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Florida schools roundup: ESSA plan, generosity, image, boycott and more

Compiled by redefinED staff July 18, 2018

Accountability plan: Florida is now the only state whose plan to meet the federal Every Student Succeeds Act standards has yet to be approved by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Last week DeVos gave the okay to California’s and Utah’s plans, but Florida’s second attempt to comply is still pending. The last action came June 5, when the U.S. DOE said Florida “has not submitted a revised consolidated state plan that meets all the requirements of the ESSA and the McKinney-Vento Act.” Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has said the U.S. can’t force the state to change its accountability system, and that many of ESSA’s guidelines do not match Florida’s philosophy. The state is resisting provisions to test students in languages other than English, and the demand for better detailing of demographic subgroup performances. Gradebook.

Acts of unexpected generosity: Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to Jacksonville who overhear a 1st-grade teacher talking about the low-income students at her Illinois charter school donate $530 to help the students. Teacher Kimberly Bermudez, 27, says she was shocked by the generosity of the passengers — and that they were carrying that much cash. Washington Post.

Image-sprucing move: The Broward County School District, hit with a barrage of bad news since the Parkland school shooting Feb. 14 that killed 17 people, is looking for a public relations boost by advertising for a chief public information officer who can “champion a favorable public image and brand for the district.” The job will pay between $104,836 and $174,870 a year. Sun-Sentinel.

School boycott urged: The secretary of education under President Obama again urges parents across the United States to boycott schools until they’re safe. Arne Duncan tells parents in Parkland Tuesday that a boycott would force Congress to take action on gun reform. Sun-Sentinel.

July 18, 2018 0 comment

Florida Schools Roundup

Florida schools roundup: Superintendent named, tests, 47 cents, appeal and more

Compiled by redefinED staff May 21, 2018

Compiled by redefinED staff

New superintendent: Diana Greene is chosen as the new superintendent of the Duval County School System. Greene, who has been superintendent of the Manatee County district since 2015, was unanimously approved by the school board. She replaces Nikolai Vitti, who left last summer to take the top job in Detroit. Greene started her teaching career in Duval before moving into administration. At Manatee, she is credited with turning around a difficult financial situation while improving student achievement. In Duval, Greene will immediately have to contend with a $62 million budget deficit. Greene’s start date and salary have yet to be negotiated. Florida Times-Union. WJXT. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Smooth testing season: Florida Standards Assessments testing ended last week, and Florida Department of Education officials say there were few reports of problems with the test. Students took 4.2 million computerized tests and another 1.2 million with paper and pencil, and the only issues reported were local Internet and power outages. Results are expected in June. Gradebook.

Ad rebuts 47-cent claim: Florida House Republican leaders are fighting back against the claim by educators that the Legislature’s funding for schools amounts to just 47 more cents for each student. Calling it the “47 cent myth,” the lawmakers contend in a 5-minute online ad that they bumped per-student spending by $101.50, an all-time high, and that they put requirements on some of the increases to stop districts from squandering the extra money. “That’s why we put this $100 increase in per student funding directly into the classroom, bypassing the bureaucracy,” the narrator of the ads says. “To them [bureaucrats], it’s not about kids. It’s about control.” Gradebook.

May 21, 2018 0 comment

Florida Schools Roundup

Florida schools roundup: Testing troubles, grades, school police and more

Compiled by redefinED staff February 22, 2016

Compiled by redefinED staff

Testing troubles: Bandwidth has been expanded, security upgraded and testing software improved. But, experts warn, there’s no way to guarantee trouble-free computerized testing when the Florida Standards Assessments writing tests begin Feb. 29. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune.

Testing dispute: State business leaders are avoiding direct criticism of Gov. Rick Scott over the state Department of Education’s decision not to raise the passing scores for the Florida Standards Assessments. But they’re continuing to push for higher standards. Politico Florida.

School grades: About 5 percent of the state’s schools received a different final grade than they did when simulated grades were released in December. Politico Florida. Sixty-six South Florida schools received F grades, a record high. Broward County had 29, Miami-Dade 20 and Palm Beach 17. Sun-Sentinel.

District police force: The Orange County School District is budgeting $1.5 million to start its own police force. The mission is to enhance security through measures such as campus checks and weapons screenings, and to work with local law officers already patrolling the schools. Orlando Sentinel.

School uniforms: The debate over school uniforms is a topic of conversation in Escambia County. Earlier this month, dozens of girls at Washington High School were ordered to change clothes after coming to school in leggings that didn’t meet the dress code. Pensacola News Journal.

Charter schools: Somerset Academy’s plans for three charter schools can move ahead after the state Board of Education overturns decisions by two school districts denying the applications. Somerset can start a middle school in St. Lucie County and an elementary and middle school in Indian River County. The districts can appeal the decision. TCPalm. A proposed charter school in Collier County is delaying its opening until August 2017. Collier Charter Academy officials have squabbled with residents over its proposed location in Golden Gate Estates. Naples Daily News.

February 22, 2016 0 comment

Florida Schools Roundup

Florida schools roundup: Suicide prevention, grades, No Child and more

Compiled by redefinED staff December 11, 2015

Compiled by redefinED staff

Suicide prevention: Two Lee County legislators say they will file bills requiring a two-hour suicide prevention course be added to continuing education requirements for all Florida teachers. Florida Politics. Sunshine State News.

Grades dispute: After the state Department of Education released projected school grades, Brevard School Superintendent Desmond K. Blackburn makes this statement to parents: “It remains our stance that a January release of school grades based upon the flawed administration of the new test and the absence of learning gains WILL NOT adequately reflect the hard work of our teachers, our leaders, our support staff, or our babies. In fact, this release could negatively impact the learning environment as we approach this Spring’s assessment season. If the rule is approved, and if these grades are released, we will focus our efforts to work together to keep our learning environments free from the distractions that this could cause.” Brevard Public Schools. Florida Today.

No Child law: President Obama signs into law a rewritten No Child Left Behind Act that restores power to state and local school districts to decide how to improve schools. New York Times. Education Week.

Charter schools: Florida lost as much as $150,000 it invested in two Treasure Coast charter schools that lasted less than eight years, which is symptomatic of a statewide problem. Florida invested more than $70 million in charter schools that closed, according to an AP investigation. TCPalm. Four more charter schools that could have up to 3,000 students are up for approval in Hillsborough County. There are about 50 charter schools in the county now. Gradebook. The Seminole Science Charter School in Lake Mary is flourishing with its curriculum that centers on math and science. It has 370 students but a waiting list of more than 1,000. Orlando Sentinel.

School rezonings: Pasco County school officials are moving ahead with new attendance boundaries for five elementary schools, despite the objections of parents. The opening of a new school next fall prompted the rezonings. Gradebook. Thousands of students would shift schools under a rezoning plan to relieve overcrowding in some Orange County schools. Orlando Sentinel.

School impact fees: The Manatee County Planning Commission is recommending the County Commission approve the reinstatement of school impact fees. Bradenton Herald.

Contract negotiations: The Hillsborough County School Board approves a contract with the union representing bus drivers, custodians and other blue-collar workers. The district is still negotiating with the teachers union. Tampa Tribune. The Marion County School Board approves a 21 percent raise for its staff attorney. Ocala Star Banner.

Grievance denied: Lake County school officials deny a grievance over planning time filed by the teachers union. Daily Commercial.

Bonita Springs school: A meeting Thursday about a new high school in Bonita Springs focuses more on what kind of curriculum to expect when the school opens instead of where the school will be built. No site has been chosen, and several proposed site has drawn protests. Fort Myers News-Press. Naples Daily News.

Teacher memorial: Marguerite “Margaret” Brown, who died Dec. 9 at 92, was a link between the one-room, blacks-only schools in Hernando County and the post-integration era. Tampa Bay Times.

Opinions on schools: Trust and communication are essential, but have been lacking, in the fight over whether Indian River County schools have violated a desegregation order. TCPalm. Will the new No Child Left Behind Act be better than the old one? New York Times.

Student’s death: No foul play is suspected in the death of a child taken to a hospital Thursday from Waterleaf Elementary School in Jacksonville. Florida Times-Union.

Employees in trouble: A former teacher’s aide at Highlands Grove Elementary School in Lakeland pleads guilty to charges of attempting to have sex with a child under the age of 12. Lakeland Ledger.

School hit by car: A Coconut Creek preschool is hit by a 71-year-old driver who apparently had a medical issue. A toddler in the car was slightly injured, but no children in the school were hurt. Sun-Sentinel.

School turnaround: Spring Hill Elementary in Hernando County is a D school trying to improve. A new principal, some grant money and a new emphasis on coaching and collaboration are in place. Tampa Bay Times.

Student enrichment: A 17-year-old senior at Southeast High School reflects on the relationship he’s had with his mentor from the Take Stock in Children program. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. About 30 students at Pasco Middle School take part in a TEDx Talk Competition, which helps students understand argumentative writing. Tampa Tribune. About 250 students from 17 Alachua County schools participate in the first robotics competition. Gainesville Sun.

December 11, 2015 0 comment

Florida Schools Roundup

Florida schools roundup: School testing and grades, No Child and more

Compiled by redefinED staff December 10, 2015

Compiled by redefinED staff

School testing, grades: A Department of Education simulation projecting school grades indicates that despite fears more schools would fail because of the new Florida Standards Assessment tests, little would change in the distribution of grades. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart is lobbying for her version of passing score standards. Superintendents support Stewart’s proposal, but still want to suspend school grades until two years of data are in, while some legislators and business leaders think Stewart’s standards are too low. The State Board of Education will decide the issue Jan. 6. Tampa Bay Times. Orlando Sentinel. Lakeland Ledger. Tallahassee Democrat. Meanwhile, Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, says the Legislature will continue to work on bills that would allow schools to use tests other than the statewide standardized exams for such things as teacher evaluations and school grades. News Service of Florida, via Gainesville Sun. WFSU.

No Child bill: The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approves the revised No Child Left Behind Act, and President Obama says he will sign the bill into law today. The changes allow states greater control over public schools, particularly in the ways student and teacher performance are assessed. New York Times. Associated Press. Florida Times-Union.

School superintendents: The DeSoto County School Board is asking Gov. Rick Scott to remove Superintendent Karyn Gary while the state attorney investigates charges that she hired two administrators and fired another without board approval and forged the board chairwoman’s signature on a contract. WINK. A YouTube video of Sebastian River High principal Todd Racine breaking up a fight won’t affect the district’s support for him, an Indian River County schools spokesman says. TCPalm.

December 10, 2015 0 comment

Florida Schools Roundup

Florida schools roundup: Testing, teacher pay and more

Compiled by redefinED staff November 2, 2015

Compiled by redefinED staff

School testing: A Polk County teacher’s resignation over her frustration with testing is going viral. Wendy Bradshaw wrote, in part, “Like many other teachers across the nation, I have become more and more disturbed by the misguided reforms taking place which are robbing my students of a developmentally appropriate education.” Lakeland Ledger. President Obama’s call to cut back on school testing is not enough to make a difference for Florida, the Sun Sentinel editorializes. And it probably won’t change much. State Impact Florida. Florida’s performance in the most recent round of testing assessments is not as bad as it seems, according to a Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorial. Standardized testing is failing its mission, argues the Ocala Star-Banner in an editorial.

Teacher pay: Volusia County teachers resume bargaining over salaries with the school district today. The teachers are lobbying for a 5 percent boost. Daytona Beach News-Journal. A bill setting a statewide minimum salary for teachers isn’t the best approach, writes Scott Kent, opinion page editor of the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

School district funding: Hillsborough County’s school district is optimistic it can close a funding shortfall of $142 million. Tampa Tribune. Leon County School Board member Alva Striplin is concerned about the school system dipping into reserves. Tallahassee Democrat. St. Johns County voters will decide Tuesday on a half-cent sales tax increase to support school district capital projects. St. Augustine Record. The Manatee County School Board has delayed asking the county to reinstate school impact fees, a decision the superintendent says could cost the system $1 million a month. Bradenton Herald.

Charter school funding: Should five Indian River County charter schools receive the same per-student funding as other district schools get? A mediator is being called in to help resolve the dispute. TCPalm.

November 2, 2015 0 comment

Blog Administration Education Politics Education Reporting Education Research Parental Choice School Choice Vouchers

President Obama is wrong about school vouchers in D.C.

Patrick R. Gibbons February 7, 2014

Patrick R. Gibbons

In a recent television interview with Bill O’Reily, President Obama discussed the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program and stated the private school vouchers “didn’t actually make that much of a difference” and have not “significantly improved the performance of kids in these poorest communities.”

President Obama seems to be relying on the final report of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program which stated, “there is no conclusive evidence that the OSP affected student achievement.” But it seems Obama’s (and some of the media’s) familiarity with the report ends here.

It’s true the final report did not find statistically significant reading gains, but earlier reports over the first three years did. The report also found large gains in graduation rates. And importantly, even the lead author of the final report, Patrick Wolf, supports expanding the D.C. voucher program. A deeper understanding of the report explains why.

First, the study examines the impact of being offered a voucher (after applying, qualifying and winning in the lottery process) – not the impact of using a voucher. This was done to set a really high bar for determining whether the vouchers made a difference. To achieve statistically significant achievement results, all the kids who won a voucher and used it to attend private schools had to score high enough to lift the scores of all the kids who won a voucher but stayed in public schools.

Next, random assignment studies (as great as they are) suffer from a major methodological flaw called “the real world.” Students were randomly assigned to a control group (no voucher offered) and a treatment group (a voucher was offered). Students in the control didn’t have vouchers, but that didn’t stop them from enrolling in private schools or charter schools. Students who were offered vouchers weren’t required to use them and if they did, they didn’t have to stay in the private schools.

By the final year report, 47 percent of students in the control group (who were not offered a voucher) ended up in private schools or charter schools at some point during the study. Regarding the treatment group, 78 percent of the students offered a voucher used a voucher, but only 27 percent used it to attend a private school during every year of the study. That means 51 percent of students offered a voucher used it inconsistently — returning to public, charter and private schools as they pleased.

In other words, one could summarize the study as examining the impact of some students using school choice vs. slightly fewer students using school choice. The DC study is not, as President Obama believes, proof that vouchers do not work.

February 7, 2014 0 comment

Blog Administration Education Politics Policy Wonks

Jeb Bush foundation pushes back against Common Core critics

Ron Matus November 14, 2012

Ron Matus

Levesque

Tony Bennett’s shocking loss in Indiana has highlighted a deep and long-festering rift among some ed reformers over adoption of Common Core academic standards. Some observers pinned the loss on Republicans who see Common Core as federal intrusion tied to President Obama rather than a voluntary, state-led effort – and who saw Bennett as too cozy with it.

From Florida, one prominent Common Core advocate is pushing back.

In a letter last week to the American Legislative Exchange Council board of directors, Patricia Levesque, executive director of Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education, politely takes issue with a draft resolution that would revoke a state’s adoption of Common Core. She calls the standards a “crucial foundation” for reform and says while they’ll better prepare students for a global economy, they “do not dictate what textbooks must be used or how a district’s curriculum should be set up.”

“Resolutions like this one,” concludes the letter, dated a day after the election, “draw attention and resources away from what’s important – properly implementing the improved standards and working together to provide a high quality education to all students.”

In a blog post two days later, Levesque is far more edgy.

November 14, 2012 3 comments