Student-funding bill: House PreK-12 Appropriations chairman Manny Diaz, R-Miami, files a bill that details the specific amounts the Legislature would allocate for per-student funding and other education initiatives. H.B. 3A would boost the base student allocation by $43.24 over the amount legislators initially approved, and slightly cut the required local tax effort for districts. Most of the other amounts for projects align with Gov. Rick Scott's proposals. Gradebook. Several school superintendents continue to call Gov. Scott privately to lobby for a veto of H.B. 7069. Politico Florida. Volusia County school officials say the extra money for education Gov. Scott is proposing will help, but still isn't enough to meet the district's needs. Daytona Beach News-Journal. An education analyst discusses the pluses and minuses of the charter schools funding provisions in the education bill. WUSF.
School schedules: Lake County School Superintendent Diane Kornegay proposes an extension of the school day by an hour, and the school year to 11 months. She's also asking for a boost in college-readiness efforts and for more opportunities for associate degrees and industry certifications. Kornegay is urging school board members to shift funding from existing resources to pay for the changes. “Everyone wants to hold onto everything,” said Kornegay, who began her job in January. “And we can do anything we want — but we cannot do everything we want.” Orlando Sentinel. The Brevard County School District is sticking to its spring break schedule for 2018, from April 2-6, despite complaints from parents and students. Forty-four percent of those who took an online survey voted for that week because they think it will have a "lesser impact on testing" and allow "more instructional time in classroom prior to testing window." Florida Today. (more…)
Education bill: The Florida House Education Committee passes H.B. 733, the nearly all-inclusive education bill that would cut standardized testing and make significant changes to the state's K-12 education system. The bill does not include mandatory recess time for elementary students, which is in the Senate's proposal. Miami Herald. Sunshine State News. Florida Politics. Included in a 76-page amendment to the bill are several provisions to help charter and virtual schools. redefinED. The feud between House and Senate leaders over the state budget continues, though several still think they can reach an agreement before the session is scheduled to end May 5. News Service of Florida. Sunshine State News.
Autonomy for schools: A bill passed by the House would broaden autonomy for principals from a pilot program in seven districts to the highest-performing 20 percent of all public schools. Under the pilot program, principals at low-performing schools have greater control over hiring and would be freed from some state regulations. redefinED.
Teacher contracts: Two special state magistrates have issued different interpretations to districts about whether they can negotiate contract renewal guarantees for teachers who are rated highly effective or effective. In both cases, the districts told the teachers unions a 2011 law did not allow guaranteed teacher contracts. Unions in St. Johns and Pasco counties wouldn't agree to a contract without that guarantee. In St. Johns, a magistrate agreed with the teachers union. In Pasco, a magistrate sided with the district. Gradebook.
High school rankings: Pine View School in Osprey is rated the top high school in the state in the latest U.S. News & World Report's rankings. Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami is second, International Studies Charter High School in Miami third, International Studies Preparatory Academy in Coral Gables fourth, and Westshore Junior/Senior High School in Melbourne fifth. U.S. News & World Report. Miami Herald. Naples Daily News. South Florida Business Journal. (more…)
