School closings: Eight Florida school districts remain closed until further notice, according to state officials: Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Liberty and Washington. Most are without power, have damaged schools, or have schools that are still needed as emergency shelters or as FEMA distribution sites for food, water, or other supplies. Every school in Bay County, where the storm made landfall, is damaged. "It's not going to be a normal school year. There's nothing normal about where we are right now," says Bay County Superintendent Bill Husfelt. "I would say every single school in Bay County has some type of damage, some more extensive than others," says Steve Moss, vice chairman of the school board. "Some it'll probably take weeks or months to get online. Some it will take years." Florida Department of Education. Florida Governor's Office.  WMBB. CNN. WCTV. WFSU. WTXL. Students displaced by the hurricane are being enrolled in nearby districts such as Leon, Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Tallahassee Democrat. WEAR.

Amendment 8 opinion: Amendment 8 was removed from the Nov. 6 ballot because its language was defective and did not inform voters of its true intent, according to the Florida Supreme Court opinion that was issued Monday. "That the ballot summary is unclear is best demonstrated by the proponents of the proposed revision, who each give different meaning to the language of the revision, its title, and its summary," the majority wrote in upholding a Leon County judge's decision. The amendment had three education subjects: changes in who could authorize charter and public schools, term limits for school board members and a requirement for civics instruction. The League of Women Voters argued that charter schools portion was not clearly defined, and the court agreed. Gradebook. (more…)

The Florida Supreme Court may have struck down a proposed education amendment to the state’s constitution, but the issue the measure raised can’t be easily dismissed.

In a 4-3 decision, the court last week removed from the November ballot Amendment 8, which would have given the state the authority to establish and operate public schools, bypassing local school districts. The four justices affirmed a lower-court ruling that the amendment’s language was misleading because it “fails to inform voters of the chief purpose and effect” of the measure.

Although Amendment 8, which was placed on the ballot by Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission, bundled three different education-related proposals into one ballot item, opponents objected to the part that would permit the state “to operate, control, and supervise public schools not established by the school board." Critics argued that the vagueness of that statement was meant to obscure its real purpose: to transfer the power to create charter schools from local school districts, where they often encounter opposition, to the state, which has been more receptive of charters. (more…)

ESSA questions: Florida's latest plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act is drawing questions from the U.S. Education Department. Specifically, federal officials want more details on how the state calculates math achievement and proficiency, how schools that need support for improvement are identified by the state, how schools can get out of the turnaround program, and how schools with a single D grade fit in the requirements for improvement. The state has until Oct. 4 to respond. Florida is the only state whose ESSA plan has not been approved. Gradebook.

Alarming false alarms: False fire alarms and emergency drills are causing trauma to students who were at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the shootings Feb. 14 that left 17 dead, they say. “They’re hearing the same sound that brought them all into the hallway where the shooting really started taking place,” says Dr. Nicole Mavrides, director of the child psychiatry program at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. “It can really bring out symptoms of post-traumatic stress.” The Parkland school has had one active shooter drill, two fire drills and five false alarms since school began Aug. 15. Students are responsible for three of the false alarms. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald. (more…)

Budgets and tax rates: At its meeting this week to discuss its budget request to the Legislature, the Florida Board of Education will consider supporting local school districts' requests to maintain their tax rates but collect extra tax revenue from rising property values, rather than adjusting those rates downward to keep tax revenue at the same level. The Senate and Gov. Rick Scott supported such a move during this year's legislative session, but the House disagreed, and its position held. Gradebook.

District budgets: Hillsborough County School Board members approve a $3 billion budget with a lower tax rate than last year's. The district also was able to add $5 million to its reserves. Gradebook. The Pinellas County School Board also approves a budget, for $1.5 billion, with a lower tax rate than it had last year. Still, higher property values mean slightly higher tax bills for many residents. Gradebook. Collier County School Board members approve a $1.1 billion budget, up from $1.05 billion last year, that includes a slight increase in taxes for most residents. Naples Daily News. A budget of $874 million is approved by Sarasota County School Board members, which is about $24 million higher than last year's. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The Leon County School Board approves a $545.8 million budget that includes $14 million more in revenue. Tallahassee Democrat. (more…)

Amendment 8 off ballot: A judge's decision that proposed constitutional Amendment 8 should be removed from the Nov. 6 ballot is upheld in a 4-3 vote by the Florida Supreme Court. A Leon County judge had ruled that the amendment is misleading and fails to inform voters of its “chief purpose and effect.” The amendment, put forward by the Constitution Revision Commission, would have created an entity other than local school boards that can approve charter and public schools, set term limits for school board members and required civics education in schools. The League of Women Voters challenged the constitutionality of the amendment, with president Patricia Brigham saying “the backers of this proposal on the CRC went to great lengths to hide the ball because they realized that Floridians would never knowingly forfeit their right to local control over their local public schools.” Associated Press. News Service of Florida. Tampa Bay Times. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. Florida Phoenix. Florida Politics. Washington Post. Watchdog.org.

Scott rejected again: Legislative leaders officially deny Gov. Rick Scott's request to release $58 million from the armed school guardian fund to districts to help them pay for more security at schools. In a letter to the governor Friday, incoming Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said, "For the guardian program to truly be vetted and ultimately embraced, I believe the program should maintain its own funding rather than having its funds commingled with other funds available for school safety. I respectfully disagree with your statement that the $58 million in available funding will go to waste if the proposed budget amendment is not adopted." Galvano did say he would be open to reviewing the program in the near future. Only $9 million of the $67 million set aside for guardians was claimed by districts, which preferred having school resource officers to arming school employees. Associated Press. (more…)

Safety panel: Florida schools are underreporting crimes by students, painting a false picture of school safety, and skimped on security tests before the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, according to members of the state commission appointed to investigate the shootings. The panel suggests penalizing schools for underreporting crimes in their annual reports. The security assessments, which were optional until this year, were rarely performed. Stoneman Douglas never did one, and in 2017 only 16 of the state's 3,900 public schools did. Sun-Sentinel. Associated Press. WFOR. Former Brevard County School Superintendent Desmond Blackburn isn't able to convince his peers on the state panel that a sworn police officer belongs on every school campus, including at elementary schools. Florida Today.

Amendment 8: The Florida Supreme Court will announce its decision today on whether proposed constitutional Amendment 8 will stay on the Nov. 6 ballot. The amendment, put forward by the Constitution Revision Commission, would create an entity other than local school boards that can approve charter and public schools, set term limits for school board members and require civics education in schools. The League of Women Voters is objecting to the charter school provision, and is asking the amendment be removed from the ballot because it’s “misleading.” Tampa Bay Times.

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Panel's recommendations: The state commission investigating the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings rejects a move to require a sworn police officer at every school in the state, saying such a mandate would cost about $400 million a year. Instead, the panel approves a recommendation to require at least one police officer at every high school and middle school in the state, with elementary schools being covered by armed security guards or school employees. Associated Press. TCPalm. WLRN. A video combining surveillance footage, animation of the school shooter's action and recordings of police calls is shown to the panel. It depicts Broward deputy Scot Peterson hiding during the massacre. Peterson will testify at the commission's October meeting. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald. Chairman Bob Gualtieri says he wants to make the commission's final report open to the public. Sun-Sentinel. Criminal law experts say the addiction and propensity for violence of accused shooter Nikolas Cruz's birth mother could be used as an argument against his execution. Miami Herald. Sun-Sentinel.

Amendment 8: Florida Supreme Court justices hear arguments for and against proposed constitutional Amendment 8. The amendment, put forward by the Constitution Revision Commission, would set term limits for school board members, require civics education in schools and create an entity other than local school boards that can approve charter and public schools. The League of Women Voters is asking the amendment be removed from the ballot because it's "misleading." Attorneys for the state dispute that. A decision is expected soon. Meanwhile, Amendment 8 was removed from another court challenge to six bundled amendments. "It didn't make a lot of sense for us to spend a lot of time here on issues that are being heard across town," says Leon County Judge Karen Gievers. News Service of Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Florida Politics. Miami Herald. Gradebook. Florida Phoenix. (more…)

Tax measures approved: Several school districts around the state asked voters Tuesday to approve tax increases for schools. Here are the results: More than 83 percent of Orange County voters approve a renewal of a special property tax to help pay for teacher raises and to maintain academic, arts and sports programs. Orlando Sentinel. Voters in Broward County approve a boost in property taxes for teacher raises of 6 percent, school security and counseling. Sun-Sentinel. Lake County voters okay a property tax hike for school security and mental health services. Daily Commercial. Marion County voters overwhelmingly renew a tax that will pay for school safety, educational programs and more teachers and staff. Ocala Star-Banner. Voters in Clay County agree to raise property taxes to help pay for school security. Florida Times-Union. WJXT. Martin County voters approve a half-mill increase in property taxes for teacher bonuses, and more school guards, mental-health services and professional development. TCPalm. Monroe County voters back a new property tax to pay for better security in schools. WLRN. A renewal of a half-cent sales tax for schools through 2030 is approved by Bay County voters. Panama City News Herald.

School board elections: School board elections also are held around the state. Some seats are won outright, while runoffs will be needed to decide others. One of the winners is Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa died in the Feb. 14 shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County. Other results: Miami-Dade County. Broward County. Palm Beach County. Orange County. Orange County School Board chair. Florida Times-Union. Hillsborough County District 1. Hillsborough District 2. Hillsborough District 4. Hillsborough District 6. Pinellas County District 2. Pinellas District 3. Pinellas District 6. Pinellas District 7. Seminole County. Lake County. Manatee County. Sarasota County. Collier County. Lee County. Charlotte County. Leon County. Alachua County. Marion County. Citrus County. Monroe County District 4. Volusia County. Flagler County. St. Johns County. Clay County. Martin County. Indian River County District 1. Indian River District 2. Indian River District 4. St. Lucie County District 1. St. Lucie District 3. St. Lucie District 5. Pasco County District 3. Pasco County District 5. Pasco County District 1. Polk County. Hernando County District 1. Hernando District 3. Hernando District 5. Brevard County. Escambia County. Santa Rosa County. Okaloosa County. Bay County. (more…)

Legal challenges: Legal challenges to seven of the 13 proposed constitutional amendments are expected to be settled this week. Two amendments, 6 and 8, have already been ordered off the ballot by judges for being misleading, and five others are pending. Amendment 8 bunches three education issues into a single yes or no vote: term limits for school board members, mandatory civics education in schools and the creation of an entity other than local school boards that can approve charter and public schools. The Florida Division of Elections says all issues must be finalized soon because it has to finish printing the ballots by Sept. 22 in order to get them to overseas voters. The election is Nov. 6. Watchdog.org. The state files its brief to the Florida Supreme Court in its appeal of of a judge's removal of Amendment 8, contending the amendment "fully and accurately advises the electorate" about its purpose. The League of Women Voters has until Wednesday to respond. Oral arguments will be heard Sept. 5. Gradebook. Florida Phoenix. News Service of Florida.

School security: Security was tightened at Jacksonville Raines and Lee high schools Monday in response to Friday's shootings at the football game between the schools. One man was killed and two others were wounded in what police are calling a gang incident. Counselors were also brought in to talk with students needing support. Later in the day, Duval County Superintendent Diana Greene announced that earlier kickoff times and different game days will begin immediately for high school football games while school officials work on a permanent plan to address violence at after-school events. Florida Times-Union. WJXT. A school guardian at Kinnan Elementary School in Manatee County is temporarily reassigned while the district investigates his Facebook postings sharing conspiracy theories and his membership in an organization that some call an antigovernment extremist group. Bradenton Herald. The Port Orange City Council postpones a vote on helping the Volusia County School District pay for school guardians after three members say they have a conflict of interest. Port Orange Observer. (more…)

Redirection of funds rejected: Incoming legislative leaders reject Gov. Rick Scott's call to allow school districts to use $58 million in unspent funds for school security. Scott proposed uncommitted money from the armed guardian fund be divided up among the state's districts to hire more officers or use on other security measures. But House Speaker-elect Jose Oliva, R-Hialeah, and incoming Senate President-elect Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, both say the money should stay in the armed guardian fund, and that the program needs time to grow. Many school districts favored school resource officers over arming school employees or security guards, and didn't apply for the guardian funds. Associated Press.

Top court gets Amendment 8: An appeal of a judge's decision this week to remove proposed constitutional Amendment 8 from the November ballot will skip the appeals process and be heard by the Florida Supreme Court. The state had appealed the decision to the First District Court of Appeal, which immediately passed it on to the top court because "involves a question of great public importance and requires immediate resolution." The court has asked the state to file its arguments by Monday. Amendment 8 would allow the state to create an entity that could authorize charter and public schools outside the jurisdiction of local school boards. It would also set term limits for school board members and require civics education. Monday, a Leon County judge ruled the proposal "fails to inform voters of the chief purpose and effect of this proposal.” Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. Florida Phoenix. News Service of Florida. (more…)