appreciation Week. South Florida Sun Sentinel takes note.

School spending. Budget cuts in Pasco look bigger than anticipated, reports Gradebook. The school board responds by cutting all literacy coaches and media specialists, reports the Tampa Bay Times. The Flagler school board debates potential  cuts, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal. (more…)

Parent power. Florida gets high marks from the Center for Education Reform. Jacksonville Business Journal.

Common Core. Andy Ford's take on Common Core. StateImpact Florida.

Teacher evaluations. Don't shield the data from public scrutiny. Florida Times Union.

Rick Scott. Talks with superintendents about teacher pay, teacher evals, Common Core - and gets kind words from Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee. Coverage from The Buzz, News Service of Florida, Tallahassee Democrat.

School reform. Pinellas Superintendent Mike Grego is taking a more thoughtful approach to struggling schools than the state has, writes Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano.

Career education. It's good the Legislature is expanding opportunities here, writes Tampa Tribune columnist Joe Henderson. (more…)