Today's news

FIX OUR SCHOOLS: The Pinellas Education Foundation, displeased with poor graduation rates, calls for changes in the Pinellas district schools.

BLOOMBERG NEWS: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg praises the Jeb Bush education model (except he doesn't like vouchers much, shhh), the AP reports. See our post from yesterday on Bloomberg's speech, too.

SPEAKING OF VOUCHERS: Florida is well on its way to having state-funded religious schools if Jeb gets his way in November, Church and State magazine reports.

TEACHERS AGREE TO PAY FREEZE: Putnam's administration and teachers union accept a deal to hold off on raises amid tough budget times, the Palatka Daily News reports. Unlike Manatee, Pasco and some others.

LOVING THE 4-DAY WEEK: Brevard Community College finds that the shorter work week - implemented to save money - is hugely popular, Florida Today reports. (Of course colleges don't have the same day-care issues as the K-12 schools if they choose this option.)

A GOOD START: Bullying is everywhere - not just in the school yard anymore - and the Broward district is right on to lead Florida in creating its anti-bullying policy, the Sun-Sentinel editorializes.

A CLASSIC EDUCATION: John Brunner is a former elementary teacher who decided to home-school his own child in a classical way. Now he's opening an academy for like-minded parents, the Naples Daily News reports.

DON'T DO IT: The NAACP blasts a proposal to let Orange voters choose the School Board chairman, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

NEW SAT RULES: Starting in 2010, students will be able to select which scores the colleges they've applied to will see, the LA Times reports.

PICK YOUR TEST: Oregon will let students choose the type of graduation exit exam they prefer, trying to get past the one size fits all mentality of many states, the AP reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview about summer reading with Barbara Elzie, deputy director of Just Read, Florida!

Comments

[Elect the Speaker]

I think the Legislature's idea to elect the Orange County School Board Chair is awful, but I am willing to reconsider if the same legislator who sponsored the bill (Cannon) would sponsor a bill to change the constitution to elect the Speaker statewide. The Speaker should be given all of the same extra powers (including the ability to break a tie vote by essentially counting twice). It should go on the ballot for a special election in 2009 and be effective for the 2010 elections. If he was willing to do this, I would agree that an elected chair within a school district was a good idea. If not, I already know that this was a senseless power grab.

Where is the press to point out that this bill is a general bill of local application (unconstitutional)? Where is the press to point out that if the citizens really want to elect a county-wide official for the school district that they could simply revert (as the constitution actually establishes) to an elected Superintendent? Where is the press at all? As Speaker Byrd once said about his members . . . sheep!

The more I think about it, the better it is to elect the Speaker and President of the Senate. You see, just like in Orange County, you could end up with a Speaker/President from one party with a membership from the other party (yes, I know (wink wink) that school bloard seats are non-partisan). This would be awesome. Grid lock within grid lock. Does anyone really believe that if the Speaker and President had to be elected statewide that we would have ended up with some of the recent (or future) leaders? This is a great, GREAT, idea. When the House staffers start to fire up to defend themselves, someone please remind them that their arguments apply to Orange County Schools.

[IB Mom]

Parents and students beware... The change to the SAT rules will not mean anything to those applying to Florida public colleges since they already automatically and (usually) unknowingly waive their rights to secrecy about *all* ACT attempts, SAT attempts and AP scores when they submit their applications.