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November 30, 2008

Coming up

Tuesday: State Board of Education, Orlando Airport Hyatt, 8:30 a.m.

Thursday: Education Practices Commission, teacher hearing, 9 a.m., Tallahassee

Friday: Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing, 9 a.m., teacher hearing, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

Dec. 9: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Hernando School Board, workshop 2 p.m., meeting 7 p.m.

Dec. 11: Distance Learning Task Force, 2 p.m., conference call

Dec. 12: Florida Higher Educational Facilities Funding Authority, noon, Miami Gardens

Dec. 22: Winter break begins for Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando

Jan. 5: Students return to classes in Pinellas

Jan. 6: Students return to classes in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando

November 30, 2008 in Calendar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's news

THREATS BOMB: Students who make bomb threats in Hillsborough schools face expulsion, which officials say has helped reduce the number of such hoaxes from 138 seven years ago to three this year.

TOO BIG, TOO CROWDED: Explorer K-8 has become a model for Hernando leaders of what not to do when it comes to planning and building new schools. (Times photo, Ron Thompson)

TEACHING THE 'E-WORD': Science teachers in the Treasure Coast prepare their evolution lessons to fit with Florida's new standards, the Stuart News reports.

FCAT CUTS: The state's move to eliminate summer FCAT retakes shows a lack of commitment to helping kids, Miami Herald columnist Myriam Marquez writes.

SIN TAXES: They're politically easy, but with Florida's cigarette, alcohol and parimutuel sales down too, it's a tough call to say whether such taxes could help fund education and other state services, Orlando Sentinel columnist Aaron Deslatte writes.

MORE HOMELESS STUDENTS: Lee and Collier schools see huge increases in the number of homeless students that need special services, the Naples Daily News reports.

COLLEGE COSTS: Florida students are looking for less expensive college options as the economy sinks, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

PRE-K STANDARDS: Florida set few curriculum guides in creating its voter-mandated program, leaving centers and schools to fend for themselves, Florida Today reports.

November 30, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 29, 2008

A weekend interview with...

... Robin Wikle, newly sworn Pinellas School Board member. Wikle spoke with reporter Donna Winchester about school attendance zones, finances, the FCAT and more.

Q. Pinellas earned kudos last week for improving its graduation rate, largely by increasing the number of students who were able to pass the GED test. Do you think that’s a valid way for the district to increase its percentage of graduates?

There are many students who pass the GED test and go on to be successful, so I do think it’s valid. I don’t think the ultimate goal is graduation. I think the ultimate goal is adults who come back to our community and work and pay their taxes. We also have to make sure we provide services for all levels of kids, whether they’re GED bound or academically bound for college. I’m a big proponent of vocational education. Sometimes it has a bad taste, but now we’re moving toward creating centers of excellence.

Q. Does it concern you that many of the students who graduated based on an alternate assessment were unable to pass the 10th-grade FCAT?

I’m not a fan of the FCAT. I don’t think it’s an inclusive measure of everyone’s lifetime success.

Q. If the board revisits the issue of grandfathering — allowing students to stay at the school they were assigned under the old controlled choice plan — would you vote to keep things as they are and allow children to stay at those schools even though they’re not necessarily the neighborhood school?

I would vote to end grandfathering, but I would allow students who are fourth- or fifth-graders and eighth-graders to stay at their current schools if their parents would agree to drive them.

Q. What about that part of the current policy that allows siblings to attend the same school, even if it isn’t the close to home school?

Continue reading "A weekend interview with... " »

November 29, 2008 in Pinellas County, Weekend Interview | Permalink | Comments (4)

Today's news

FLORIDA'S RECESSION - WORSE THAN THE NATION'S: The decline of housing and construction in Florida could make the state's economic troubles linger longer than in other parts of the country.

WHAT'S IN A GRADE: North Florida high school leaders look forward to learning more about exactly how the state will grade their schools, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

COME AND GET THEM: Colleges from the Northeastern United States are boosting their recruiting efforts in California, Florida and other populous states, the LA Times reports.

FCAT CUTS: Florida will stop offering FCAT summer retakes, the Miami Herald reports.

SEEKING UNIFORMITY: An Alachua School Board member pushes for district-wide student uniforms, the Gainesville Sun reports.

STUDENT SUES: A teen sues his Palm Beach private school, saying he was assaulted there, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Pinellas School Board member Robin Wikle.

November 29, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 28, 2008

Today's news

THANKS FOR THE HELP: Turns out House Speaker Ray Sansom has steered millions in projects to Northwest Florida State College, where he now has a new job.

FUND RAISING WOES: PTA groups across the Tampa Bay region find the tough economy makes it hard to raise money for schools.

ANOTHER WAY TO GRADUATE: Thousands of Florida seniors who couldn't pass the FCAT still get their diplomas by taking the ACT or SAT. Some kids just need more motivation, which schools provide with graduation coaches, the Sun-Sentinel reports (via Palm Beach Post).

NO CLEAR SOLUTION: High schools around the country, including Florida, don't have a simple way to deal with student-athlete doping, the NY Times reports.

TAPPING RESERVES: Broward and Miami-Dade turn to their reserve accounts to make up shortfalls in their budgets, the Miami Herald reports.

NEVER MIND, SANTA CAN COME: The president of Florida Gulf Coast University reverses his ban on holiday cheer, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

SO WHAT IF THE TRUSTEES LIKE HIM? Florida Atlantic University faculty members give president Frank Brogan low marks, the Palm Beach Post reports.

BAN DOESN'T MATTER: A new study suggests that school bans on soda sales don't limit students' consumption of the drinks, the HealthDay News reports (via Washington Post).

A SACRED COW NO MORE? Florida lawmakers say they'll take a close look at the costs associated with the Bright Futures scholarship, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

GET THAT GED: The City of Cocoa aims a GED program at its poorest neighborhood, Florida Today reports.

November 28, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you enjoy your day off. We sure will be. Happy Thanksgiving!

(Times photo, Will Vragovic)

November 27, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 26, 2008

Getting ready for remediation

As educators begin chewing on the fact that Florida’s graduation rate improved largely because districts found alternative ways for students to get a standard diploma – passing the GED test and getting a high enough score on a standardized test other than the FCAT – it’s only logical to wonder: Are these students ready for college?

Sounds like perfect timing for a new book written by a professor of education at California State University at Chico titled, Teaching Unprepared Students: Strategies for Promoting Success and Retention in Higher Education.

Author Kathleen F. Gabriel has aimed the book at professors who find themselves frustrated by teaching students who arrive on campus unprepared for college-level work. While Gabriel concedes that high schools need to do a better job of preparing their students for college level curriculums, she maintains that college professors shouldn’t turn their backs on those students.

“If we, the professors, are not reaching out to at-risk or unprepared students who are enrolled in our classes, then we are simply setting these students up for failure and, at the same time, only pretending our colleges have somehow fulfilled a moral obligation of providing opportunities to our diverse population in today’s society,” Gabriel said in a Nov. 25 interview with Inside Higher Ed.

Donna Winchester, higher education reporter

November 26, 2008 in Higher Education | Permalink | Comments (5)

More on the revenue estimates

When state economists get together in Tallahassee these days to estimate revenue, Florida groans. And maybe not only because the news remains bad.

It's also, perhaps, because we hear what they're saying and don't really understand anything beyond the bottom line -- less income means services will get cut or taxes will go up. Yuck, right?

Well, for some of us, that's enough to know. For others, though, details are required.

Former Hillsborough schools chief of staff Jim Hamilton, now a lobbyist for the district, has drafted a detailed explanation of exactly what's going on with Florida's education funding. He explains how recurring and nonrecurring revenue figure in, the difference between local and state funds, and the roles of general revenue vs. the overall state budget. A sample:

"The media often refers to a $66 billion state budget. Most of that state budget is not what we are talking about. The $66 billion budget you hear about includes about $41 billion in federal funds, local dollars, and trust fund revenue. Almost all of the reductions we have been talking about come from the remaining $25 billion, which is general revenue. This $25 billion (which was $31.7 billion in fiscal year 2006-2007) has been shrinking and requires most of our attention.

Here is an example of how public schools fit in the revenue picture. Public schools receive about 35% of all of the state recurring general revenue. For example if recurring general revenue were to be down $1 billion statewide, then the state public schools' share of the decrease is about $350 million. Hillsborough County Public Schools receives about 7.2% of the public schools' budget. Our part of the $350 million in this example would be about $26.4 million."

Want to read more? Here's the report for your light holiday reading: Download Hamiltonreport.doc.

- Jeff Solochek

November 26, 2008 in Funding | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some pointers on differential pay

If Pinellas is serious about pursuing financial incentives for teachers in tough schools, they might find some good ideas in this new report from the Center for American Progress. Since there aren’t many districts trying differential pay in a meaningful way (Hillsborough being an exception), the authors reviewed research on the subject in other sectors, including civil service, the military, the medical field and private industry.

It’s not clear what the magic number is, they say. But financial incentives in those other sectors tend to be 10 to 30 percent of an employee’s salary. So, if the average teacher in Pinellas makes $46,844 a year, the corresponding incentives would be in the $4,700 to $14,100 range.

We know budget cuts make a package like that impossible, for now. We know other factors are hugely important – the principal, working conditions, etc. But if that kind of money was on the table, teachers, would you at least think about it?

November 26, 2008 in Performance Pay | Permalink | Comments (5)

Don't forget about magnet schools

With charter schools hogging the spotlight, people have lost sight of the good that magnet schools do in offering choice and promoting diversity, says “The Forgotten Choice? Rethinking Magnet Schools in a Changing Landscape,” a report released this morning by the Civil Rights Project at UCLA.

“In this age of ever-growing educational choice, magnet schools and, perhaps more specifically, their desegregation objectives, are the forgotten choice, symptomatic of the movement away from desesegration among all public schools,” the report says.

The report recommends that school districts continue to support magnets by upping funding, providing free transportation for magnet students and developing better outreach to parents. It also suggests more training for teachers to teach in racially diverse schools, something the St. Petersburg Times touched on in this recent story.

November 26, 2008 in School Choice | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's news

THEN AGAIN, MAYBE NOT: Gov. Crist backs away from the idea of an increased cigarette tax, but some GOP lawmakers remain in favor of it and other ways to increase revenue for services such as education. (Times photo illustration)

BUDGET SOLUTIONS: Hillsborough leaders talk about scaling back summer school, changing employee work schedules and a variety of cost-saving measures as it faces another round of revenue cuts from the state.

CELEBRATING DIFFERENCES: Zephyrhills High aims to embrace its diversity as the student population broadens.

ALL ABOUT FAMILY: New River Elementary leaders use Thanksgiving to create traditions and a sense of community for the two-year-old school.

NOW DO MORE: Pinellas took some nifty bureaucratic steps to improve its high school graduation rate. Now it should use the same ingenuity to improve academic programs that get teens to their diploma, the Times editorializes.

TOP OF THE CLASS: FLBA students learn the business of running a government (Hernando Central High); Kids' imagination runs wild when it comes to Thanksgiving recipes (Hernando Eastside Elementary); World of Knowledge preschoolers get cooking skills, thrills; Scientist helps Sanderlin fifth-graders better understand biology and the environment

NO FAT LEFT: Treasure Coast school district leaders say they're likely to look at cutting people and programs if expected budget cuts come to pass, the Stuart News reports.

THEY NEED IT: Manatee and Sarasota high schools restart driver's education courses, using money from traffic tickets to cover the cost, the Herald-Tribune reports.

WHO ARE YOU? Broward considers requiring all middle and high school students to wear ID badges, the Miami Herald reports.

SUSPENDED: UF's Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity is suspended for hazing, the Gainesville Sun reports.

November 26, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 25, 2008

Pasco makes USEP an offer it can't refuse ...

... or accept, it turns out.

During mediation last week, the Pasco school administration responded to the United School Employees of Pasco's salary and benefits proposal with its counter offer -- one for support personnel and one for teachers.

They include nothing new or surprising. The district proposes to leave salaries the same, and says it will move everyone up on the pay schedule but also will adjust the schedule downward to reflect actual compensation. And it restates the district's pledge to fully cover employee fringe benefits, as the USEP has requested.

But union negotiators tell the Gradebook that the proposals don't officially exist, as far as contract talks go.

"Anything that happens in mediation is between the two parties, off the record, in an effort to work things out," negotiator Robert Benjamin said. "We have not officially received any response to our economic proposal."

He further noted that the administration refused to enter an agreement on benefits alone during the mediation session. The sides now appear headed to impasse hearings, with the USEP also preparing to file grievances against district.

- Jeff Solochek

November 25, 2008 in Pasco County | Permalink | Comments (27)

Summer school to drop to four days

Hillsborough officials are proposing a four-day summer school program as they look to cut another $26 million out of this year's budget.

School Board discussed a plan to close all schools and district offices for one workday during the seven weeks of summer at a workshop Tuesday. The district would save at least $1.2 million from the move. Employees would save on gas and other expenses associated with coming to work.

School officials acknowledged this could be a hardship for working parents, who would have to look for alternative daycare options. Hillsborough Out-of-School-Time, a daycare program, enrolls around 3,000 students on average during the summer, and thousands more attend academic summer programs.

Continue reading "Summer school to drop to four days" »

November 25, 2008 in Hillsborough County | Permalink | Comments (4)

Out of luck with out-of-field teachers

Surprise, surprise: Another analysis of teacher quality, another finding of disparities for low-income and minority students. (As faithful Gradebook readers know, we've been writing about this a lot lately.)

The latest is from The Education Trust, which found poor and minority students in middle and high schools are twice as likely as other secondary students to be taught by out-of-field teachers in English, math, science and social studies, according to its Core Problems report released this morning.

"Conversations about the achievement gap often turn too easily to what's not happening in students' homes," Ed Trust Vice President Ross Wiener said in a press release. "These data make clear that we need to put much more emphasis on what’s not happening in classrooms."

Education Trust defined out-of-field teachers as not having certification in the subjects they're assigned to teach and not having academic majors in that subject. The problem is especially bad in secondary math: 40.5 percent of math classes in poor schools are taught by out-of-field teachers; in schools with the least low-income students, the figure is 16.9 percent.

In Florida, 66.1 percent of secondary teachers in core subjects report being certified in the subject they're assigned to teach, the study shows. Teachers in only 10 other states reported having lower rates.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

November 25, 2008 in Teaching | Permalink | Comments (7)

Group seeks more diversity in law school students

A national group concerned about the lack of diversity among lawyers in Florida and nationwide has launched a $1.5-million campaign designed to encourage minority first- and second-year college students to discover career opportunities in law.

Citing statistics that show only 10 percent of lawyers in the United States are African-American, Latino, Asian-American or Native American, the Law School Admission Council is introducing DiscoverLaw.org, an interactive Web site that includes access to law school experts, profiles and advice from diverse law school graduates, and a timeline with steps undergraduates can take to prepare themselves to be successful law school applicants.

"The important thing for first- and second-year college students to understand is that it’s never too early to begin preparing for law school," LSAC's executive director for diversity initiatives Kent Lollis said in a news release. "There are things they should be doing now – such as selecting rigorous coursework to enhance their reading comprehension, writing, and analytical skills – that can put them on a path toward a law degree."

Online and print advertising for DiscoverLaw.org counters the perception that the world has too many lawyers with this tagline: "Actually, the world DOES need another lawyer."

Donna Winchester, higher education reporter

November 25, 2008 in Higher Education | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today's news

GETTING OUT THE RED PENS: Pasco school district officials begin doing their homework in preparation to cut as much as $30-million more from this year's budget.

WELL, MAYBE ONE NEW TAX IS OK: Anti-taxer Gov. Crist says it might be time to raise Florida's cigarette tax by 50 cents a pack to help with the economic slowdown. Such an increase would generate about $500-million -- the amount, by the way, that Florida schools are expecting to see cut. (Image from Albany's Insanity blog)

OOPS: Several Collier high school students could see their grade-point average drop because the school district mistakenly gave them credit for courses they took as eighth-graders, the Naples Daily News reports.

FEWER STUDENTS: Florida lost 24,000 K-12 students this year, an unprecedented decline, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LOOKING FOR A BAILOUT: Some key South Florida education leaders suggest Congress should bail out the public school system, the Miami Herald reports.

NO SANTA: In a move that's all about political correctness, Florida Gulf Coast University bans Santa Claus, Christmas trees and all holiday decorations, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. (Image from Anova.com)

TEACHER CLEARED: The Dillard High teacher who stood accused of knowing about a school shooting before it happened is cleared and allowed to return to class, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

AT IMPASSE: Florida Atlantic's faculty and administration seek a magistrate to oversee stalled contract talks, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

THAT'S 'TEACHER MOM' TO YOU: Home schooling participation skyrockets in north Florida, the Florida Times-Union reports.

WHAT TO DO? The City of Palm Bay looks for financial options to help its struggling charter school system, Florida Today reports.

November 25, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 24, 2008

More about college rankings

U.S. News & World Report, infamous for its rankings of U.S. colleges and universities, announced Friday that it will embark upon a new, worldwide approach to grading schools.

Robert Morse, the magazine’s director of rankings, said it only makes sense to launch THE-QS World University Rankings, which will assess higher education beyond the United States.

“There is worldwide competition for the best faculty, best students and best research grants and researchers,” Morse said, adding that U.S. News probably will become more involved in the ranking methodology when it goes global.

Folks at the Education Conservancy, a non-profit organization that frequently criticizes U.S. News’ ranking system, were not impressed.

“The expansion of a business model that has profited at the expense of education is not surprising,” said founder Lloyd Thacker. “This could challenge leaders to distinguish American higher education by providing better indicators of quality and by helping us think beyond ranking.”

Donna Winchester, higher education reporter

November 24, 2008 in Higher Education | Permalink | Comments (0)

More bad financial news for schools

The news came late Friday -- Florida's budget looks to come in another $1.4-billion below initial revenue estimates.

Education, which gobbles up about a third of the state's spending, looked a prime spot to take a hit. But how much? Already the education lobbyists are making predictions and warning superintendents.

Ruth Melton of the Florida School Boards Association sent an e-mail to superintendents saying, in part:

"It is unlikely that such a session will be called before January 2009. At that time, if there is no new influx of revenue, it is expected that K-12 education will be cut by AT LEAST $500 million -- and this does NOT include reductions that may occur in local funding due to reduced property tax revenue. In general, school districts are advised to brace for an ADDITIONAL 2-3% budget cut for THIS fiscal year."

Continue reading "More bad financial news for schools" »

November 24, 2008 in Funding | Permalink | Comments (9)

Flunk the FCAT, still pass go?

Florida's rising graduation rate generated some nice headlines last week, but one of the reasons for it may deserve a closer look: The skyrocketing number of kids who graduated even though they failed to pass the tenth grade FCAT.

Those kids still managed to get a standard diploma because they earned what the state considers a comparable score on the ACT or SAT. (The comparable ACT scores are 15 in reading and math. For the SAT, it's 410 in reading and 370 in math.)

Last year, 6,546 graduating seniors fit into this category – a 64 percent increase from two years ago, according to figures obtained by the Gradebook from the Florida Department of Education. Meanwhile, the total number of graduates increased by 5,995 over that time – enough for a 3-percent spike.

The "alternate assessment" kids are clearly a big reason why Pinellas's grad rate improved so much. But how big a factor are they in the feel-good state story? Could they be THE reason why our grad rates are up so much?

"We've asked staff to look," DOE spokesman Tom Butler told The Gradebook. "It certainly could be a large contributor, but we really need some analysis to say for sure."

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

November 24, 2008 in FCAT, Graduations, High Schools | Permalink | Comments (1)

What makes a teacher good?

There's no easy definition. And there's no simple way to ensure that all kids get a top-notch teacher, either.

Yet as reporter Ron Matus discusses in his piece about teacher quality, several researchers have determined that students who have excellent educators make greater gains than those who don't. A snippet:

"We know those veteran teachers are being replaced with rookies. We know those rookies are typically not as good. We know, then, that the students in those schools are being shortchanged. In Pinellas, all this takes on even more urgency as schools rapidly resegregate.

So, why do we just pretend it's not happening? Or worse, continue to feed the King Kong of story lines in the debate over schools — that it's all the parents' fault?

That's not to say absent parents aren't a big part of the problem. Or that there aren't good reasons why teachers leave high-poverty schools. Or that those schools don't still have top-notch, don't-stop-til-they-find-a-way teachers.

But the tangled reality is that in many high-poverty schools, AWOL parents and subpar teachers — or, more accurately, a system that puts them there — have become partners in a vicious cycle. And we're all swirling down the tubes with it."

Read it. Talk about it. Post comments on it. We can't wait to hear what you have to say.

(Times photo, Keri Wiginton)

November 24, 2008 in Teaching | Permalink | Comments (6)

Today's news

RHODES SCHOLAR: Abigail P. Seldin of Tierra Verde is one of just 32 recipients of the prestigious academic honor. She attends the University of Pennsylvania.

ADULT LEADERSHIP NEEDED: Hernando parents and district leaders should be teaching lessons about personal responsibility and not seeking to shift blame and find loopholes in the aftermath of Nature Coast High's suspended football season, the Times editorializes.

SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE: Collier schools propose an academic contract for student-athletes who become academically ineligible, so the students could still play ball, the Naples Daily News reports.

COLLEGE STUDENTS SEEK TO STAY AFLOAT: Tough financial times have students rethinking their career paths, as well as their loan structures, so they don't sink in a sea of debt, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

DON'T WASTE: Ave Maria University shows students exactly how much food they're throwing away each day, the Naples Daily News reports.

PAINFUL CUTS: Some Florida charter schools feel the budget crunch more keenly than the traditional school systems, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

LESS VIOLENCE: Florida schools have seen an overall decrease in reported acts of violence, the Miami Herald reports.

JUST LIKE IN COLLEGE: Lake high school students soon might be able to register for classes and choose their teachers online, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

BEST IN FLORIDA: FSU history professor Jonathan Grant is named the 2008 Florida Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Georgia's state superintendent of schools, who won $1-million on a game show, has filed for personal bankruptcy but still plans to donate her winnings to the state education system as promised, the NY Times reports. Virginia plans to strengthen and streamline its math standards, the Washington Post reports. Education leaders across the country worry if the economy struggles for too long, their ability to bridge the achievement gap will falter, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

November 24, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 23, 2008

Coming up

Monday: Thanksgiving holiday begins for Pinellas schools

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, budget workshop, 10 a.m.

Wednesday: Thanksgiving holiday begins for Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando schools

Dec. 1: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.

Dec. 2: State Board of Education, Orlando Airport Hyatt, 8:30 a.m.

Dec. 4: Education Practices Commission, teacher hearing, 9 a.m., Tallahassee

Dec. 5: Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing, 9 a.m., teacher hearing, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

Dec. 9: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Hernando School Board, workshop 2 p.m., meeting 7 p.m.

Dec. 11: Distance Learning Task Force, 2 p.m., conference call

Dec. 12: Florida Higher Educational Facilities Funding Authority, noon, Miami Gardens

Dec. 22: Winter break begins for Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando

Jan. 5: Students return to classes in Pinellas

Jan. 6: Students return to classes in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando

November 23, 2008 in Calendar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's news

FINDING ANOTHER WAY: Pinellas boosts its graduation rate by helping more kids on the fringes succeed through alternate paths such as taking the ACT instead of the FCAT and completing a GED rather than high school credits.

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE TEACHERS: The role that educators at Lealman Intermediate play show just how important and influential teachers can be, columnist Ernest Hooper writes.

RHODES SCHOLARS: Florida State's Myron Rolle is among the 32 Rhodes Scholars for 2009. See the full list of recipients. Even the NY Times covers this, noting Rolle is the first major college football player of his generation to win such an honor.

A GOOD FIRST STEP: Gov. Crist's plan to let universities raise tuition is a positive move to help the schools fix their funding woes, but lawmakers should ensure they don't just use the income to replace state support, the Times editorializes. Miami Herald columnist Fred Grimm, by contrast, sees the tuition proposal as cynical at best.

LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S CUTS: While still steeped in the current year's revenue slashing, Manatee officials begin pondering what to cut next year, the Bradenton Herald reports. Duval leaders look at a new high school schedule that would save millions -- and reduce graduation requirements, the Florida Times-Union reports.

ROSENBERG REPORTS: The outgoing chancellor of Florida's university system talks with the Miami Herald about the system's health and its future.

A SPECIAL DANCE: A Broward high school holds a homecoming dance for students with special needs, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

REORG IN LAKE: New Lake superintendent Susan Moxley quickly moves to revamp the administration left by her predecessor, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

November 23, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 22, 2008

A weekend interview with ...

... Scott Howat, lobbyist for Orange County Schools and the president of the Florida Education Legislative Liaisons. Howat also is a member of the Seminole Community College board of trustees. Howat spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek about public education legislative priorities for the spring session.

Have you had a chance to go over the legislative priorities and talk to lawmakers to see where things are headed?

We met as a group ... and talked about the budget, talked about the issues. And obviously we're hearing as bad as we could have imagined, it's going to be worse. ... The total impact to education from that standpoint is undetermined because we don't know what percentage of the total cut if there's a reduction that education will hit. We know we make up about a third of the budget, but we don't know if we'll get a proportional third or if they'll work to hold us somewhat harmless or at least target certain programs to make strategic targeted cuts.

I know the House set up an education appropriations committee, which they didn't have last year. Is that possibly a good thing?

Yeah, I noticed it in the makeup that they split out the appropriations and the policy. They also split it out into K-12, higher ed and workforce. That can be good because you're focusing on those budgets. It can also be an issue, because you have leadership that are not having to work together on one committee but are working on their own committees and then have to bring it back to the body, so to speak, for approval. So it can become somewhat territorial, vs. looking at the entire system as they did last year prior to breaking it out.

How do you approach the leadership, then, knowing you have on one hand a group looking at policy where they might approve some idea and then on the other side you have appropriations where they might say there's no money for that idea?

Continue reading "A weekend interview with ... " »

November 22, 2008 in Class Size, Funding, Legislation, Weekend Interview | Permalink | Comments (5)

Today's news

NO MOVEMENT: Pasco's administration and employees fail to reach one agreement during eight hours of mediation. Board members suggest they aren't likely to show the workers the money any time soon. "I'm not even sure about the number of employees we'll have at the end of the year," member Kathryn Starkey says.

BE THE ADULT: The Hillsborough School Board needs to set some firm and fair rules about holidays and the academic calendar, columnist Sue Carlton writes

MORE AWARDS: Bus driver Shirley Price wins Hernando's School Related Employee of the Year honors. Leslie Pohley of Largo Middle is the state's 2008 outstanding middle school science teacher.

THE ESTIMATES ARE IN: State economists project a $2.3-billion deficit this fiscal year, with cuts likely for education, health care and justice programs, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Perhaps we might see a special session after all, the Palm Beach Post reports. Some leaders signal that even higher taxes might be an option, the AP reports (via Daytona Beach News-Journal). Lawmakers must fix it now and do it right, the Times editorializes.

DRUGS AND DRINKING: Florida students cut their usage a bit, the Stuart News reports

WHO WOULD PICK THE PROGRAMMING? Palm Beach schools explore acquiring a local public broadcast radio and television station, the Palm Beach Post reports.

CHEAP CARE, AND A LESSON, TOO: East Lee High offers teachers child care for $10 a week as part of its introduction to education program, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

CHECKING IT OUT: A Japanese documentary crew visits a Jacksonville school for examples of good alternative education, the Florida Times-Union reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Scott Howat, president of the Florida Education Legislative Liaisons.

November 22, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 21, 2008

Flagrant fragrance gets gassy student bounced

Maybe the 13-year-old student at Martin County's Spectrum Junior/Senior High thought he was being funny by repeatedly and purposely passing gas during computer class.

His teacher, D.C. Carden, didn't bust a gut over the boy's breaking wind - not to mention his continuous turning off classroom computers - so he gave the boy a referral and sent him packing to the school resource officer for a little talk.

SRO Warren Pettaway asked the (perhaps) obvious question: Did the boy deliberately cut the cheese (and the computer lines)? "He subsequently informed me it was factual, and I informed him as a result of his behavior he was being charged with Disruption of a School Function," Pettaway wrote in his report.

That's right. The boy was arrested for farting. He was released to his mom. No word on what he did in the car on the way home.

(Thanks to the Stuart News for the story tip.)

November 21, 2008 in School Discipline | Permalink | Comments (71)

Stay informed on Pinellas school closings

Starting Dec. 1, look for a feature on tampabay.com that will serve as a forum for sharing information and answering questions regarding the Pinellas school closings. This is an unusual and fast-moving issue and we will try to keep everyone as well-informed as we can. When the site is up and running, we’ll let you know it right here.

The School Board this week tentatively decided to merge four middle schools into two and will meet Dec. 2 to discuss the proposed closing of five elementary schools, all part of an effort to address declining enrollment and a projected $40-million budget shortfall for 2009-10. The first formal vote on the proposals is set for Dec. 9. The second and final vote could come at the board’s regular meeting on Jan. 13.

In the meantime, you can study up using the following materials:

* The power point presentation given to the School Board on Tuesday. It includes statistics on enrollment decline and estimated savings of closing schools.

* A summary of this year’s budget.

* A comparison of how Pinellas stacks up to other large Florida counties in several spending categories (takes awhile to download).

* Two recent memos from district officials describing the budget situation. One is dated Oct. 22, the other Nov. 12.

November 21, 2008 in Pinellas County | Permalink | Comments (6)

The outlook - not good

From our sister blog the Buzz:

"A team of forecasters sharpening the state's revenues is spending the day looking under fiscal rocks and finding little money. It's anticipated that the Revenue Estimating Conference will update the estimate to reflect a loss in this fiscal year alone of up to $4-billion compared to a projection from March."

Best (worst?) quote - "The worst is definitely ahead of us," said Amy Baker, the chair of the Revenue Estimating Conference.

Read the full post here. We'll let you know as we hear how this will affect the schools.

November 21, 2008 in Funding | Permalink | Comments (1)

Does your principal have what it takes?

TruTV's reality show The Principal's Office has featured high school leaders in Connecticut, North Carolina and Ohio. Maybe it's time to get Florida in on the mix.

The program has put out a casting call seeking "dedicated high school administrators" it can follow around for an "all-access look at their daily lives, how they handle students and how their roles are so critical to the well-being of their schools."

Have the perfect take-no-attitude principal in mind? Know one who's funny, or who deals with the hardest situations but always smiles? Submit their names at the show's Web site. (If you do, let us know who you recommended and why. Could make for fun conversations.)

November 21, 2008 in High Schools | Permalink | Comments (3)

Does higher ed need this kind of help?

The buzz in higher education, as first reported by the St. Petersburg Times, is Charlie Crist's call to allow all 11 state universities to increase their tuition. Pretty much every Florida paper is weighing in. Even the NY Times has a story.

While many leaders of smaller universities that didn't have such authority praise the idea (Naples Daily News), many students are worried that rising costs might shove them out of the higher ed market (Bradenton Herald). And the Bright Futures scholarship isn't likely to make ends meet, as the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Of course, there's a debate in the halls of the Capitol. Some lawmakers fear the state is headed toward a lottery-styled bait and switch - replace state tax support with increased tuition income (Times). Others argue the change will boost the quality of Florida's university system (PB Post).

Overnight, the Florida Education Association issued a statement agreeing that higher ed needs financial help, "But placing the responsibility for increased funding solely on the backs of students and their parents isn't fair."

Florida's tuition is among the nation's cheapest. The schools do need money to provide a quality education. Can politicians solve this issue? Stay tuned.

(Times photo illustration)

November 21, 2008 in Funding, Higher Education | Permalink | Comments (0)

Higher taxes to help students?

November 21, 2008 in Gradebook poll | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's news

JUST LIKE THE LOTTERY? Former governor Bob Graham and some state lawmakers question whether Gov. Charlie Crist's plans to let state universities raise tuition to cover lost tax revenue is the first step toward further reducing state support for the schools. Administrators at the smaller schools, such as Florida Gulf Coast, praise Crist's idea, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

SANSOM'S NEW JOB: Turns out Florida's new House speaker helped Northwest Florida State College raise big bucks for a leadership institute just before snagging a VP spot at the school. More from the Northwest Florida Daily News (Sansom's hometown paper).

ANGER AT ALAFIA: More than 150 Alafia Elementary parents attend a gripe fest with the superintendent about the principal who they don't like but the superintendent won't remove. Best quote: "You're going to give her a life coach? In the real world, we don't get a life coach. We get fired," said Marcos Santiago, father of a kindergartner.

MOVE ON: Though its football season is marred by suspension, Hernando Nature Coast High should look forward to next year rather than dwell on appeals, columnist Dan DeWitt writes.

KEEP IT SECULAR: Hillsborough's calendar committee did the right thing by recommending a school year without days off for religious holidays, the Times editorializes.

$2-BILLION DEFICIT: That's billion with a B. And it's the hefty shortfall Florida will be grappling with, according to new revenue estimates due out today, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

UNDER THE SEA: A MAST Academy teacher in Miami-Dade teaches lessons from 63 feet below the ocean surface, the Miami Herald reports.

THE CAPS REMAIN THE SAME: Florida's State University System will retain its limits on freshman enrollment, but will consider exemptions, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

BAD JUDGMENT: An internal investigation reveals the St. Lucie teacher who let her kindergarten class vote a student "off the island" wasn't being malicious but did exhibit bad judgment, the Port St. Lucie News reports. Really.

LITTLE THINGS MATTER: Florida schools find significant savings by cutting back on supplies, turning up the thermostats and cutting the engines on idling buses, the Herald-Tribune reports.

BONUS TIME: The bad economy meant higher than expected enrollment for Daytona State College, which generated enough money to pay employees $1,000 bonuses, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

November 21, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 20, 2008

Mediation fails in Pasco contract talks

Nearly eight hours of back and forth with a neutral third party today couldn't bring the Pasco school administration and employees any closer to a deal on pay and benefits.

"Mediation was not successful," United School Employees of Pasco president Lynne Webb told the Gradebook moments ago. "It was very apparent the district was intractable in their position."

From the district's position, the association brought nothing new to the table to discuss. "They asked questions," lead negotiator Terry Rhum told the Gradebook. "Questions that have been asked before."

Continue reading "Mediation fails in Pasco contract talks" »

November 20, 2008 in Pasco County | Permalink | Comments (36)

Meet Stetson's new president

Wendy Libby has led Stephens College, the nation's second oldest college for women, for six years. Come July, she'll become the first female president of Stetson University in its 125-year history. On Friday, she visits the College of Law in Gulfport. She spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek about her views and herself while waiting to catch a flight from Missouri to Florida.

Why did you decide to leave Stephens and come to Stetson?

This has been clearly the most bittersweet decision I have ever had to make in my career. Stetson is a phenomenally attractive opportunity, but Stephens has been a real emotional and professional home for us for six years. I think that the opportunity to take a university like Stetson that believes so firmly in academic excellence and the transformation in the lives of its students is just something that I don't want to miss leading. And there are some special challenges that all universities have right now, economically providing access and affordability to their students, attracting and retaining faculty. These are things I've had experience with. And I think I can make a difference with Stetson University in that way.

What do you see as Stetson's major needs right now?

Stetson has distinguished itself across the country for the fine academic program and the way it changes the lives of its students. It's got a great law school. What we really want to do is make sure everything we do is excellent, whether it be our teaching, our athletic program, the provision of services to our students. And that's a real challenge with the economy that we're facing and we're going to be facing for the next year or so. We want to make sure that in everything we do, we do it well so we can have pride in it.

Are there special programs or ideas that you want to bring to the school?

Continue reading "Meet Stetson's new president" »

November 20, 2008 in Higher Education | Permalink | Comments (1)

You'll be hearing a lot from this guy

State Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie, has been tapped by new House minority leader Franklin Sands to be the Democrats' point man on preK-12 issues. And he's already getting his party's position out there, telling the Gradebook on Wednesday that the latest state graduation rates are "suspect" and "fluffed up."

Kiar, 31, was on the House Schools & Learning Council last session, and he expects to be on one of the new key education committees for the next. His campaign Web site tells you a bit about his positions on education (he's not a big fan of the FCAT). And this Sun-Sentinel editorial tells you what his hometown paper thinks of him. (It also mentions he'd like to hike the cigarette tax by $1 per pack to raise money for schools.)

Kiar's a lawyer, and he likes ping pong, which should make him perfect for education debates in Tally.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

November 20, 2008 in Legislation | Permalink | Comments (6)

Teacher vs. principal: Who's right?

A popular teacher walks into a crowded West Palm Beach middle school shortly after Election Day wearing an Obama T-shirt and says, "It's a good day to be an American" (or something like that).

This being a school story, rather than one that happened in the real world, you can probably guess the teacher's cheery comment doesn't go over well.

As Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino recounts it, the principal sees teacher's comment on the school's morning news, hauls him into her office, and reads him the riot act about violating district policy on expressing political views. She then asks him to sign a document acknowledging his transgression.

Continue reading "Teacher vs. principal: Who's right?" »

November 20, 2008 in Teaching | Permalink | Comments (4)

GEDs and grad rates

It's becoming a fall ritual: The state announces the latest graduation rates. The critics say the numbers are padded by GED diplomas. The Gradebook posts the GED numbers.

Here is a district-by-district breakdown of the most recent grad rates, with and without GEDs. And here is where you can find last year's numbers.

The current state rate is 75.4 percent with GEDs, 72.9 percent without. And we should probably get used to the "without" rate. The feds are pushing a uniform national grad rate that does not include GEDs, and state Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith has recommended likewise to the Florida Board of Education.

One added note: In Pinellas, which boasted a huge spike in grad rates this year, GEDs accounted for 3 percentage points. Last year, they accounted for 1.1 percentage points.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

(Times file photo)

November 20, 2008 in Graduations, High Schools | Permalink | Comments (1)

Anyone else remember no pass, no play?

Here's an interesting bit out of Texas this morning.

The Texas State Board of Education has decided to allow high school athletes to earn four years' worth of elective credits toward graduation simply by playing their sport. (The current max is two years of credit.) Notably, this comes at a time when the state also has increased the number of credits needed to graduate by, go ahead and guess, two credits.

The Dallas Morning News sums up the debate like this:

"Supporters said the move would keep kids in school and spur them to do well in academic courses. Critics charged that the plan would de-emphasize academics and return to the days of 'football comes first.' "

The whole concept of making sure students passed their courses in order to qualify for a sports team didn't go down easily in many parts, including where I used to report.

Here's where this becomes a Tampa Bay story. Anyone paying attention to the situation over at Hernando's Nature Coast High? The football team is facing fines and an abrupt termination to its best-ever season because of a reported on-field brawl.

The parents over there just can't accept that their kids did anything wrong, and are accusing the FHSAA of a witch hunt.

Can you just imagine what would happen if graduation credits were involved here, rather than simply the results of a football season? Just a thought, as we can't help but wonder whether this debate might come to sports-crazed Florida, too.

(Times photo, Will Vragovic)

November 20, 2008 in High Schools | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today's news

TUITION TO RISE: The state has no extra funds, but Florida's universities say they need some. So Gov. Crist announces a plan to let all 11 public universities increase tuition by up to 15 percent. FAU president Frank Brogan says that's an important step, the Palm Beach Post reports. (Times file photo illustration)

GOOD GRADUATION NEWS: Pinellas sees its usually dismal graduation rate rise as the state's rate also increases to its highest recorded level. Pasco's dropout and graduation rates also improve dramatically. (Expect these grad rates to fall next year if the feds move ahead with a plan to discount GED completers.) The Miami Herald's cheery take: Pending budget cuts could take down the very programs that are helping so many teens.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Proposals to merge some Pinellas middle schools leave parents and teachers seeking answers about what it would mean for them and the students.

STAY SECULAR: Hillsborough's calendar committee recommends a school year without days off for religious holidays. Many parents didn't show much love for Fair Day or Strawberry Festival Day, either.

THAT WAS EASY: Pasco's board names two new schools in record time after the communities they will serve.

TIME TO MOVE: The Pinellas School Board finally takes needed steps to tackle long-simmering issues, the Times editorializes. The Florida Legislature, meanwhile, must wake up and see it is indeed time to act on the state's financial crisis now and not later, the Times editorializes.

AN INSPIRATION: The Great American Teach-In lets kids see their parents and community members as role models for the future, columnist C.T. Bowen writes.

TOP OF THE CLASS: East Bay student's hectic pace comes from drive and desire; Teamwork makes Bevis Elementary a Blue Ribbon School; Persevering teacher takes own advice: 'Believe in yourself'

FACING THE CHALLENGE: Three southwest Florida superintendents talk with community leaders about the financial issues plaguing their districts, the Naples Daily News reports. Lee's superintendent says expect more cuts, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

THANKS, BUT NO: FAU president Frank Brogan declines a $50,000 bonus, saying the economy doesn't warrant it, the Sun-Sentinel reports. More from the Palm Beach Post.

GEE, WONDER WHY THEY PICKED HIM? Northwest Florida State College picks newly appointed Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom to be its vice president for planning and development, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

HE CAN STAY: The Jackson School Board upholds a recommendation to suspend but not fire a teacher who used the n-word in class to describe Barack Obama, the Panama City News-Herald reports.

PLAYING POLITICS: An Alachua board member wins her second term, this time by a 2-1 margin, but still can't get her colleagues on the board to let her be the chairman, the Gainesville Sun reports.

November 20, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 19, 2008

Proposal: Hillsborough should stick with secular calendar

A committee of parents, teachers and school officials recommended this afternoon that Hillsborough schools stick with an "academic" calendar recognizing no religious holidays, including Good Friday.

The group was not discouraged by the mass skip day that marked Good Friday 2008, the first time in years that Hillsborough held classes on the holiday. Several members called a frenzy of media attention a big factor in keeping almost 60 percent of students at home.

"It was a media circus more than anything," said Tammy Cummings, president of the Hillsborough council of PTSA organizations. "They chose to keep their children home because of fear."

Continue reading "Proposal: Hillsborough should stick with secular calendar" »

November 19, 2008 in Hillsborough County | Permalink | Comments (20)

A new person to talk to at the FDOE

The Florida Department of Education has a new leader in its communications department, nearly six months after Jennifer Fennell left that role for life in the private sector.

Now heading the PR charge is Erin Geraghty, who has been spokeswoman for the state's beleaguered Department of Children and Families for two or so years. Before that, the 2002 UNF grad served as a voice for the Departments of Elder Affairs and Community Affairs.

In other words, she's well versed in government speak, Tallahassee style.

In an e-mail to reporters, Geraghty promised to "continue to push openness, transparency and accountability in government." We sure hope so.

November 19, 2008 in State Board of Education | Permalink | Comments (0)

Florida's grad rate at record high

Florida's high school graduation rate jumped to a record 75.4 percent last year, up a full 3 percentage points from the year before, according to data released by Gov. Charlie Crist's office a few minutes ago.

The overall numbers showed big increases for black and Hispanic students, up 3.8 and 3.1 percentage points, respectively. And the district-by-district tallies show a whopping jump for Pinellas, from 67.3 to 74.4 percent.

"I am so proud of our schools, teachers, and students for this tremendous achievement," Crist said in a written statement. Added Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith: "These results reinforce the tremendous academic progress our students have made over the last decade and prove that Florida is home to some of the best teachers in the nation."

Around Tampa Bay, Hillsborough's rate moved from 79.1 to 80 percent. Pasco's climbed from 73.7 to 79.5 percent. And Hernando's went from 75.1 to 76.9 percent.

According to the DOE, Florida's grad rate is up 15.2 percentage points since the 1998-99 school year.

November 19, 2008 in Graduations | Permalink | Comments (8)

Kurdell elected Hillsborough School Board chair

Fresh off the campaign trail, Carol Kurdell is the new chair of the Hillsborough School Board.

The board also elected Susan Valdes as vice chair at last night's annual reorganization meeting. The leadership positions are rotating ones on the Hillsborough board.

This caps off an election season in which voters returned four incumbents to the board. Jack Lamb and Doretha Edgecomb were re-elected without opposition. Valdes won a second term during a primary race, and Kurdell earned a sixth term on the board in a run-off election.

(Photo: Hillsborough School Board chair Carol Kurdell)

November 19, 2008 in Hillsborough County | Permalink | Comments (1)

Making good on her first promise

During her campaign for office, Joanne Hurley promised she'd be a full-time Pasco County School Board member if elected.

Now that she's sworn in, Hurley tells the Gradebook that her days of service to Florida's Turnpike Enterprise are numbered.

"My last day is Dec. 12," Hurley said, adding that she'll be spending many of the intervening days on vacation tending to board business anyway.

After that, she's all yours. And Hurley said she plans to keep another of her promises, talking to lots of residents, visiting schools and responding to the loads of e-mails she expects to get about school district issues.

Somewhere out there, a retired Marge Whaley (whom Hurley replaced) is smiling.

November 19, 2008 in Pasco County | Permalink | Comments (2)

Calendar in question? Ask the parents

After watching Hillsborough feud for years over which holidays to observe, we found Bay County's method of seeking consensus quaint but refreshing.

The Panhandle district doesn't give the community the final say, but it lets residents vote online on which of two proposed academic calendars they like the best.

"This is a step in the right direction to get more community involvement," Lendy Willis, Bay's executive director of curriculum, told the Panama City News-Herald. "The more community input and involvement, the better we can guide our school system."

Granted, Bay County's population is quite different than Hillsborough's. Probably fewer arguments over the relative value of Easter vs. Yom Kippur or Eid al-Fitr, for instance. Still, it seems to have found a way to at least hear what folks have to say without having its disputes aired on national television.

November 19, 2008 in Parents and Education | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today's news

TALKING TAXES: As Florida's budget scenario worsens, many education leaders suggest different ways to raise revenue in support of schools. (Image from photos.com)

SPEAKING OF REVENUE SHORTFALLS ... Pinellas decides to close five elementary schools, reorganize fundamental schools and look at canceling bus service for some students to save $40-million. Pasco, meanwhile, plans a Dec. 1 budget workshop to look at ways to cut close to $16-million. In one of the state's biggest single cuts, Miami-Dade slashes $89-million in spending, the Miami Herald reports.

CHARTERS APPROVED: Hillsborough authorizes four new charter schools and rejects the applications for two others. Miami-Dade approves 19 new charters, the Miami Herald reports.

HELPING DROPOUTS: Hernando considers hiring a private online firm to get at-risk high school students to graduate.

BIG GIFT FOR ECKERD: Miles Collier, chairman of Eckerd College's trustees, pledges a $15-million matching grant to the school to help build a new science building.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Pasco's marching bands take their exams on the field; Optimist Club's Unsung Hero goes from truant to tutor.

BREAKING STEREOTYPES: St. Johns looks to hire more black male teachers, the Florida Times-Union reports.

WHO'S TEACHING THE KIDS? In Manatee, it's more possible that the teacher might be a sub who doesn't even have a college degree as the district aims to save money, the Herald-Tribune reports. More from the Bradenton Herald.

BARGAINING CHIP: Florida teachers should consider whether merit pay might be an acceptable tradeoff for education funding, the Palm Beach Post editorializes.

FEDERAL INVESTIGATION: The FBI looks into possible bid tampering in Polk schools, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

GRADING MATTERS: St. Lucie moves to set a more uniform grading system, but teachers balk at having little input, the Fort Pierce Tribune reports.

SHE'S OUTTA HERE: Lori Portillo, the St. Lucie teacher who let her kindergarten class vote an autistic classmate out, is suspended for a year, according to the Port St. Lucie News.

BE ETHICAL: A community group asks Palm Beach educators to sign an ethics pledge, the Palm Beach Post reports. Meanwhile, in Jackson County, some residents question the outcome of a teacher's discipline case after learning the superintendent is related to the teacher, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

LEVY BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS: Billy Morrison sent his letter to Gov. Charlie Crist a month after being arrested for indecent exposure, the Gainesville Sun reports.

November 19, 2008 in Daily News Report | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 18, 2008

New leadership for Pasco schools

The Pasco School Board swiftly and unanimously selected its new leaders for the coming year. Frank Parker, previously the vice chairman, became the board chairman. Allen Altman took the vice chair post, lining up to become chair next year.

Both Altman and Parker were elected in 2006.

Just before the reorganization, Judge Stanley Mills swore in superintendent Heather Fiorentino, who won reelection two weeks ago, unopposed incumbent board member Kathryn Starkey and newly elected board member Joanne Hurley. (Click on the pictures for larger images.)

The big issue ahead remains the budget, which faces cutting amid declining state revenue. Hurley and other board members said they hope to quickly call a workshop to discuss priorities with Fiorentino and her administration.

November 18, 2008 in Pasco County | Permalink | Comments (2)

Pinellas considers fundamental school changes

Pinellas school officials are proposing a significant change in the make-up of the district's fundamental middle school system. Under a plan announced this afternoon, the district would close Southside Fundamental Middle School in St. Petersburg and Coachman Fundamental Middle School in Clearwater and move both programs to new schools.

Southside would move to Madeira Beach Middle School, and neighboring Madeira Beach Elementary would become a fundamental elementary school, forming the district's only K-8 campus. Coachman would move to Kennedy Middle School in Clearwater.

District officials said students at Kennedy and Madeira Beach would be given the opportunity to stay at their respective schools next year, providing they agreed to abide by fundamental school rules. The rest would be reassigned to other schools.

The moves are part of an overall plan to cut the budget and deal with declining enrollment. They also would substantially increase the number of fundamental middle school seats in the county, which are in demand. Officials said the district would save money by closing Southside and Coachman and filling up Madeira Beach and Kennedy.

Minutes ago, the School Board tenatively approved the ideas at a workshop. Board members plan to take a final vote Dec. 9.

Board members delayed a decision on the proposed closing of five elementary schools, saying they needed more information and time to study the issue. The board will meet to discuss the potential closings at a workshop Dec. 2.

NOTE
One fact that did not become clear until late this afternoon: This year's sixth and seventh graders at Southside would have the choice of attending the new fundamental program at Madeira Beach Middle or Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle next year.

- Thomas C. Tobin, Times Staff Writer

November 18, 2008 in Pinellas County | Permalink | Comments (170)

House reorganizes education oversight

With money - and the relative lack of it - dominating Florida politics, House Speaker Ray Sansom not surprisingly has split up the responsibility for education finances and policy for the coming legislative session.

The new set-up, approved today, establishes an Appropriations Council for Education and Economic Development with four standing committees, and an Education Policy Council with three standing committees. The organizing legislation details the breakdown on pages 21 and 22.

Still no word on who will run the councils and committees, but rumor has it that Rep. Anitere Flores of Miami -- already tabbed to serve as deputy majority leader -- is a likely candidate to run the appropriations council. The names Marti Coley and John Legg frequently pop us as possible leaders, too. We'll let you know as we hear more details.

November 18, 2008 in Legislation | Permalink | Comments (3)

Homework again? D'oh!

When it comes to homework, parents and teachers are not on the same page, according to this national study released this week by the National Education Association and Sylvan Learning.

Two in three parents think teachers assign homework to cover material they don't have time to teach in class, but only 17 percent of teachers say that's right. Meanwhile, one in three parents wishes they didn't have to be so involved with homework, compared to 62 percent of teachers who say parents need to be more involved.

What would an education study be without a gender gap: 67 percent of fathers say they help with their kids' homework, but moms say pops is only helping out 36 percent of the time.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

(Times file photo, 2006)

November 18, 2008 in Parents and Education | Permalink | Comments (7)

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