It’s been a month since classes started, and Matthew Ottenwess is settled into his freshman year at Tampa Catholic High School.

He’s made friends and likes his teachers.

His high score on the school’s entrance exam gained him admission to three honors classes and one AP course. He plays linebacker on the junior varsity football team.

This was the educational landing his mother, Maggie, was looking for when she learned the family would move from New Mexico to Florida after her husband Chris, a Chief Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force, received a transfer to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

The Ottenwesses have a Florida education choice scholarship to thank for that.

“It’s a game-changer,” Maggie said.

 

While the family was still stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Alburquerque, Maggie was able to apply for a Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), managed by Step Up For Students.

“The scholarship made the (moving) process easier, gave us more choice, allowed us to take a breath and not have to worry about additional stresses, both monetary and interpersonal,” Maggie said. “It eased the PCS (Permanent Change of Station) experience. There are countless other things that change – doctors, dentists, specialists, church, youth group, scouts. This took one of the larger chunks off the list.

“Box checked.”

Matthew had been homeschooled during the past five years. Chris and Maggie decided he would return to a brick-and-mortar school setting for high school. They also wanted that setting to be at a faith-based school, preferably a Catholic school.

They understood that would burden the family’s finances, but it was a sacrifice they would accept.

Chris received his Permanent Change of Station order on Dec. 23, 2024. Soon, Maggie was told of Florida’s private school scholarship program from other moms within the military community.

“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing,” Maggie said. “It was too good to be true.”

Maggie set her alarm for 7 a.m. local time on the first Saturday in February. Families could apply for FES-EO scholarships that day at 9 a.m. EST. Since Albuquerque is two hours behind, Maggie wanted to apply as soon as the session opened.

“In the military, on-time is late,” she joked.

Maggie found the “Scholarships for Military Families” page on the Step Up website and entered her family’s information. The process went smoothly until Maggie came to the screen that required her to enter her Florida address. Since the move wouldn’t happen until June, and since the family would live on the Air Force Base, they had yet to be assigned housing, so no Florida address.

“I was in panic mode,” she said.

Her fear was quickly defused during a live chat with customer service.

“You’re not the first,” Maggie was told. “We get this a lot.”

She just needed to upload Chris’s Permanent Change of Station order in the proof of residency screen on the application.

Once Maggie learned that Matthew was awarded a scholarship, she started researching private faith-based schools in the Tampa area and settled on Tampa Catholic because of its challenging history and science curriculums. He was accepted Feb. 28.

“Our Christian faith is important to our family,” Maggie said. “It is the foundation that makes all the complications, moves, hardships, financial struggles, stress, and the like possible. We incorporated religion into Matt's homeschool curriculum and wanted to keep that moving forward. We were open to both Christian and specifically Catholic options. We believed a faith-centered school would continue to support his character and moral compass.”

The FES-EO scholarship covers more than half of the yearly tuition at Tampa Catholic. Maggie said they can afford to cover the rest without her getting a job, something that is not easy for military spouses. Local businesses are not quick to hire someone who could be moving in two or three years.

This allows Maggie to continue her work as an advocate for younger enlisted Airmen, military families and dependents. She works on various committees, task forces, and councils that deal with medical, special needs, and religious issues.

“So, the scholarship is not only helping my son get a quality education, it's helping the mission of the military by me having the breadth and space and time to do those things,” Maggie said. “The scholarship is allowing a difference to happen.”

Chris, who is the Command Chief of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill, has been in the Air Force for 28 years. He and Maggie have been married for 18 years. They’ve lived on five bases in four different states.

Matthew, who was born when his parents were stationed in New Jersey, his mom’s home state, has lived in Mississippi, Illinois, New Mexico and now Florida.

When asked about the latest move, he said, “I was super excited, a little nervous for all the changes, but definitely excited to get a whole different experience of school.”

The experience was somewhat of a jolt at first. He said it took him a few weeks to become comfortable with the return to the classroom setting. He had attended Catholic school before being homeschooled.

He said he likes living in Tampa, and being on the football team allowed him to make friends quickly, since fall practice began before the first day of classes.

“It's really good,” he said. “(Tampa Catholic) has a really good curriculum. I like the teachers, and it's fun to hang out with my friends all day.”

In the wake of a second scuttled application to open a charter school for families at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base, the Hillsborough County school district signed off on a plan to expand one of its schools on the base.

The withdrawal of the charter application on Monday was the latest setback to an effort for open a charter school at families families who work at the home of U.S. Central Command.

It started last year with strong backing of the base's commander, whose two-year tenure ended in August. The ensuing saga, in which the district turned away one charter application and was poised to reject another, set off broader discussions about the educational needs of military families, drew the attention of state lawmakers and fanned a debate about charter school governance.

The Hillsborough County School Board closed the book on the latest chapter Tuesday, when it approved an expansion of Tinker Elementary School, which is located on the base.

Supporters of the charter school effort had cited, among other things, a desire for families on the base to have access to a middle school. The plan approved by the board would expand the district's elementary school to grades K-8.

John Schueler, the president of the Tampa Bay Defense Alliance, was on hand to support the district's plan. He told the school board after two and a half years of looking for ways to accommodate parents on the base, "we came to a conclusion that we are very supportive of."

"This has been one of those things that has not been easy, but the conclusion has been satisfactory for the students that will be at the MacDill Air Force Base," he said.

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Charter schools. A proposed charter school at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base is expected not to be considered Tuesday as originally planned. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune. Some Lee charter applicants have ties to schools that failed in the past. Naples Daily News. Lawmakers say changes to charter laws will be on the table in the spring legislative session. Daily News.

Campaigns. Education Week looks at the education policy implications of Florida's governor's race, including Charlie Crist's shifting position on tax credit scholarships. The Tampa Bay Times lambastes Gov. Rick Scott's education record in an editorial. Floridians, including teachers and students, receive official messages from the governor that are criticized as "politicking." Miami Herald.

Digital learning. It's on the rise in Flagler and Volusia. Daytona Beach News-Journal. A Catholic school switches to electronic textbooks. Ocala Star-Banner.

Lawsuits. FEA's legal setback prompts the Tampa Bay Times to dub the union "loser of the week" in Florida politics.

Special needs. When other methods fail, parents sometimes resort to social media to demand services for their special needs children. Tampa Bay Times. A Miami-Dade family sues in the wake of the death of a child with autism. Miami Herald. A student with Down Syndrome is crowned homecoming king. Palm Beach Post.

Testing. Political scientists offer differing views on what impact anti-testing fervor will have on policy. Florida Today. Senate Education Chairman John Legg says duplicative assessments should be "put out to pasture." Miami Herald. Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho talks testing on PBS Newshour.

School choice. Palm Beach school officials consider converting some campuses to K-8 to draw more students. Palm Beach Post.

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Lawsuits. Watchdog.org writes up the latest in the legal battle over Florida's school choice legislation.

Charter schools. Backers of a proposed charter at MacDill Air Force Base are waiting on the base commander to weigh in. Tampa Bay Times.

PLSA. The state Board of Education is set to approve rules for Florida's new special needs scholarship accounts. Gradebook.

Learning. An active learner program in Pasco schools lets students shape their own lessons. Tampa Bay Times.

Testing. Gradebook catches up with the Lee County School Board member leading the charge against testing in Florida schools.

Health. Duval schools officials investigate a case of tuberculosis. Florida Times-Union.

Sunshine. The Manatee School Board faces a a transparency lawsuit over its hiring of security guards. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Bradenton Herald.

Labor. Manatee schools plan on a 2 percent raise for support staff. Bradenton Herald. Pasco's superintendent rejects teachers' complaints over training time tied to professional learning communities. Tampa Bay Times.

Security. A student who brought a gun to a Duval school faces expulsion. Florida Times-Union.

Parent involvement. The Hernando school district starts a parent academy to increase involvement at Title I schools. Tampa Bay Times.

Lawsuits. A judge dismisses a lawsuit challenging school choice legislation, but gives lawyers for the teachers union a chance to rework their case. redefinED. Times/Herald. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida. Associated Press. Tampa Tribune. A Palm Beach Post editorial backs a separate lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of tax credit scholarships.

Charter schools. The Hillsborough school board appears poised to reject a proposed charter at MacDill Air Force Base. Tampa Bay Times.

Teacher conduct. Two Hillsborough teachers are expected to face consequences for drug arrests. Tampa Tribune. The state Board of Education plans to set rules defining teacher immorality outside the workplace. Gradebook.

Testing. The Fort Myers News-Press follows up on the local school board's decision to scale back district assessments. More here. A Lee school board member will lead an anti-testing lobbying push. Naples Daily News.

Security. The Manatee school district plans to ask the Attorney General's office if arming its new security guards is legal. Bradenton Herald.

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Charter schools. Hillsborough district officials continue to find fault with a proposed charter school at MacDill Air Force Base. Tampa Tribune. South Miami city officials investigate "racial disparities" at a local charter school. Miami Herald. Charter law changes are part of the Broward district's legislative platform. Sun-Sentinel. Polk's charter review board recommends rejecting seven applications. Lakeland Ledger.

Digital learning. Orange County schools experiment with one-to-one digital devices. Orlando Sentinel. Pinellas schools get about $1.1 million for technology upgrades. Tampa Tribune. St. Johns officials say state funding doesn't go far enough. St. Augustine Record.

Private schools. Charters and Choice talks tuition increases.

Testing. School districts inveigh against mandatory tests. Tampa Bay Times. The Brevard school board weighs in. Florida Today. More from the Gainesville Sun. The Lee County school district pares back district-mandated assessments. Fort Myers News-Press. Naples Daily News.

School supplies. Miami-Dade teachers are still waiting on debit cards to help them purchase classroom supplies a month into the semester. Miami Herald.

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Charter schools. The Tampa Bay Times follows up on a simmering dispute between Charter Schools USA and the Hillsborough County school district. More from redefinED. The Palm Beach County School Board chairman comes out against a proposed municipal charter. Palm Beach Post.

Private schools. Title I services for Palm Beach County private schools hit a snag. Palm Beach Post.

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School's new rule relaxing must-pass end-of-course exam requirements irks some school district officials in Pasco County, home to one of its largest district-run competitors. Tampa Bay Times.

Teacher quality. The Florida Times-Union takes a deep dive on Duval County's efforts to lure top-rated teachers and administrators to schools where they are most needed. Perhaps the program will get more districts to take pay incentives seriously for teachers in sought-after math and science fields, Paul Cottle writes at Bridge to Tomorrow.

Tenure. The Panama City News Herald takes a critical look at Florida's switch to annual contracts for teachers. More here.

Campaigns. A Pinellas school board candidate is behind on her property taxes. Tampa Bay Times. Eight candidates are running for three Orange County school board seats. Orlando Sentinel. The Palm Beach Post makes its school board endorsements. Collier candidates discuss concealed weapons in schools. Naples Daily News. Common Core is an issue in a Sarasota race. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A teacher is challenging a longtime incumbent in Leon County. Tallahassee Democrat.

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A group that backed an earlier effort to open a charter school at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base is back - this time with a retooled application intended to address an issue at the heart of its rejection by the Hillsborough County School Board late last year.

The new application, submitted Thursday afternoon, calls for a school of up to 875 students in grades K-8. It would be aimed at the thousands of students whose parents work on the base but may live in school zones farther away. Its programs would be tailored to the needs of military families, who have to cope with combat deployments and frequent moves.

Under the revised plan, the proposed MacDill Charter Academy would be overseen by a local organization of the same name. The previous proposal, which the school board rejected, called for a local advisory board, but the school would have been governed by an organization based in Fort Lauderdale.

"Our local board was an advisory board and they had some concern about that, so we have corrected that," said Stephen Mitchell, chairman of the MacDill Charter Academy. "Our local board is no longer the advisory board. It is the board."

After supporters withdrew their initial application, the Hillsborough school district began raising questions about the governance of three other schools that, like the proposed MacDill charter, are run by Charter Schools USA.

This week, around the same time the new application was being submitted, the district again began raising questions about the schools' governing boards in letters obtained by a local TV station and later the Tampa Bay Times.

Perhaps the timing is purely a coincidence. District officials have not responded to a request for comment. (more…)

Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts. The Orlando Sentinel takes an in-depth look at the newest education option for special needs students.

Lawsuits. Parents of children with special needs ask to be allowed to join the state in defending Florida's new school choice law. WFSU. Saint Petersblog. Gradebook.

Charter schools. The backers of a charter school at MacDill Air Force Base try again with a new application. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune. The Hillsborough superintendent threatens to close three charter schools with the same operator. WTSP. Gradebook.

Campaigns. The Pinellas school district asks gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist to pull an ad shot at one of its schools. Tampa Tribune. The Buzz. WTSP. School board candidates debate in Pinellas and Brevard. Tampa Bay Times. Florida Today.

Back to school. New choice programs will be available to Pinellas students when school starts again. Tampa Bay Times. New standards will change the way students learn in the coming year. Tampa Bay Times. The Martin County district sets up a "university" to inform parents about policy changes. Palm Beach Post. A sales tax holiday starts today. Tampa Bay Times. Ocala Star-Banner.

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Personal learning accounts. The new scholarship option will help special needs children, a parent writes in the Orlando Sentinel. A Florida Channel news brief covers the opening of applications for the scholarship accounts, as well as the recently announced lawsuit challenging SB 850.

Charter schools. A rural charter in Franklin County makes another A in the latest round of school grades. The Times. The application for a charter school at MacDill Air Force Base will be re-submitted, a Charter Schools USA executive writes in the Tampa Tribune, which adds coverage here. Another CUSA official writes  in the Orlando Sentinel that improving school grades show charter schools can succeed.

Campaigns. Charter school funding comes up in a forum for Palm Beach County school board candidates. Palm Beach Post. An Orange County group backs a pending sales tax referendum that would fund facilities. Orlando Sentinel. School board candidates in Sarasota debate their district's tax referendum. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Open enrollment. The Marion County school board unanimously backs district-wide open enrollment. Ocala Star-Banner.

Advanced Placement. Scores are up in Hernando. Tampa Bay Times.

Enrollment. A historic Orlando high school struggles to attract students. Orlando Sentinel.

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