Today's news

LACKLUSTER LOTTERY MEANS LESS FOR SCHOOLS: The Florida Lottery is now projected to collect $47-million less than initially expected this year, and $159-million less over the next two years. The revenue reduction is likely to come out of the education budget. (Photo from TCPalm.com)

PINELLAS MAKES A DEAL: The school district is set to settle a lawsuit with the family of a boy who was hit by a car while running away from school three years ago.

THE CUTS ARE GOING TO HURT: Lawmakers can call them reductions that won't harm classroom instruction, but that's just posturing that masks the true situation of education funding in Florida, Daytona Beach News-Journal columnist Mark Lane writes.

MORE BUDGET TALK: The House approves its spending plan, with leaders saying they "put education and health care and public safety first," the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Even though the reductions look smaller than expected, some South Florida school leaders say the cuts are too deep, the Miami Herald reports.

COLLIER PARENTS SUE SCHOOL DISTRICT: They say they just want to help improve the district's ESE program, which, by the way, they claim was negligent in its treatment of their son, the Naples Daily News reports.

CASH ON THE LINE: Lee school district leaders suggest cutting employees raises and work days as they enter contract negotiations, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

START AT THE TOP: Miami-Dade superintendent Rudy Crew proposes an administrative reorganization to save money in a lean budget cycle, but gets criticized by his board for not doing enough, the Miami Herald reports.

MARTIN TEACHERS AGREE TO TERMS: They say they voted yes because they had to, not because they wanted to, the Palm Beach Post reports.

SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS: A state audit turns up serious concerns with Orange's construction program, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

SAVE OUR TEACHERS: Students at a Martin middle school protest over the non-renewal of several teachers' contracts, the Stuart News reports.

US TOO: If Miami-Dade and Polk community colleges can get into the proposed pilot state college program, Daytona Beach Community College wants in, too, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.