Today's news

ANSWERING THE 'WHY': Educators from several Pasco high schools gather to set plans to open new career academies at each. They say the concept brings relevance to many students who otherwise might drop out.

SING, SING A SONG: A Hernando music teacher launches the Nature Coast Children's Chorale for kids in Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties who want to take their musical ambitions to a level beyond what schools offer. (Times photo, Will Vragovic)

A DISCOURAGING START: Pinellas administrators want to expand middle school schedules to seven periods a day, ostensibly to give kids more options. But the only way to do this and still save money is to make teachers teach more, which would shortchange educators and students, the Times editorializes.

TUITION ON THE RISE: Florida's rock-bottom prices for a college education are headed up, with most public universities increasing tuition by 6 to 15 percent, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

HELPING MIGRANT STUDENTS: A new pilot program aims to put laptop computers in the hands of some of Collier's poorest students, the Naples Daily News reports.

'BAD-FAITH BARGAINING': Miami-Dade conducts a 5-hour Sunday session for contract talks, where about 200 teachers show up to take notes, razz and cheer. In the end, union officials accuse the district of negotiating in bad faith, the Miami Herald reports.

GOTCHA: An aggressive program aimed at keeping students in their assigned schools has helped the Palm Beach district nab hundreds of families lying about where they live to sneak into the school of their choice, the Palm Beach Post reports.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Fifty-five recent college grads take part in the inaugural year of Teach for America in Duval, the Florida Times-Union reports.

KEEP IT SMALL: Some of NYC's poorest teens overcome their personal odds to make it through high school and into college, thanks to the city's focus on smaller schools and more individualized attention, the NY Times reports.

THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: A growing number of universities once thought of as commuter schools are building up dorms and campus life in hopes of luring more teens right out of high school, the AP reports.