Today's news

COPS ARE HUMAN TOO: Fifteen police officers visit a Pasco elementary school to read to children, in an effort to teach kids that not all interaction with law enforcement must be negative. (Times photo, Keri Wiginton)

TO RETAIN OR NOT TO RETAIN? A new report shows that Florida schools are more likely to retain minority third-graders than non-minorities, but that the kids who are held back soon perform better on the FCAT than their peers.

GO AHEAD AND STAY: Pinellas considers a plan that would allow thousands of elementary students to remain at their old schools rather than move to their new zoned schools.

NO VISION OR CREATIVITY: Florida lawmakers inflict too much pain on schools and other key services while doing little to help the state's financial position during their budget balancing special session, the Times editorializes.

NOT WORTH THE $85-MILLION: Miami-Dade looks to fire the firm that has botched implementation of its information-technology upgrade, the Miami Herald reports.

CLOSED: A Broward charter school is forced to shut after officials find it operating in a building that doesn't meet code, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

CLOSING: Escambia plans to close an elementary school that has too few students to remain economically viable, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

IT'S A 'CRISIS': Volusia county officials turn their attention to education funding as the school district begins massive budget cuts, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

THEY'RE OUTTA HERE: Three Polk employees at the center of an FBI public corruption investigation resign before they can be fired, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

WATCH YOUR KIDS: Orange officials warn parents of a spike in prescription drug abuse among students, local6.com reports.

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