Ed reform looking shaky between chambers

Efforts to reform education with higher and more in-depth standards for teachers, charter schools, high school grades - plus a push to expand corporate income tax scholarships - suddenly don't look like smooth sailing.

The House passed the "Educator Ethics in Education Act" (SB 1712) pushed by outgoing Sen. Lisa Carlton today, but now Sen. Don Gaetz wants to tack that legislation onto an "omnibus education reform" bill that would also deal with charter school finances, the scholarships and the way high schools are graded.

Gaetz' train bill also would allow for end-of-course exams, and would establish the new curriculum standards championed by House Speaker Marco Rubio.

"I hope and believe the House will take up our bill," Gaetz said. "I don't think the differences between the two chambers are materisal enough that lawmakers ...would let the changes die in their laps."

But Rep. Joe Pickens said the House will not attach 1712 to anything, and he wasn't warm to Gaetz' train bill, which sets different standards for things like charter school finances and nepotism rules, among other things.

"It is not, nor will it ever be, in the scrum of other education bills," Pickens said. "Our version is acceptable. Theirs is not."

Educator ethics law passes

The House just passed the law, already Ok'd by the Senate, aimed at preventing misbehaving teachers from getting away with it and moving quietly from one district to another.

The Educator Ethics in Education Act (SB 1712) establishes a list of offenses that make someone ineligible for teacher certification, and it prohibits the state from giving retirement benefits to teachers who committed designated felony offenses against a minor.

Also, administrators who knowingly hide teachers' offenses could be punished. Sen. Don Gaetz, former Okaloosa schools superintendent, sponsored the Senate version.

Drum roll please for National Merit Finalists

Sixteen students in Tampa Bay have been named National Merit Scholars, a honor widely recognized as the gold medal of high school awards. The students were selected on the merits of their academic records, personal essays and community work. They rose to the top of a semi-finalist pool culled from the top one percent of high school seniors, based on test scores on the PSAT exam taken in 2006.

Hillsborough's public schools counted five winners, compared to four in Pinellas and two in Pasco. The students all received $2,500 scholarships.

Hillsborough public schools:

• Andrew Betts, Plant High
• Sherry Chao, King High
• John Colby, Plant High
• Zongyu Li, King High
• Neil Manimala, King High

Pinellas public schools:

• Bridget Hendricks, Countryside High
• Karan Sagar, Palm Harbor University High IB
• Michelle Wang, St. Petersburg IB
• Sam Zakria, St. Petersburg IB

Pasco public schools:

• Ariel Choi, Land O'Lakes High
• Katie Lee Meusling, Land O'Lakes High

Private schools:

• Tara Braun, Berkeley Preparatory
• Alexander Edelman, Tampa Preparatory
• Aaron Koch, Tampa Preparatory
• Neal Miller, Berkeley Preparatory
• Samir Patel, Berkeley Preparatory
• Carter Schwartz, Shorecrest Preparatory School
• Liz Reischmann, Shorecrest Preparatory School
• Tiffany Cheezem, Shorecrest Preparatory School

Here's the deal for National Board teachers

Florida's National Board certified teachers will get their mentoring bonus for the work they've already done this year, House Schools and Learning Council chairman Joe Pickens (left) explained on the floor this afternoon during a lengthy education budget review.

They won't get the money - close to $5,000 - for next year or any other year while the state lacks the funding, Pickens said. "Next year, we are eliminating that program."

Also gone will be the state's support for teachers to apply to the certification program, again because of a dearth of resources. The primary goal of the Excellent Teaching initiative is to give a 10 percent bonus to teachers who earn the certification, Pickens said, and that's what the budget makers sought to preserve.

"The core of the Excellent Teaching bonus was the 10 percent bonus," Pickens said. "We kept the core."

A busy morning

The Florida House spent much of this morning approving several education bills. They included:

• SB 1908, amends the school grading system
• SB 1652, setting charter school accountability standards
• SB 186, creating the University of South Florida at Lakeland
• HB 893, setting the annual school supplies sales tax holiday
• SB 1276, relating to the cost of day labor for school construction
• SB 1906, creating a pilot project in which students could earn high school credit in industry certification programs
• SB 1414, requiring the grading of supplemental academic tutoring providers
• SB 526, establishing a pilot project in three counties allowing private school students to participate in public school athletics, if their private school does not offer the sport

Looking for controversy in these measures? It wasn't the school grading item or the charter school accountability measure. It came on the athletics item, which passed 75-41 after many members (mostly Democrats) blasted the idea for a variety of reasons, ranging from a lack of budget impact information to the potential for fraud. The bill passed after sponsor Aaron Bean's closing comments, including, "Is there anything more sad than a kid who wants to play ball but can't?"

"Please pray"

The Florida Prayer Network has sent out an urgent alert, asking Floridians to "please pray" for its top two remaining priorities in the Legislature -  SB 2400, which would require an ultrasound before all abortions, and SB 2692/HB 1483, which would allow public school teachers to "teach a balanced view" of evolution.

"At this point in the session, most of the grassroots lobbying efforts have been completed and we continue to work with individual legislators as necessary," the alert says. "Both these important measures hang in the balance over the next three days. We call upon you to join us in praying for passage of these two critical bills before the end of session this Friday, May 2, 2008. You have done great work contacting legislators when we ask you to do that.  Now the remainder is out of our hands."

Not sure exactly what to pray for? The group has some recommendations. For the ultrasound bill, the group asks that people "pray that the Florida Senate will bring the bill to a vote and that it will pass the Senate; pray for wisdom for the bill sponsors, Senator Daniel Webster and Representative Trey Traviesa; (and) pray that both the House and Senate will reach agreement and pass the bill."

For the "academic freedom" bills, the group asks that people "pray that a difference in bill language between the House and the Senate will resolved quickly (and) pray for wisdom for the bill sponsors, Senator Ronda Storms and Representative Alan Hays."

Pasco Sheriff's Office drops teacher abuse case

The Pasco Sheriff's Office has decided not to file any charges against a Seven Oaks Elementary teacher or a paraprofessional  who were accused last week of taping students' mouths shut. Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Doll issued an alert this morning saying the department had "unfounded" the child abuse case.

Doll did not release any additional information, and referred all calls to the school district.

Assistant superintendent Renalia DuBose said the district would conduct its own investigation before allowing either the teacher or the paraprofessional back into the classroom.

"Because they have not decided to prosecute does not mean that there is no case or that nothing happened," DuBose said. "We are going to talk to the superintendent and see what her recommendation will be to the board. ... Our level of expectation regarding what it takes to be employed to us, we have a higher standard."

DuBose stressed that she had not reviewed the case, and she was not implying that the employees did anything wrong. But she wanted the opportunity to see whether their statements or actions violated the state's code of ethics for educators before making a determination. She expected a recommendation to go to the School Board by Tuesday.

Too sexy for her job?

There's a biology teacher in St. Lucie County who suddenly finds herself out of work. The school district says it released her because of frequent absences. She says her dismissal had less to do with her job performance than her after-school performance.

See, Tiffany Shepherd (left) also has a second job as a "bikini mate" aboard a fishing charter, the Palm Beach Post reports. The main job requirement is to look "hot" in a bikini, and Shepherd contends that her participation (and the suggestive online photos of her on the boat) got her fired.

District officials acknowledged to the Post that the photos could have undermined her effectiveness, though they insist they weren't the cause of Shepherd's termination.

It brings up a salient point, though, one that's getting a more thorough look these days as teacher conduct in and out of the classroom comes under increasing scrutiny.

People expect certain behavior from teachers because they are molding children's future. They don't expect them to misbehave with children (as we've seen all too frequently lately), and they also prefer that teachers don't misbehave without students around, too. And that definition of "misbehave" varies.

Over the years, the Gradebook reporters have seen some teachers leave town even to have a beer. Some teachers choose to live miles, even counties, away from their campuses to avoid running into students and parents in the grocery store.

The Internet opens a whole new world where "misbehavior" can take place for everyone to see. And young teachers like Shepherd often end up there, to varying responses. First-year Duval teacher Timothy Huber has resigned his job, for instance, after parents saw him mocking a student on a YouTube video, the Florida Times-Union reports.

The Washington Post recently ran a story on this topic. Makes you wonder where public life ends and private life begins, doesn't it?

Today's news

STATE BUDGET HITS HOME: Pinellas announces it will eliminate jobs and cut pay, among other cost saving measures. Pasco looks to see a slightly larger budget, but not nearly enough to handle its growth and rising prices.

BUSING WOULD HELP: Law enforcement suggests giving Tampa Middleton High students bus rides home, rather than having everyone walk, in order to reduce after-school violence. It's a tough sell with money being tight. (Times photo, Kathleen Flynn)

FOR THE LOVE OF READING: Weightman Middle School in Wesley Chapel encourages its lowest performing readers by turning its intensive reading class into a contest to see who can learn the most. It ends with an emotional battle of the books, where the winners get more books.

CHARTER WOES: Another charter school, this one in Palm Beach County, is about to shut down because of financial problems, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

MEAL MAKEOVER: Broward schools change their cafeteria lunchtime offerings to cope with increasing food prices, CBS4.com in Miami reports.

CONTROLLING TRAVEL: The Lake School Board puts new restrictions on employee out-of-state travel, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

ALERT SYSTEM INSTALLED: Manatee Community College activates a new emergency notification system, so it can quickly let students and staff know if there's danger on the campuses, the Herald-Tribune reports.

WHO'S VOLUNTEERING? Brevard launches a review of how schools evaluate the volunteers who work with students, after learning a volunteer assistant coach at Titusville High didn't pass his background check, Florida Today reports. That volunteer coach has been arrested for providing alcohol to minors.

MORE ON THE STATE BUDGET: The Miami Herald offers an overview of what happened to school funding in Tallahassee. Manatee leaders back off a plan to cut salaries, the Bradenton Herald reports. Escambia eliminates 155 teaching and secretarial jobs, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. The TCPalm.com papers look at what the state budget means for their local schools.

Might BOG-ed commish die quietly in the House?

Gradebook hears the House leadership has yanked from today's calendar the proposed constitutional amendment reinstating an elected education commissioner and overhauling higher education governance, specifically the Board of Governors in charge of state universities.

If it isn't considered today on second reading, rules require that two-thirds of the House vote to bring up the bill (SB 2308) tomorrow on a third, final vote. But if the House can't muster enough votes, that leaves one of Sen. Ken Pruitt's session priorities in doubt.

Then again, as they say around here, nothing is final until sine die. And that comes Friday.

"The bottom line has to be the child"

First, 8-foot alligators start showing up in kitchens. Now Florida Democrats are voting for vouchers?!

It's no surprise the bill to expand corporate-tax-credit vouchers is on the verge of passing the Republican-dominated Legislature. But it is something of a shocker that 13 House Democrats voted for it, including Rep. Bill Heller (left) of St. Petersburg and four others from Tampa Bay.

Heller told The Gradebook he was torn. But after voting against the bill in committee, he visited the Yvonne C. Reed Christian School in St. Petersburg and talked to some of the parents who use vouchers to send their kids there. One mother him her son was failing in public school, but is doing better now. Heller was convinced she was right.

"I'm a strong advocate for public school education, and I'm not necessarily a strong advocate for vouchers," Heller said. "But if this gives a parent a chance to provide a different education, it's hard to argue against it. You can't put a price on that. What's the price on a child who turns himself around?"

Heller did not entirely dismiss the arguments, often made by fellow Democrats (30 of whom voted against the CTC bill), that vouchers divert money from public schools. But he said those concerns were outweighed by the benefits. "The bottom line has to be the child," he said. "If good things are happening for the child, then you can justify it."

The other Tampa Bay-area Democrats voting for the bill were Rep. Janet Long, D-Seminole, Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa and Rep. Michael Scionti, D-Tampa.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Pinellas looks to wage cuts to help balance budget; plans for bus depot dropped

Pinellas school officials today are announcing a budget cutting plan that proposes a 2 percent salary reduction for all employees, the elimination of 147 jobs and freezes on hiring and travel. Officials also said they are reviewing the possibility of closing up to seven additional schools for the 2009-10 academic year. Superintendent Clayton Wilcox will deliver the bad news in a meeting of administrators this afternoon at district headquarters. The moves would cut $43-million from the 2008-09 operating budget.

Read Wilcox's letter to the board.

In other news, Wilcox is recommending to the School Board that the district drop plans to build a controversial bus depot on land near Countryside High owned by the City of Clearwater.

Teachers, sex, problems

Stephanie Ragusa isn't on myfloridateacher.com. But more than 30 other local teachers accused of sexual wrongdoing in some form or fashion are.

As a Sunday St. Petersburg Times story  pointed out, the state's Web site on teacher misconduct lists all types of cases, not just those involving inappropriate or allegedly inappropriate relationships with students. But given the persistent wave of such cases around Tampa Bay – Ms. Ragusa, for example, made headlines again today  – the Gradebook decided to cull those involving teachers and sex.

Of 170 local cases posted to date, about 30 fit that description. Some involve students; some do not. Some are recent; some are not. A few made headlines; many did not. There can be a lag of two years or more between the time an incident occurred and when state officials take action on a teacher's teaching certificate, so cases like Ms. Ragusa's may not show up on the state database for a while.

The following list is based solely on records in the state's database. Every case resulted in state sanctions, but some also resulted in settlement agreements in which the teachers neither admitted nor denied allegations.

To read more about the allegations in individual cases, or to see what sanctions were handed down, go to www.myfloridateacher.com.

Make him stay? Make him pay? Or just move on?

Pinellas School Board members may have differing ideas on how to replace outgoing superintendent Clayton Wilcox, but there was one point they all agreed on last week when they met to begin discussing the process: They don't want to spend a lot of money on a national search during such dire financial times. Fair enough.

But it turns out they may be able to conduct a national search without paying a penny.

A clause on Page 5 of Wilcox's contract says that if he leaves the district prior to June 30, he's liable for up to $60,000 toward the cost of finding his replacement, "with said sum being withheld from final salary payments or otherwise paid by the superintendent until the full cost is paid to the board."

It's unclear why that wasn't brought up when the board met Friday. Board member Janet Clark tells the Gradebook she thought that portion of Wilcox's contract had been removed.

Board member Linda Lerner said she knew the clause was there, but that she would be willing to waive it if the superintendent asks the board to consider doing so at its May 13 meeting. "There is no doubt in my mind he would stay through June 30 because he won't want to pay the $60,000," Lerner said. "I think it's in the best interest of the district to not hold him to that extra month."

- Donna Winchester, Pinellas education reporter (Photo from Pinellas school district)

Details, details

The state has just released the 2008-09 Florida Education Finance Program report. The document is 57 pages long. We're just trolling through the details. Thought you might like to look, too. Let us know if you see anything interesting. Click here to download the report.

OK. A few observations. While the state reduces its contribution by $792.6-million, or about 13 percent, local districts are being required to come up with $364.9-million more than last year, or about 4.6 percent. That means the local tax rates would rise by 0.177 mills, on average.

Part of that would come by reducing the local capital millage rate from 2 mills to 1.75 mills. Just wondering whether bond rating agencies, which analyze districts' ability to repay COPS and the like based on expectation of future revenue, will look unfavorably upon such a change.

But wait. There's more.

Today's news

ARRESTED YET AGAIN: Former Hillsborough teacher Stephanie Ragusa, already facing charges for having sex with two underage male students, is picked up Monday leaving one of the victim's home. Officials say they had sex.

EVOLUTION BILL DANGLING: The House doesn't like the Senate version, and the Senate isn't too thrilled with the House language. The bill sponsors are trying to work out a deal.

LET THE GRADUATIONS BEGIN: Pasco-Hernando Community College is getting ready for its big day. USF is having extra ceremonies to pass out a record number of diplomas.

WORSE BY THE DAY: Pasco school leaders had talked about cutting the budget by $20-million. Less than a week later, they upped the figure to $30-million. The 2008-09 state budget came out Monday, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Lee officials keep on cutting to meet new budget goals, this time targeting such areas as overtime, musical instrument repair and intramurals, the Naples Daily News reports. In Miami-Dade, there's talk of postponing raises, increasing meal prices and cutting some transportation, the Miami Herald reports.

PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The Americans United for the Separation of Church and State is preparing a complaint against Manatee principal Mike Rio, saying he and his teachers regularly use the school for prayer meetings, the Herald-Tribune reports.

VOUCHERS WORK: Florida's McKay Scholarship program has improved the education of special needs students, Marcus Winters and Jay Greene of the Manhattan Institute write in an op-ed piece for the Washington Times.

ON THE PROWL: University of West Florida president John Cavanaugh is a finalist for another job for the second time in two years - a surprise to trustees who recently gave him a five-year contract, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

NEW LIFE FOR CLOSED SCHOOL: A charter school operator wants to operate at a campus that Volusia's school board plans to shut down, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

Cracking down on cell phones

Step one: Get cell phone use under control in Hillsborough schools.

Step two: Consider privileges like letting students use them during lunch.

The approach likely will first require students to follow the rules and keep cell phones off during school hours. That means cell phones should be out of sight, agreed a group of teachers, administrators and parents reviewing the issue Monday. If not, there will be consequences, an area where Hillsborough schools now lack consistency, said Lewis Brinson, assistant superintendent of administration.

Next school year, the rules could look like this:

1st violation: Warning.

2nd violation: Another warning, phone confiscated until parent picks it up.

3rd violation: Another warning and student sent to in-school suspension.

4th violation: Student suspended out of school.

Voucher bill wins House nod

Legislation that would vastly expand the state's corporate income tax credit scholarship program, adding $30-million to the budget, passed out of the House on an 86-30 vote. A House analysis projects the measure would save the state $5.7-million in fiscal 2009 by decreasing the number of students in the public school system.

A similar bill is moving through the Senate. Critics have blasted the underlying concept of growing the program at a time when lawmakers are reducing public education funding by about $1-billion. But those arguments have yet to carry much sway in the halls of Tallahassee.

Notably, eight of the 18 members of the Black Caucus - Oscar Braynon II, Ronald Brise, Jennifer Carroll, Charles Chestnut IV, Terry Fields, Matt Meadows, Daryl Rouson and Betty Reed - supported the bill. Five other Democrats - Bill Heller, Janet Long, Ron Saunders, Michael Scionti and Darren Soto - also backed the legislation. Not a single Dem backed the program when it was first created in 2001.

Is database a deterrent?

We're talking, of course, about the on-line database and Web site that was the main source of information for Sunday's story about teacher misconduct in the St. Petersburg Times. Pinellas union chief Jade Moore (left), who was quoted in the story, told The Gradebook that he initially did not like the Department of Education site, but has since to come to think it might have some positives:

"The more I think about it, if people realized how a minor behavior can wind up becoming a very public thing, it could help control the desire to do it," he said. "This stuff was all secret until about a year ago. You could find out, but it wasn't in-your-face available." Now that it is, "it will have a very chilling effect."

But Moore also offered a cautionary note about some of the listed cases. The state database offers short summaries of allegations and sanctions but not records such as police reports and court files. "Oftentimes what appears on the surface in a snippet isn't all that was there," he said.

In a related development, the Houston Chronicle picked up Sunday's story and readers there have offered a smattering of comments, including this one: "We could sure use this in Texas! Most parents have little or no idea why their children's teachers disappear. I know of several crazy stories that never made the news."
- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Evolution bill passes House, back to Senate

The bill requiring that teachers present a "scientific critical analysis" of the theory of evolution just passed the Florida House on a 71-43 vote, despite concerns from opponents who say it isn't necessary and will allow the teaching of religious theories like creationism and intelligent design in public schools.

"A true scientist is searching for the truth, and that's what this is encouraging," said bill sponsor Alan Hays, R-Umatilla.

"This bill is basically playing meatball surgery with our science curriculum," said Minority leader Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach. "We should get on to more pressing issues in our state."

But the version that passed the House is markedly different from the Evolution Academic Freedom Act (SB2692) that narrowly passed the Senate last week, leaving its fate in doubt.

The House legislation now goes back to the Senate for consideration, but the Senate already rejected Sen. Ronda Storms' attempts to make her bill look like the House's.

Moreover, it's the final days of session so time is running out. "Tick, tick, tick, tick," Storms acknowledged last week.

Legg drops school board recall proposal

State Rep. John Legg thought it would be easy to change Florida law to allow voters to recall school board members who aren't up to snuff. Turns out to be a more complicated effort than the Pasco lawmaker expected.

"It would require a constitutional amendment due to the fact that they are constitutional officers," Legg explained in an e-mail to the Gradebook. "Thus, a recall provision must require a change in the state constitution."

He hasn't abandoned the idea entirely, though. "I would support us allowing all elected officers to be under a recall provision," Legg wrote. "It may be a bill for another year, but too heavy for an amendment (to pending legislation)."

They might be portable, but ...

The "relocatable" classrooms might not be going anywhere for a while, if lawmakers follow through with growth management legislation (SB 474/HB 7129) that's moving through the Florida House and Senate.

The bills primarily deal with things involving comprehensive plans. But buried within them is a provision that could make the portables permanent for a long time.

Down on line 1605 of the Senate version (and line 1364 of the House bill) appear these words:

A school district that includes relocatables in its inventory of student stations shall include relocatables in its calculation of capacity for purposes of determining whether levels of service have been achieved.

Translation: Schools would have to count portables while figuring out if they meet class-size requirements. Which essentially means that districts that are trying to build new schools to cope with the amendment, plus also to get rid of portables - remember when they were a bad thing, back in the Chiles administration? - might find it tougher to win approval for the construction.

Well, the Orlando Sentinel reports that these bills might get snagged on some other contentious points. But for now, at least, they warrant some additional attention.

Today's news

THE BUDGET IS OUT: And it's looking like funding per Florida public school student will be down about $140 each, and university and college tuition will rise 6 percent. See the story here.

FORGET THE '60s: USF looks to cut its Africana and Women's studies programs as its budget shrinks.

MAKE SOME TOUGH CHOICES: Florida lawmakers are harming the state's quality of life and basic services with their budget decisions, and they need to deal with several key issues immediately, the Daytona Beach News-Journal editorializes along with the LeRoy Collins Institute. The recommendations include reforming Bright Futures and modifying the class size amendment.

WATCHING AND WAITING: Cape Coral mom Debbie Johnston is standing by in hopes that the Legislature finally will approve the anti-bullying bill she's been promoting in memory of her son, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. (See the Gradebook's recent interview with Johnston here.)

MAYBE THEY DON'T REALIZE WE'RE WATCHING: Teachers around the country, including Florida, put questionable materials on their personal web pages, raising questions about their professionalism, the Washington Post reports.

BIG IN SIZE, BUT LIMITED IN POWER: South Florida politicians lament that their lack of clout in Tallahassee disproportionately hurts their education systems, the Miami Herald reports.

NOT ENOUGH: Even if it would cut salaries by up to 7.5 percent, and lay off some employees, the Manatee district still would fall about $6.3-million short of its budget cutting goal, the Herald-Tribune reports.

MORE EATING FREE: As the economy worsens, Manatee schools see a greater percentage of students accepting free and reduced price meals, the Bradenton Herald reports.

TOO FEW STUDENTS: Leon school officials ponder what to do with schools that are far below capacity as they seek to cut the budget by about $12-million, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Coming up

Monday through Friday: Florida House and Senate session daily; Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, style and drafting committee, 9 a.m. daily

May 6: Pinellas School Board, workshop, 9 a.m.; Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.; Hernando School Board, workshop 1 p.m., meeting 7 p.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

May 8: Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.

May 9: Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, conference call, 10 a.m.

May 13: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.

May 14: Commission for Independent Education, 9 a.m., Orlando

May 20: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; Hernando School Board, 7 p.m.

May 27: Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.

June 3: Last day of school for Pinellas

June 4: Last day of school for Hillsborough, Pasco

June 6: Last day of school for Hernando

Monday through Friday: Florida House and Senate session daily; Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, style and drafting committee, 9 a.m. daily

May 6: Pinellas School Board, workshop, 9 a.m.; Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.; Hernando School Board, workshop 1 p.m., meeting 7 p.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

May 8: Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.

May 9: Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, conference call, 10 a.m.

May 13: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.

May 14: Commission for Independent Education, 9 a.m., Orlando

May 20: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; Hernando School Board, 7 p.m.

May 27: Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.

June 3: Last day of school for Pinellas

June 4: Last day of school for Hillsborough, Pasco

June 6: Last day of school for Hernando

Today's news

THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE: Most Florida teachers don't get into the kind of trouble that threatens their teaching certificates. But when they do, their stories can be doozies . A year-old state website makes the information easier to find than ever before.

EVERYONE'S EQUAL: After years of splitting out special education students, San Antonio Elementary tries its hand at inclusion. At first, there was much trepidation. But now it's working out better than expected. (Times photo, Mike Pease)

WHAT TO DO ABOUT CELL PHONES: The Hillsborough school district is looking into how to keep cell phones from interrupting education, but remaining realistic about the phones' real-world uses.

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY: Pasco High senior James Walmer has lost his mom. His dad's in jail. Life hasn't been easy. He works through it all to stay on track and get into college.

TEACHER AIMS FOR BOARD: Lakewood High teacher and coach Sean O'Flannery is the latest to announce his candidacy for Pinellas School Board District 4.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Two key Florida lawmakers get together to hash out budget differences - including education spending - between the House and Senate, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

A 10-YEAR MAKEOVER: After 10 years in the field, the FCAT is about to change its role in Florida schools, the Herald-Tribune reports.

TWINS TOGETHER? The Florida Senate has adopted a bill that would let multiple-birth siblings remain in the same school classroom if their parents wish. The House has yet to take up the measure, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

IN THE NUMBERS: The Manatee school district may be growing in enrollment, but not all its schools are sharing the wealth, forcing leaders to shift resources, the Bradenton Herald reports.

A MODEL, MAYBE: Two elite South Korean prep schools appear to have cracked the code to getting students accepted at U.S. Ivy League institutions, the NY Times reports. Wouldn't you know it, their methods include rigorous academic work and lots of studying.

A weekend interview with ...

... Tyler Radford, who until recently was a Land O'Lakes High School senior. Radford, 18, dropped out in the third quarter and got his GED instead. Now, as most of his friends and classmates head toward graduation, he just hangs around the school, lacking anything better to do. That's where he talked with reporter Jeff Solochek (and some other Land O'Lakes seniors).

"I was a semester away from graduating. Then I was like, I don't feel like it anymore," Radford explained.

So he stopped doing his work. "All of it," he said. Before long, Radford discovered that he needed to earn scores of more than 100 percent in every class if he was to receive the credits he needed for graduation.

Realizing the futility of the scenario, he walked away. Already, Radford sounds remorseful.

"I'm dumb," he said. "I got lazy."

With GED in hand, Radford has little in store. He didn't apply to any colleges - community, trade or otherwise - and he doesn't hold a full-time job.

What are his plans?

"That's the best part," he said. "I don't have any. Probably just skateboarding and living on minimum wage and stuff."

Today's news

VOUCHERS ON THE BALLOT: The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission will ask Floridians to decide whether the state should support private school education for some students. The issue will be combined with a proposal to require school districts to spend 65 percent of their operational budget on the classroom, a move that critics called misleading.

'WE CAN HANDLE OUR BUSINESS': FAMU president James Ammons visits St. Petersburg, where he tells an audience that the school is on the comeback trail from myriad financial, academic and personnel problems.

REALLY QUIET: Day of Silence events, aimed at promoting tolerance for gays, go off without protests from opponents.

TEACHER MISCONDUCT (AGAIN): Eric A. Riggins, a Hernando High coach and in-school suspension monitor, is suspended amid allegations of sexually suggestive communications with a student.

NATIONAL SEARCH: The Pinellas School Board opts for a full-blown search to replace outgoing superintendent Clayton Wilcox.

50 MORE PINK SLIPS: The layoffs continue in Lee County schools, the Naples Daily News reports.

BOARD MEMBER'S E-MAIL OFFENDS: After the Osceola School Board mandates uniforms, some parents say they can't afford the clothes. One board member shoots off an e-mail saying folks who say they don't have the money should "think about turning of their cable TV or stop buying alcohol or cigarettes and spend their money on their children."  You can probably guess the rest of the story, as reported by Orlando's Fox 35 News.

18 HOURS EARLY: Parents start lining up long before the start of registration for Manatee's Voluntary Pre-k program, hoping to snag one of the limited number of seats, the Bradenton Herald reports.

ABOUT THOSE NEW SCHOOLS: Forget about them. Brevard school officials say that 11 of 13 planned schools are on hold at least a decade because of funding shortfalls, Florida Today reports.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE STUDENTS: An inner-city charter school in Escambia threatens to close, leaving its students in the lurch, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

HE DID IT: UF prof James Twitchell, who writes widely about pop culture, admits that he actually plagiarizes others' work about pop culture, the Gainesville Sun reports. Sidebar on plagiarism here.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Tyler Radford, a Land O'Lakes High senior who decided to leave school with just one semester to go.

Pinellas to search nationally to replace Wilcox

In a workshop that ended minutes ago, the Pinellas School Board informally agreed to conduct a national search to replace outgoing superintendent Clayton Wilcox as soon as possible. The goal is to have a new superintendent in place by Aug. 13 when teachers return from summer break, but board members said that was not a hard deadline.

The board also said it wanted to hire an interim superintendent before Wilcox leaves in early June. But board members could not agree on whether the interim should be allowed to apply for the permanent job. Among the considerations: Some board members feared that if the interim turned out to be one of Wilcox's deputies, many outside candidates would hesitate to apply, thinking the interim had a leg up in the process.

Board members agreed to discuss the issue in the next few days with Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association. The board tentatively agreed to hire the association to conduct the national search.

The board quickly dispensed with the issue of whether to waive a requirement that Wilcox give the board five months' notice. Board members unanimously agreed to allow him to leave by early June, after graduation week.

House advances different version of evolution bill

The House moved forward its own version of the "evolution academic freedom" act today, taking the Senate's bill number and striking all the Senate language in favor of its own. Sponsor Rep. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, accepted an amendment from Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie, changing the language from requiring a "critical analysis" of evolution to require a "thorough presentation and scientific critical analysis" of the theory of evolution.

Kiar had argued that the bill as originally presented would have been unconstitutional, because it would mandate the introduction of all points critical of evolution, including religious points. He and others argued over and again that religion belongs in the place of worship, not in a classroom.

The debate was spirited, much along the same lines as that in the Senate. Hays ended by asking critics, "Why are you so afraid of scientific scrutiny if you're so confident in your theory?" He rejected the talk of pushing religion into schools as "hot air."

"This does not allow for religious teaching in the classroom. Again, ladies and gentlemen, it's about academic freedom," Hays said. The bill moved ahead to third reading, which cannot be amended. Key senators have indicated they did not expect to take up the measure again if it drastically differs from their already approved bill.

See the bill's progress here. To see the reaction from the Florida Citizens for Science, click here.

The 65 percent solution is back

The idea that school districts should spend 65 percent of their operating budgets on classroom expenditures is nothing new. It's come before the Legislature several times, most recently this year, and has moved nowhere. (HB 1463 by Rep. Robert Schenck didn't even get a hearing in the GOP dominated House. See also this Times story from 2005.)

That didn't stop the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission from deciding to send the proposal to voters. If approved, the matter would simply return to lawmakers, instructing them to do what they haven't done before.

"The issue is about convincing the public that money should be spent in the classroom," said Commissioner Greg Turbeville, a former Jeb Bush associate who sponsored the referendum. "This just sets a minimum threshold."

Commissioner Sandy D'Alemberte urged against passage, saying it would "further clutter up the constitution for no particular purpose." Commissioner Dan Gelber also spoke against the concept, calling it a "gimmick." The arguments did not persuade, though, as the measure passed 20-4.

UPDATE: The Buzz reports commissioners now intend to merge the voucher and 65 percent proposals. The latter will top the much more controversial former. Not restricted to single-issue referendums like voter initiatives are, the commission looks like it hopes to attract votes to the more popular spending proposal, perhaps cushioning the heated debate over vouchers.

The idea that school districts should spend 65 percent of their operating budgets on classroom expenditures is nothing new. It's come before the Legislature several times, most recently this year, and has moved nowhere. (HB 1463 by Rep. Robert Schenck didn't even get a hearing in the GOP dominated House. See also this Times story from 2005.)

That didn't stop the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission from deciding to send the proposal to voters. If approved, the matter would simply return to lawmakers, instructing them to do what they haven't done before.

"The issue is about convincing the public that money should be spent in the classroom," said Commissioner Greg Turbeville, a former Jeb Bush associate who sponsored the referendum. "This just sets a minimum threshold."

Commissioner Sandy D'Alemberte urged against passage, saying it would "further clutter up the constitution for no particular purpose." Commissioner Dan Gelber also spoke against the concept, calling it a "gimmick." The arguments did not persuade, though, as the measure passed 20-4.

UPDATE: The Buzz reports commissioners now intend to merge the voucher and 65 percent proposals. The latter will top the much more controversial former. Not restricted to single-issue referendums like voter initiatives are, the commission looks like it hopes to attract votes to the more popular spending proposal, perhaps cushioning the heated debate over vouchers.

Chamber against ed governance overhaul

The Florida Chamber today released a statement expressing its opposition to the proposed education governance overhaul pending in the Legislature (specifically the House) -- joining the Florida Council of 100 and newspaper editorial boards across the state.

"We urge patience and encourage Florida ’s leaders to avoid additional politicization, complexity or separateness to the governance of our K-20 system," the Chamber said, urging lawmakers not to send voters the proposed constitutional amendment that would make the education commissioner elected and reduce the university system governing board's size and scope. 

The Chamber, stressing that higher education is "essential to the new economy and will be at the center of any comprehensive platform aligning Florida ’s future economic aspirations," also has formed a task force to develop recommendations for future higher education policy in Florida.

Vouchers headed to voters

Former Gov. Jeb Bush and school vouchers advocates scored a major victory this morning, when the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission approved a ballot proposal that would enshrine voucher protections in the state Constitution, our sister blog the Buzz reports.

The plan addresses part of the constitution calling for a uniform system of free public schools and is part of a two-pronged effort to redeem Bush's Opportunity Scholarships. It had been defeated at an April 4 meeting by one vote but resurfaced through some procedural maneuvering that helped gain support for the property tax swap. See the full post here.

A sly try at putting Byrd under USF

Sen. Arthenia Joyner is trying to revive efforts at putting the Johnnie Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Research Center under USF -- tacking an amendment onto a bill (SB 1768) that would allow UCF and eventually FIU to charge a higher "differential" tuition to Florida undergraduates.

The amendment essentially lays out the governance shift that USF has been fighting for all session, but that had recently been thwarted by Byrd supporters including former Speaker Johnnie Byrd Jr. In exchange for getting no money in 2008-09, leading lawmakers have signaled they'll let the center remain independent, as Byrd wants.

The House adopted the UCF tuition bill last week, but not with the Byrd amendment, which seems unlikey to fly over there.

Where in the world is Cheri Yecke?

When we last checked in with Cheri Yecke, she had just announced her resignation as Florida's K-12 chancellor and was negotiating for a job at one of two universities in a state she wouldn't name, except to rule out Florida. (Yecke suffered four bouts of serious pneumonia while in Tallahassee, and was seeking a healthier climate.) She expected to make an announcement within weeks.

That was back in January.

Yecke now has contacted the Gradebook to let us know where she has landed. That would be Harding University, a private Christian school in Searcy, Ark. She'll be the dean of graduate programs and an associate professor of education.

"For some time I have felt called to work in a Christian environment," Yecke told the Gradebook. "This position gives me that opportunity, as well as the chance to get back into the classroom, which is something I have really missed. Several opportunities came my way, but Harding was by far the best fit. It feels good to be able to follow my heart."

Today's news

IS IT GETTING HOT IN HERE? Hillsborough superintendent MaryEllen Elia proposes bumping up district thermostats by 2 degrees as one of several cost-saving measures aimed at cutting spending by $15-million.

SEEKING A SUPERINTENDENT: Pinellas School Board members have differing views on how to go about replacing Clayton Wilcox. On one thing they agree, though - they need to have someone in place fast.

SO THE ECONOMY IS BAD: Hernando superintendent Wayne Alexander wants a 14 percent raise anyway.

LEAVE SCIENCE TO THE EXPERTS: Florida lawmakers need to stick their noses out of the science curriculum and stop the "academic freedom" bills now, the Times editorializes.

DON'T START COUNTING YET: A proposal to give Pasco $10-million to resolve a longstanding dispute over who pays for road improvements outside schools still has a long way to go before becoming reality. But it should prompt local officials to work out their differences, the Times editorializes.

AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULDN'T GET TO VOTE ON VOUCHERS: The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission revives a proposal to let voters decide whether school vouchers belong enshrined in the Florida Constitution, the Palm Beach Post reports.

EASIER THAN LAYOFFS: The Collier school district has a larger than usual number of teachers who aren't seeing their annual contracts renewed, the Naples Daily News reports. The Manatee school district has principals release all 187 one-year contract employees, the Herald-Tribune reports.

BUY AMERICAN: A Lee School Board member complains that the district is paying workers from India to do a job that he thinks should remain local, the Naples Daily News reports. "We buy Ford automobiles here, we try to buy American," Bob Chilmonik said to the board. "If there is a possibility to keep jobs here, I think we should."

TOUGHEST IN THE NATION: Florida's anti-bullying law would be the most sweeping in the country if it passes the Legislature, CBS News reports.

SORRY, BUT A RULE IS A RULE: Palm Beach superintendent Art Johnson has strict guidelines about high school graduation speeches, including one that bans guest speakers. So Supreme Court justice (and parent) Barbara Pariente can just sit in the audience for Dreyfoos School of the Arts, the Palm Beach Post reports.

NO SURPRISES HERE: A new study shows that kids use text-messaging emoticons and shortcuts in their schoolwork, but that it's really not a big deal.

Hillsborough cutting budget with warmer classrooms, fewer administrators

TAMPA -- Hillsborough school officials are looking to bump up thermostats and reduce administrative spending in the face of statewide education budget cuts.

Schools and district offices will be asked to push indoor temperatures to 76 degrees, two degrees higher than many currently do. The move would save almost a half million dollars.

The cuts range widely. There's a pilot project to privatize lawn mowing services in one part of the county. That'll save $100,000.

The district expects to save millions through cuts to district level jobs. Superintendent MaryEllen Elia offered few details Thursday on the positions affected. She expected to save about $5 million from a mix of unfilled vacancies, retirements and reassignments. Some people will go to work in schools.

That's better than layoffs, which School Board members and the superintendent pledged to avoid this year. People whose positions disappear will have other opportunities in the district.

The district expects to save $3.6 million by deferring a major upgrade in payroll-related software. It is cutting another $1.7 million from pushing off the purchase of GPS technology for school buses. And $3 million in savings result from 20 percent cuts to district-level division budgets.

Stay turned to the Gradebook and read tomorrow's St. Petersburg Times for more.

Just to be clear

Lawmakers pushing for teachers to have the "academic freedom" to explore all aspects of the theory of evolution continually say that they're not trying to open the door to teaching creationism or Intelligent Design in public schools.

State Rep. Marty Kiar (left), D-Davie, wants to hold them to their word. Kiar has proposed an amendment to the House version of the bill, which could come up for debate in the House on Friday. It add this to the legislation:

The provisions of this section shall not permit any member of the instructional staff of a public school to teach or promote any religious doctrine, teach or promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or teach or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion.

Regardless of whether this proposal passes, the whole issue looks to be in jeopardy as the House version differs greatly from the Senate bill, which already has won approval. The Senate refused an amendment to make its bill in line with the one in the House, and as Sen. Stephen Wise told the Herald-Tribune, House sponsor Rep. Alan Hays "must be hitting the sauce if he thinks he's going to send the bill back here."

UPDATE: Kiar withdrew his amendment about an hour after this post went up. He still has two other amendments filed for the bill.

Something to laugh about

Collier County schools have had little humor lately.

The School Board rejected teacher pleas for a raise of more than 1 percent after nearly a year of hearings. Students protested the board's decision to change their high school schedule from block to a seven-period day, saying the move would hurt their education.

Then there's the former superintendent's lawsuit against the School Board, which he alleges violated the state's Sunshine Law before firing him. And you can't forget the budget crisis that has district leaders looking to ask voters for a local property tax increase to offset losses from the state.

One local teacher is trying not to be gloomy about the situation. She's posted a parody web site poking fun at the district's superintendent struggles (that would be the lawsuit). It's good fun. Take a look.

Senate votes to make USF Lakeland separate

The Senate just unanimously approved a bill (SB 186) to make USF's fledgling campus in Lakeland, dubbed USF Polytechnic, a separately accredited regional campus.

The setup would be similar to USF's St. Petersburg campus. Meanwhile, USF officials and some lawmakers are pushing for $15-million in state money in next year's budget to start construction of a new $200-million campus they say will hold 16,000 students by 2043.

Read recent Times coverage here and here and here

Forget the plaid, and leave the T-shirts at home

The polo shirt and solid colored slacks, shorts or skirts are the new uniform for all Hernando County elementary and middle school students. Colors will be up to the principals.

The School Board set its standard to respond to school leaders' request to have more control over saggy pants on boys and sexy tops on girls.

"We're looking for them to dress like they're coming to work," said Sue Stoops, principal at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics. "School is their job."

Officials say kids will still have plenty of options from the choices their principals give them. (Story here.)

Columnist Jeff Webb disagrees with the district's move. "Instead of trying to crack down on an impractical policy, they are taking the easy way out, one that allows them to ignore the hypocritical folly of establishing a rule that cannot be, or is not worthy of being, enforced," he writes.

In letters to the editor, several Hernando students also blasted the idea of a uniform. Wrote one: "It doesn't seem fair to the students, because it doesn't affect our grades, the bullying isn't going to stop, and it takes away our individuality and creativity."

Maybe they should just be glad the School Board isn't taking action on hair styles. This Bradenton first grader got suspended for his 'do (story here).

Or perhaps they should point to the recent Orange County school district report showing that uniforms do not lead to improved student academic performance or reduced disciplinary problems.

Thoughts on uniforms for all?

Today's news

WHO PAYS FOR ROADS NEAR SCHOOLS? The state, that's who. At least, that's how state Sen. Mike Fasano would resolve a longstanding dispute between the Pasco County Commission and School Board over the issue.

EVERYBODY SHIFT: Pinellas students could find their schools starting at different times than they're used to, as the district tries to save money by streamlining transportation.

ALLEGATIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN ACQUITTAL: The Pasco school district