Weekend interview with a (gr)easy rider, student inventor

When Colin Coon chose his senior project, he decided to go really big. A senior at New Gate School in Sarasota, Colin bought a 1980 diesel Mercedes station wagon and rigged it so that it runs on used vegetable oil. He will take off Saturday on a cross-country road trip, expected to last about six weeks and take him about 8,500 miles. You can follow his exploits on his blog. He spoke with reporter Ester Venouziou about his road trip plans.

Are you an environmentalist?

"Not really ... I'm more interested in how wind and water and sun energy can power (a car) than in the green aspects."

So I guess you must know a lot about cars?

"I've been working on cars with my dad since I was 6. I love pulling things apart and putting things together.  ...  and ever since I heard of using vegetable oil, I've been fascinated by it."

What's this costing you?

Colin says he's getting sponsors and donations to raise about $8,500. That will help cover the cost of the car ($5,000); a Greasecar conversion kit ($1,000) that lets the diesel car run on vegetable oil; initial repair work including a new filtration system ($2,500); and money for maintenance during the trip ($1,000), including oil changes, tires and other things that might come up. He plans to cut costs by staying mostly with friends and relatives along the way. The drive will be mostly solo, though some friends plan to join him for parts of the ride.

How does veggie driving work? And is it working?

Thousands of teachers rally against budget cuts

ORLANDO – Three days before the start of the most cash-strapped legislative session in decades, thousands of teachers and other school employees rallied this morning to send a message to lawmakers: Find the money.

“What I need someone to explain to me is why budget cuts for education are so high on the list,” said Don Manly, 66, a special education teacher in Pinellas who got up at 5:30 a.m. to board a rally-bound bus at St. Petersburg High. “We can’t sacrifice education for the next generation.”

“We don’t bring in money right now, but we’re creating people that are going to make up these careers and create revenue for the economy,” said Glennda McCallister, a Pasco teacher who caravaned to the rally with family and fellow teachers. “Everybody looks at (education) as a cost. It’s not. It’s an investment.”

Today's education news: School improvement, nursing college, teacher raises and more

MAKING THE GRADE: Every student's individual performance matters as Just Elementary seeks to get rid of its D in Florida's school grading system. (Times photo, Kainaz Amaria)

CONGRATS: Coachman Fundamental celebrates teacher Bridget Bohnet's selection as Pinellas Teacher of the Year.

HISTORY FAIR GROWS: Pinellas sees an increasing number of schools and students competing in its annual history competition. (Winners listed)

LOOK FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE: Florida lawmakers need to take a longer view when considering the state's public education budget, the Tallahassee Democrat editorializes. • Lawmakers have some tough choices as the budget falls far short of expectations, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

LAYOFFS LAST: Treasure Coast school districts make it a priority to cut everywhere else before getting rid of teachers, the Stuart News reports.

NURSING WARS: USF Sarasota-Manatee appears to be blocking efforts by Manatee Community College to launch a nursing degree program, the Bradenton Herald reports.

PAY FREEZE OK'D: A special magistrate agrees that Broward does not have to guarantee teachers a raise next year, the Miami Herald reports.

CHARTER FIGHT CONTINUES: The Florida Supreme Court sends a three-year battle over a Palm Beach charter school closure back to the appellate level, the Sun-Sentinel reports. More from the Palm Beach Post.

Visit the Gradebook starting around 11 a.m. for Ron Matus's live report from today's Make Education a Priority rally in Orlando. • Come back again at 3 p.m. for our weekend interview with Sarasota high school student Colin Coon, who's invented a car that runs on vegetable oil.

Bill calls for 'critical analysis' of evolution

Here we go again. As expected, state Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, followed up on a promise from three weeks ago and filed a bill today that would require Florida teachers to offer a "thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution."

As the Florida Citizens for Science noted on its blog, SB 2396 also calls for changes in civics instruction, including adding "the historical context in which the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed." We haven't seen a House counterpart yet. The ACLU has already promised a fight.

*

Daughter of two Dunedin High teachers named 'Unsung Hero'

Thursday evening was a big night for celebrations in the Pinellas school district. In addition to honoring Coachman Fundamental Middle School teacher Bridget Bohnet as the 2009 Outstanding Educator, the district recognized Amanda Hunt, the daughter of two Dunedin High School teachers, for being the superintendent’s “Unsung Hero.”

The award was created to honor family members who support a teacher’s success. Hunt was selected from among 39 nominations for her “undying dedication, love and sacrifice for her family,” according to a district news release.

Eight months ago, Hunt’s brother, Philip, lapsed into a coma while awaiting surgery to remove a baseball-sized tumor from his brain. Hunt returned from Denver, where she was living and working, so that her parents could continue teaching.

She received $1,000 from the Pinellas Education Foundation at Thursday night’s award ceremony at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Other finalists for the Unsung Hero award were Christopher O’Toole, husband of Nancy Velardi, a 10th grade English teacher at Pinellas Park High; Tom Giambarberee, husband of Mary Giambarberee, a teacher at Ponce de Leon Elementary; James Terry, husband of Susan Terry, a teacher at Joseph L. Carwise Middle School; and William W. Turner II, father of Suzanne Pomerantzeff, a teacher at Gibbs High. Each of them received $500 from the foundation.

Donna Winchester, Pinellas Education Reporter

*

Poll: Sales tax for schools?

Should Florida lawmakers create a three-year, 1 percent sales tax to support education?
Yes
No

Voucher supporters say Florida bolsters their case

Whether you like vouchers or not, you should know there is a growing body of research about them in Florida –- and that some researchers point to that research as proof that vouchers help public schools.

Greg Forster, a senior fellow at the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, highlights 10 Florida voucher studies (and other studies from other states) in this new report. Among its findings:

"Contrary to the widespread claim that vouchers hurt public schools, (this report) finds that the empirical evidence consistently supports the conclusion that vouchers improve public schools. No empirical study has ever found that vouchers had a negative impact on public schools."

There’s plenty of back and forth on all this, of course. Last year, other researchers accused the Friedman Foundation of distorting the conclusions of one of those reports.

Ron Matus, State Education Reporter

*

UF calls on supporters to lobby lawmakers on its behalf

It's no secret that Florida's university system faces tough financial times. University of Florida president Bernie Machen wants to make sure that lawmakers know just how much UF means to Floridians as the Legislature considers whether to cut its budget, though.

In an e-mail addressed to the Gator Nation, Machen this week urged alumni and other friends of the university to reach out to lawmakers and tell them:

"We need advocates to help us tell the story of the University of Florida and how it benefits our state. The more we can communicate with our elected officials about UF's education, research and public service, the better informed they will be during this budget cutting time."

Not sure what to say? The university has set up a nifty Web site -- Gators for Higher Ed -- that offers talking points on its legislative agenda. It's filled with information about tuition, budgets, matching gifts, construction funds and more.

"The legislative session runs from March 3 until May 1," Machen advises, "so time is of the essence."

Democrats take aim at third grade retention, and then some

House Democrats filed two bills this week that seek to erode Florida’s controversial third grade retention policy.

• HB 1231, filed by Rep. Bill Heller, D-St. Petersburg, would create an appeals process for students marked for retention.
• HB 1203, filed by Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie, would end mandatory retention altogether, along with use of the 10th grade FCAT as an exit exam.

The current policy, established in 2003, already includes a number of exemptions, themselves the subject of heated debate. Heller’s bill would open the door for additional exemptions for students with unusual circumstances, such as “physical or emotional trauma resulting in test anxiety” or “unusual test anxiety, especially when it arises from being threatened with retention.”

Kiar’s 66-pager goes far beyond retention, gunning for the heart of Jeb Bush’s accountability system. Among other things, it proposes to replace Florida’s school grading system with “performance categories” (Dems have filed similar bills in the past) and to redirect school recognition bonus money to remediation programs.

Kiar probably doesn’t have a snowball’s chance (the Leg is a GOP world, after all) but polls suggest that plenty of Floridians might root for him.

Ron Matus, State Education Reporter (Image from Pinellas school district)

*

Today's education news: Funding flexibility, student loans, rally in Orlando and more

PINELLAS' TOP TEACHER: Bridget Bohnet, a math teacher at Coachman Fundamental, is named Pinellas Teacher of the Year 2009. (Times photo of Bohnet, far left, by Kathleen Flynn)

ONE-STOP SHOPPING: Florida college officials welcome President Obama's proposal to remove private lenders from providing federal student loans.

PROTECTING PREPAID PROGRAM: The Florida State University System and the Prepaid College Board reach an agreement on tuition values to keep the popular program running.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Athenian Academy of Pinellas wins approval to add eighth grade • Hernando County reading festival has kids in mind

FINDING FLEXIBILITY: Senate Education Pre-K-12 chair Nancy Detert rolls out bills intended to give school districts more leeway in how they spend their money, the Bradenton Herald reports.

SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE BIG: Hundreds of Manatee teachers plan to attend Saturday's "Make Education A Priority" rally in Orlando, the Bradenton Herald reports. •  Lee, too, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. • Broward educators and parents practice with a rally of their own in Fort Lauderdale, the Miami Herald reports.

'PROTECT OUR PROFESSORS': Florida State students aim to raise $100,000 by mid April to help save faculty members who are in danger of being laid off, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

MORE BUDGET NEWS: St. Lucie parents offer views on cost-cutting measures, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports. • Florida International University seeks $11 million from the state to support its new college of medicine, the Miami Herald reports. • USF needs more money before it can open a satellite campus in North Port, the Herald-Tribune reports. • Clay increases the number of people it plans to lay off, the Florida Times-Union reports.

*

Board of Governors approves new Florida Prepaid agreement

Members of the board that oversees Florida’s 11 public universities unanimously agreed this morning on a plan they say will allow for needed resources to the schools while protecting the state’s prepaid tuition program.

The agreement between the Board of Governors and the Prepaid College Board guarantees that the prepaid program will increase payments to the universities by at least 6 percent but no more than 6.5 percent every year, even if tuition increases rise above those levels.

The move comes in anticipation of expected increases in tuition that will be discussed during the upcoming Legislative session. Five universities already have been granted authority to exceed base tuition set by the state, and legislation has been filed to give the same power to the rest.

The agreement is contingent upon approval by the Legislature.

Donna Winchester, Higher Education Reporter

*

Florida's pre-K program does the job, DOE says

It's that time of year again when the Florida Department of Education issues its annual report on how well (or poorly) the state's preschools did in preparing our 4-year-olds for kindergarten.

The latest pre-K readiness rate report shows that 92.5 percent of children who participated in Florida's Voluntary Pre-K program were academically ready or near ready for kindergarten, compared to 83 percent of the children who did not participate in VPK.

"These latest results reinforce that children who participate in Florida's VPK program are better equipped to embrace a lifetime of learning," Agency for Workforce Innovation interim director Cynthia Lorenzo said in a news release. "Quality early learning experiences provide the foundation that children need to be avid learners, caring citizens and ultimately conscientious contributors to our workforce and our future."

Just remember: Elementary schools evaluate kindergarteners' readiness as much as a month into kindergarten. And preschools need not take baseline data when children enter, in order to see how much they've grown. So a student's readiness could be based on the first weeks of kindergarten, the pre-K curriculum, or perhaps just work they've done at home with mom and dad.

Still, if you want to know how well a specific preschool's students did, you can check out the state's searchable database of VPK providers. At least you'll know which ones have the most successful completers.

*

Obama plan would end banks' role in federal loans

Here's a change worth noting in the 2010 federal budget proposal unveiled today by President Barack Obama: it would abolish the private sector's role in dispensing federal student loans for college.

Beginning with the 2010-11 school year, students would take out loans from Uncle Sam himself through the long-established Direct Loan Program. Federal officials say the move would save $47.5 billion over 10 years, compared to the private sector Federal Family Education Loan program.

Why don't kids want to be plumbers?

High school students want to be computer programmers, businessmen, engineers, doctors, musicians, even journalists, according to a new national survey. But only 6 percent of them want to be carpenters, electricians or plumbers, even though skilled tradesmen are in demand (at least when the economy's humming) and often make good money.

Respondents said the trades don't interest them; they're not mechanically inclined; they don't think it's cool. But industry leaders think attitudes would change if students knew more about trades and if high schools offered more vocational courses –- something school leaders in Florida have been working on.

For what it's worth, kids, master plumbers with five to seven years' experience can swat down $100,000 a year.

In related news, veterinary technologists have one of the most recession-proof jobs around, according to this CBS Evening News story that includes students from the Vet Tech Program at St. Petersburg College.

Ron Matus, State Education Reporter

(Times file photo)

*

Florida Prepaid founder seeks to save the program

Stan Tate thinks a bill to let Florida universities increase their tuition will kill the Florida Prepaid College Plans system by making it too expensive for families to get a foothold.

So he's pledging half a million dollars of his own money to fight the initiative.

"It's going to cost a lot of money to do this, and I'll spend as much as I need to because this is my legacy," Tate, who founded the program that now bears his name, told the Palm Beach Post. "People don't understand, 20 years from now, what this will mean."

(Photo from Florida Prepaid College Plans)

*

State upholds Escambia's right to increase teacher work load

School districts across Florida are looking to have teachers teach more periods as a way to cut down on the need for more teachers.

As we've seen in Pinellas, though, the fight is a tough one.

A new ruling by the Public Employees Relations Commission over Escambia's move to assign teachers six of seven periods (instead of five) might change the playing field.

In its decision, the PERC reversed a hearing officer to assert that "the School District's decision to increase the number of class instruction periods was a management right, subject only to the right of impact negotiations before implementation."

"This case will be welcome news to many districts statewide that are moving in the direction that Escambia went last April in anticipation of the tough budget times," Escambia School Board member Jeff Bergosh said in an e-mail to the Gradebook.

He also blogged about the issue, calling the decision "AMAZING."

Other districts pondering such schedule changes might agree. Your thoughts?

*

Today's education news: Ethics, fund raisers, sales taxes and more

OVERTURNED: The Florida Charter School Appeal Commission overrules Hernando's rejection of a charter to Mavericks in Education.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Author Doug Wilhelm shares tips with D.S. Parrott Middle School students • Pine Grove Elementary kids dress as famous figures in living "wax museum" (Times photo, Ron Thompson)

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: That's how the Times editorial board views Gov. Crist's budget proposal.

REACTION IS MIXED: Palm Beach officials cheer the governor's proposal, saying it will stave off deep cuts, the Palm Beach Post reports. • Hillsborough officials aren't so sure, the Tampa Tribune reports. • Treasure Coast schools still expect cuts, too, the Stuart News reports.

MORE EXPLICIT ON ETHICS: Palm Beach tentatively adopts a strict new policy on what teachers can and can't do, the Palm Beach Post reports.

A TAXING PROPOSAL: The Florida Education Association pushes hard for a three-year, 1 percent sales tax increase to support public schools, the Naples Daily News reports. • Teachers are collecting one penny for every Florida public school student to raise lawmakers' attention to the effort, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

NOT INTERESTED: A panel advising Orange superintendent Ron Blocker says four-day school weeks would be a detriment to education, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LESS MONEY FOR MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION: Manatee's decreasing property values threaten to crimp the district's capital projects, the Bradenton Herald reports.

HANDS-ON MATH: Seminole teachers abandon lectures in favor of more interactive math lessons, the Seminole Chronicle reports.

FUND RAISERS HELP OUT: Willis Elementary in Lakewood Ranch raffles off a Jaguar to raise money that would replace funding that has been reduced by the state, the Bradenton Herald reports. • Fort Walton Beach High sophomores find sponsors to donate 11 cents for every A that students earn, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports. • The trend toward raising outside funds for education grows in New York, too, but officials there are wary about relying on such sources, which can be unreliable, the New York Times reports.

*

Pinellas agrees to rehire retired administrator for two months

Despite what appears to be a growing consensus among Pinellas School Board members to not rehire employees who retire under the Deferred Retirement Option Program, known as DROP, the board voted unanimously Tuesday night to do just that.

The board approved superintendent Julie Janssen's recommendation to rehire district planning and policy director Allen L. Mortimer, who will retire effective March 31. Mortimer, who makes $96,737 on a 12-month contract, will return May 1 and work for the remainder of the 2008-09 school year.

The rationale?

After a brief discussion, board members agreed that Mortimer, who has been in charge of a massive reorganization of School Board policy, is a key figure whose expertise cannot be duplicated. Since Mortimer’s re-employment would last for only two months, board members concluded that it made sense to return him to his job after the one-month “sitting out” period.

State rethinks enrollment projections for 2009-10

Just days after Gov. Crist released his optimistic education budget, the Legislature's Office of Economic and Demographic Research has changed its expectations for how many students will enroll in public schools next year (click on the "official conference summary" link).

It actually boosted the total number of children in seats from 2,602,108 to 2,607,935. That's still smaller than the current year's student population of 2,613,734, just not by as much.

Around the Tampa area, though, the agency projects several districts to be smaller than in the governor's spending plan, perhaps confirming district officials' concerns that the governor's recommendations offer little guidance. Here are some of the differences:

Hernando - 22,654 (Crist plan) / 22,528 (EDR report)
Hillsborough - 188,582 (Crist plan) / 188,227 (EDR report)
Pasco - 66,789 (Crist plan) / 66,201 (EDR report)
Pinellas - 102,984 (Crist plan) / 103,077 (EDR report)

The state plans to update its revenue estimates in mid-March (see the schedule). Perhaps then we'll have a better idea of how big, or small, the cuts will be.

*

Pinellas school employees hitting the panic button over budget cuts

With the state education budget a moving target, it’s no wonder that school employees are bombarding School Board members with questions about what they can expect over the next few months. Several, including a bus driver, signed up to speak at Tuesday night’s Pinellas School Board meeting at the administration building in Largo.

After their three-minute presentations, which were eloquent and impassioned, School Board member Carol Cook looked directly into the TV cameras and encouraged school employees to “hold on to your hat, continue to give us your input, but don’t draw any final conclusions until we draw them.”

It’s much too early, Cook said, to panic.

“There’s a wide span between being Pollyanna and Chicken Little,” Cook said. “At this point, we’re running back and forth. If we can talk about the necessity of cutting back but also keep it in the proper perspective and know that nothing is a done deal yet, I think it would help all of us.”

Donna Winchester, Pinellas education reporter

*

Teacher who told student to "go back to Africa" may be suspended by state

If a teacher told a black student to go back to Africa, what would be fair punishment?

The state Department of Education is recommending a one-year suspension of a teaching certificate in just such a case, involving a Pinellas middle school teacher.

According to this administrative complaint, Mark Krieger, a health teacher at Oak Grove Middle, reportedly became angry in September 2006 when a student failed to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Krieger told the student he was in a free country and should respect it, and that if the student didn't he should go back to Africa, the complaint alleges.

The district suspended Krieger for 10 days without pay. In a proposed settlement, Krieger agrees to the one-year suspension, along with two years on probation and a requirement that he take a college-level course on cultural diversity. The settlement says Krieger neither admits nor denies the allegations. The Education Practices Commission, which sanctions Florida teachers for misconduct, will consider the settlement tomorrow.

'You can't get more bang for the buck'

This very readable new policy paper on a longer school day reminded us of an issue we forgot to follow up on.

Last summer, David Simmons, R-Maitland, asked Gov. Crist to consider expanding a pilot project that lengthened the school day by an hour at four Central Florida schools – with dramatic results. Simmons estimated the program could be extended to every D and F school in the state for $33 million. To put that in perspective, that’s less than 3 percent of what’s proposed in new spending next year for the class-size amendment.

Alas, the idea is as dead as the 65 percent solution is alive. It's not in the governor's proposed budget. It's not on the Legislature's radar.

"It's a great idea, but it's simply not in the cards," Rep. John Legg, R-Port Richey, chair of the PreK-12 Policy Committee, told the Gradebook not long ago. The reason: In a tight budget year, we can't afford it.

We'll give Simmons, who also pushed unsuccessfully for more flexibility on the class-size amendment, the last word:

"I don't believe that we can afford not to do it. There is no doubt that if anyone wanted to pick the solution, the most effective way of improving the scores, the performance of children, adding an extra hour a day would do it. And the cost is inconsequential compared to the results and gains. You can't get more bang for the buck."

Ron Matus, state education reporter

*

Today's education news: Three-year degrees, four-day weeks, one more rally and more

THAT'S ONE HEFTY READING ASSIGNMENT: Pinellas administrators have more than 16,000 responses to their survey on budget priorities to wade through. (Image from Palm Beach school district)

NEW CFO FOR HERNANDO: Desiree Henegar, Sarasota's deputy budget chief, takes the key post for Hernando just in time to start slashing spending again.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Pasco County Special Olympics celebrates with its athletes • Bayonet Point Middle School students get a taste of restaurant business

MAKE HIM LEAVE: USF vice president Abdul Rao discredited the university and does not deserve his job, the Times editorializes.

NO MORE UNDERGRADS? UF's colleges of nursing and education consider dumping their bachelor's degree programs, the Gainesville Sun reports.

FOUR-DAY WEEK DRUMBEAT GROWS: Broward is the latest district to take up the debate of whether to adopt four-day school weeks to save money, the Sun-Sentinel reports. More from the Miami Herald.

BREVARD BOARD CUTS ITS SALARY: Board members now make the same amount as a first-year teacher - a $2,383 reduction, Florida Today reports. • Polk board members informally agree to cut their pay, too, but won't take official action for two weeks, the Winter Haven News-Chief reports.

NO HIGH SCHOOL FOR MARCO ISLAND: Despite residents' best efforts, the state won't allow Collier to build a new school in the city, the Naples Daily News reports.

PARENTS KEEP SPEAKING OUT: St. Johns parents plan a Rally for Education on Friday, the St. Augustine Record reports.

MORE BUDGET NEWS: Florida Today calls on legislative leaders to take more steps to preserve funding for public education. • FAU profs point to the school's $173 million broadband lease and say they want a piece of it, the Palm Beach Post reports. • Orange schools will now allow raffles and bingo games to raise funds, the Orlando Sentinel reports. • Leon will close a school and end the seven-period day as part of its budget cutting plan, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

THREE MORE YEARS: Orange superintendent Ron Blocker says he'll retire in 2012, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

SEX ED IN EIGHTH GRADE: Volusia will begin its new sex education program in eighth grade, even though some board members wanted it to start in sixth, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

AROUND THE NATION: University fundraisers change their tactics as they try to refill their schools' shrunken coffers, the AP reports. • The concept of three-year college degrees begins to take hold, the NY Times reports. • Parents increasingly turn from 529 accounts to prepaid tuition plans as the investment market sags, the Associated Press reports.

*

Pinellas teachers share ideas on trimming budget

For eight days, Pinellas school employees sent their ideas for trimming as much as a $100 million budget deficit from next year's budget. In the end, their suggestions totaled nearly 17,000 and ranged from the ridiculous -- including some things that the district can't legally do -- to the sublime.

Among the more intriguing ideas:

• Eliminate sports and other extracurricular activities.
• Do away with "boutique" programs such as IB and the new Centers of Excellence designed for students interested in career technical education.
• Persuade the government to allow children of employees to be covered under Florida KidCare so the district won't have to pay their insurance premiums.

We've included the full roundup for a print story that will appear in Wednesday's regional editions. Check back here tomorrow to read all about it.

Donna Winchester, Pinellas Education Reporter

*

Hernando lands finance director

BROOKSVILLE -- It's not a good time for a school district to be stranded in the economic jungle without a finance director.

But the Hernando County School Board may have just found its budgetary scout.

Officials say they have offered the vacant post of finance director to Desiree Henegar, who currently serves as assistant budget director for Sarasota County Schools.

Do Gov. Crist's budget numbers add up?

A chorus of doubt emerged this week as the details of Charlie Crist's education budget emerged.

Superintendents in Clay and Pasco, among others, have noted that the enrollment projections were old, as were the revenue estimates. Senate Education Appropriations chairman Steve Wise criticized Crist for putting temporary federal stimulus funds to use covering recurring costs such as payroll.

"We don't want to give anybody false hopes," Wise told the Gradebook.

Want to sign Jessica's petition? Here's how

Several readers reacted to our interview and story about Jessica Howard's effort to change Florida's virtual education law by asking where they can sign her petition without traveling to Pasco County.

Now there's a way.

Jessica's mom, Wendy, set up an online petition last night.

"Please take a look and if you agree with our petition, sign so that we may create an equal opportunity for all children," she wrote in an e-mail to supporters. "If you have already signed a hard copy, thank you. Please forward to anyone in FL that you think could help our cause."

*

Today's education news: Funding protests, board salaries, recess and more

NOW THAT'S A BAD IDEA: The Hernando School Board balks at cutting teacher pay and administrator contract hours.

SORRY, CHARLIE: Pasco officials doubt Gov. Charlie Crist's rosy budget assumptions as they hear from other sources that their funding projections are getting worse, not better. • Santa Rosa leaders warn of pending teacher layoffs, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

ARE CELL TOWERS SAFE OR NOT? It all depends on whom you ask, as the debate among Hillsborough school officials and parents reveals.

YOU'RE HIRED: The Manatee School Board dismisses public anger to employ two arguably underqualified former elected officials, the Bradenton Herald reports.

PROTESTS GROWING: Lee educators wear red to represent the bloodletting in Florida's education funding, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. • Thousands fill a Brevard auditorium, with thousands more outside, to display their displeasure with the state's education budget, Florida Today reports.

BILLS TO WATCH: Florida legislators propose a variety of ideas, from scaling back the class-size amendment to increasing the state sales tax, to help public schools balance their budgets, the Naples Daily News reports.

CUT THE BOARD FIRST: A Lee School Board member recommends eliminating board salaries, the Naples Daily News reports.

SAVING PREPAID TUITION: The Florida State University System and the Prepaid College Tuition program reach a tentative agreement to keep the prepaid program financially afloat, the Palm Beach Post reports.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT: A crime-ridden Orlando neighborhood vows to clean up its act, with a local high school as the centerpiece of the reforms, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

AROUND THE NATION: A new study shows recess is just as important as the 3 R's for children's success, the New York Times reports. • Virginia lawmakers consider limiting the number of seats in their public universities that go to out-of-state students, the Washington Post reports. • Dallas officials talk about whether mayoral control of schools is a good idea, the Dallas Morning News reports. • Georgia considers shorter school years or shorter weeks, the Florida Times-Union reports.

*

Pasco's principals continue musical chairs

Land O'Lakes High got Mitchell High's principal. Now Mitchell is poised to grab River Ridge High's leader.

River Ridge principal Jim Michaels told his staff today that superintendent Heather Fiorentino had tapped him to run Mitchell, where he served three years as an assistant principal. The move would be effective on or about March 23, the same day Ric Mellin leaves Mitchell to take over Land O'Lakes, so long as the School Board approves.

"It was something the district felt was in the best interest of the district and all schools," Michaels told the Gradebook. "They asked me to go there. It kind of came as a surprise to me."

That leaves River Ridge High looking for a top administrator. The position has not been advertised.

*

Florida college students plan rally in Tally

It's not just folks in the K-12 crowd who are massing their forces to protest cuts to Florida education funding.

Thousands of college students are putting together a rally of their own to show their displeasure with the effects that budget slashing will have on their schooling.

Frank Malatesta, government affairs coordinator for USF's student government, tells the Gradebook that each of Florida's 11 public universities will be sending at least one busload of students to Tallahassee on March 4 to register their anger over cuts to the State University System.

"With tuition differential on the brink of being expanded, we cannot accept a cost shift," Malatesta said in an e-mail.

The people are talking. Are the lawmakers listening? Stay tuned.

*

In Florida, 65% solution still flavor of the week

Come one! Come all! Step right up and take a sip! In the midst of the worst funding crisis in Florida in decades, the Legislature has just the tonic for schools – the 70 percent solution! (Not to be confused with the 65 percent solution.)

In case anyone has forgotten, the 65 percent solution – the idea that if we just made districts spend 65 percent of their operating budgets in the classroom, we'd cut fat and boost student achievement – was all the rage in 2005 before policy wonks of all persuasions got a taste and wrinkled their noses.

In Florida, though, the 65 percent solution is still on the shelf, thanks to Gov. Crist and the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.

Now Crist is putting a new label on the same bottle. The only K-12 policy initiative that got ink in the Friday press release about his proposed budget and legislative priorities was "Truth in Classroom Spending," a moniker for new legislation (HB 883 and SB 1978) that beefs up the 65 percent solution to 70 percent.

The measure "promotes transparency and fiscal accountability in education," the governor's office says. It would leave the task of defining in-the-classroom expenditures to the Department of Education, and require schools to provide that information to parents.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

When cutting budgets, a new phrase will do

While you're ruminating over possible new names for No Child Left Behind, perhaps you also could come up with a new saying for all the Florida school leaders who are trying to slash spending.

Asking people to "think outside the box" has gotten a bit tired. Most recently, it popped up in this story about Clay school officials. But we've seen it in quotes from officials from Gov. Crist on down.

Even some Florida educators are rebelling.

"Think outside the box. Think inside the box. Think wherever you want," Pasco superintendent Heather Fiorentino told her budget advisory committee last week. "We're going to have to get creative."

Over in Lee, district spokesman Joe Donzelli put it this way to WINK News: "We have never been down this road before, so the old saying 'thinking outside the box' doesn't really apply anymore. You need to throw the box away."

Well said. Let's stop recycling this box. Any ideas out there?

(Image from texasswimming.blogspot.com)

A new name for No Child? Let the snarky comments begin

Like the FCAT here in Florida, No Child Left Behind has become one of the most negative brands in education nationally.

Education secretary Arne Duncan's suggestion?

"Let's rebrand it," Duncan told the NY Times. "Give it a new name."

Almost immediately, the commentary ensued. Among the recommendations (according to the New York Times):

• The All American Children Are Above Average Act
• The Mental Asset Recovery Act
• The Act to Help Children Read Gooder

Eduwonk even is having a contest to rename the law. Nearly 150 people already have responded.

Now it's your turn. Get creative, and post your best. If we get enough good ideas, we might be able to dig up a prize.

Today's education news: Online schooling, parent involvement, helping freshmen and more

CUT, CUT, CUT: Since 2007, Florida has reduced core education funding by $1.7 billion. The Times takes a look at what has been cut, and what's likely to come next. The choices are tough in California schools, too, the LA Times reports.

LET ME IN: Pasco home-schooled 7-year-old Jessica Howard wants access to Florida's new K-8 virtual education program. Some lawmakers are taking a look at the law that bars her participation. Join the conversation about this issue.

FLORIDA TOPS: When it comes to anti-bullying rules, Florida leads the way, the Saratoga Springs (NY) Saratogian reports.

PARENTS HELPING PARENTS: Duval hires seven parent-liaisons to give parents advice on how to help their children prepare for the FCAT, the Florida Times-Union reports.

NURSING STUDENTS WELCOME: Schools of nursing in southwest Florida are growing as those in other parts of the state turn away qualified applicants, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

KEEPING FRESHMEN AFLOAT: Collier's "Freshman Academy" program, which clusters freshmen together away from other high schoolers, succeeds in reducing the district's ninth-grade dropout rate, the Naples Daily News reports.

MORE FREE LUNCHES: Central Florida schools see a spike in families qualifying for help with meals, yet worry that many kids are still going hungry, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

ENDOWMENT SINKS: The University of West Florida sees its investments shrink by $15 million, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

STILL SMARTING OVER LOTTO: Many east Florida parents still want to know why the Lotto hasn't boosted the fortunes of public education as promised, Florida Today reports.

NO SUPPORT: The DeBary City Council rejects a resolution asking for stronger financial support of Florida public education, with members questioning the spending habits of the Volusia School Board, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

Coming up

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Tuesday: Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.; Pinellas School Board, 5 p.m.; Charter School Appeals Commission, 10 a.m., Tallahassee

Wednesday: DOE public meeting on secondary-postsecondary articulation, 1 p.m., Tallahassee

Thursday: Florida Board of Governors, conference call, 9 a.m.; Education Practices Commission, administrator hearing panel, 9 a.m., teacher hearing panel, 9:30 a.m., Tallahassee

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

Saturday:  Make Our Schools A Priority rally, 1 p.m., UCF Arena in Orlando

March 3: Pasco School Board, 9:30 a.m.

March 4: Senate Higher Education Committee, 1 p.m.

March 5: Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee, 10:45 a.m.; Senate Education and Higher Education appropriations committees, 3:45 p.m.

March 10: Pinellas School Board, 10 a.m.; Hillsborough School Board, 3 p.m.

March 17: Pasco School Board, 6 p.m.; State Board of Education meeting, Tallahassee

Today's education news: Teacher morale, rallies for funding, sex education and more

SPLIT OVER SCHEDULING: Pinellas district officials are pleased they saved money in their effort to change the middle school schedule, but teachers say that the initiative busted morale long-term because it violated their contract. (Image from samedaymarriage.com)

ELEVATOR INTERVIEW: Some USF students learn about how to interview for a job by competing in an elevator speech contest.

RALLY FOR EDUCATION: About 1,500 turn out in Lee to demand better funding for Florida's public schools, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. • Florida Today urges Brevard residents to speak up for school funding when the community has a town hall meeting with legislators on Monday.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HOLDING EDUCATION HARMLESS? Florida lawmakers need to fix the state's education funding mess -- with or without a stimulus package, the Tallahassee Democrat editorializes.

MORE SEX ED: Volusia moves to an abstinence-plus sex education program, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

4-DAY WEEK? Florida lawmakers aim to give school districts that option to save money, but educators aren't too keen on the idea, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

VIRTUAL CONUNDRUM: State law requires all Florida districts to offer a K-8 online school by the fall, yet the cost to set it up is proving troublesome, the Herald-Tribune reports.

WHO'S AFFECTED BY CUTS? Florida Today interviews Brevard school employees who face possible layoffs.

RETIREMENT SCAM? UF looks into abuses of the state retirement program, the Gainesville Sun reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Figuring out the financial aid form for college isn't so easy, the NY Times reports. • As New York class sizes grow, the debate increases over whether smaller classes are actually better, the NY Times reports. • D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee says she's no longer looking into a "state of emergency" declaration to get out of collective bargaining, the Washington Post reports.

A weekend interview with virtual education petitioner Jessica Howard

Jessica Howard, 7, has received schooling from her mom, Wendy, in her Pasco County home for the past year. When the family looked into using the state's new K-8 virtual school program to supplement its curriculum, it learned that wasn't an option. State law requires that children sit in a public school classroom the year before enrolling in the online courses. So Jessica is petitioning to change the law. She spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek about her effort.

What is it exactly that you want lawmakers to do?

I want them to change a portion of House Bill 7067.

What is House Bill 7067?

It provides virtual school. But it says I have to go to public school for a year to be able to do this program. So we're trying to change the law so it does not discriminate against me and other kids who are coming out of private or home school.

Why do you want to do virtual schooling?

Because it has the online teacher to help.

Why is that important to you?

Today's education news: The governor's budget, a cell phone ban, a question about sixth graders and more

CHANGE OF HEART: Abdul Rao -- the USF VP accused of bicycle stealing -- decides he doesn't want to resign after all. USF officials say he'll have to take it up with their lawyers. (His bio page on the university Web site is already deleted.)

LOVING THE STIMULUS PACKAGE: Gov. Crist's new budget relies on federal funds and cheery economic predictions to increase education spending -- although he does propose to increase tuition. District leaders remain "cautiously optimistic," the Stuart News reports. More from the Palm Beach Post.

NO MORE CELL PHONES: Learning Gate Community School, a charter school, bans cell phones amid too many text messages and calls during class.

TARGETING THE GAP: A Pinellas community group aims to help shrink the county's achievement gap.

A CLASS SIZE PROBLEM: If Florida lawmakers can't fix the class-size amendment's flaws with bills, then it should ask the voters to change the mandate, the Times editorializes.

TREAT THE KIDS RIGHT: Florida needs to make children and education more of a priority, Early Childhood Initiative Foundation president David Lawrence writes in a guest column to the Times.

STRONGER STEPS: Cape Coral makes strides towards establishing a city-sponsored K-12 charter school system, the Cape Coral Daily Breeze reports.

WHERE SHOULD 6TH GRADERS GO? Two Duval School Board members want them to go to elementary school and not middle school, the Florida Times-Union reports.

ABOUT THOSE APPOINTMENTS: Manatee faces criticism for hiring two former elected officials to positions they're questionably qualified for, the Bradenton Herald reports.

TIME FOR TRANSFORMATION: UF officials plan to use the recession to change the way the university does business, the Gainesville Sun reports.

MORE DUAL ENROLLMENT: A growing number of Palm Beach high school students takes college courses as a way to get ahead and save on tuition costs later, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

CUTS HURT: A Brevard principal explains exactly how another round of spending cuts will affect students, Florida Today reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Jessica Howard, a Pasco County 7-year-old who is petitioning the Legislature to change Florida's virtual education law.

Crist proposes slightly more money for schools

Florida schools can only hope it's not a mirage.

After being rocked by cut after cut over the past 17 months, they'd get a small boost in the $66.5 billion proposed state budget unveiled today by Gov. Charlie Crist. The plan would raise per-pupil spending to $7,044, up $183 from the current year but still down from its peak of $7,306 two years ago.

Crist relies heavily on the federal stimulus, using $1.8 billion of it for education. PreK-12 would get $21.8 billion under Crist's proposal. State universities would get $3.6 billion, up 5.6 percent. Community colleges would get $1.8 billion, up 8.8 percent.

But the plan's fate is far from certain. State revenues continue to drop, with some predicting next year's shortfall could top $5 billion, or $2 billion more than was expected just a few months ago. School officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the governor's numbers continue to add up.

Poll: Pay cuts vs. layoffs

Would you be willing to take a pay cut to avoid layoffs?
Yes
No

A Democrat pushes teacher tenure reform

There's no doubt the Jeb/GOP imprint on the pending teacher tenure bill will lead some people to dismiss it outright. But the truth is, more and more calls for tenure reform are coming from blue-state, donkey types.

The latest example: Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

As the Columbus Dispatch reported recently, Strickland, a Democrat, is pushing a far-reaching bill that would:

• Judge teachers on student achievement;
• Make it easier to fire bad teachers; and
• Delay eligibility for tenure from three years, where it is now in Ohio (and in Florida), to nine years.

The Dispatch quotes Raegen Miller, a senior policy analyst for the left-leaning Center for American Progress: "Currently, everybody knows a fair number of teachers wind up getting tenure and then proceed to be chronically ineffective."

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Rally against school cuts expected to draw thousands

Thousands of teachers from Tampa Bay and throughout Florida are making plans to caravan to Orlando next week for a rally against historic cuts in education spending.

Sponsored by the state teachers union, the Feb. 28 Make Our Schools A Priority rally at the UCF Arena is expected to draw at least 5,000 teachers and other school employees just three days before the opening of this year's legislative session.

"Teachers are somewhat complacent. We moan and groan in the teachers' lounge," Beverly Ledbetter, a Pasco High School history teacher who plans to go, told the Gradebook. "But there's a time to step forward."

The Pinellas teachers union has chartered three buses and is expecting more than 100 people. The Hillsborough teachers union has chartered enough buses for 250.

The rally is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Speakers include representatives from the Florida Education Association, the Florida School Boards Association, the Florida PTA and the NAACP. For more information about travel arrangements, call:

• 727-585-6518 in Pinellas
• 813-238-7902 in Hillsborough
• 813-996-2119 in Pasco

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Today's education news: Graduation costs, UF records, stabilization funds and more

ONE UNPAID DAY: It would save Pasco schools $1.9 million, so a budget advisory committee is exploring whether to pursue the idea. (Photo from Times Online)

WINNER: Powell Middle seventh grader Terrance Hudson wins the governor's Black History Month essay contest.

HACKED: The personal information for more than 97,000 people in one of UF's computer systems has been accessed, the AP reports. The university has set up a hotline to help those who think they might be affected, the Orlando Sentinel reports. More from the Gainesville Sun.

SHOW US THE MONEY: Eighteen members of Florida's Congressional delegation ask the US Department of Education to give the state stabilization funds for education, Florida Today reports. But even if the state gets the money, it's not enough to cover the budget hole, the Herald-Tribune reports.

GRADUATION COSTS HOW MUCH? The Palm Beach School Board rejects spending more than $435,000 to rent venues for high school graduations, the Sun-Sentinel reports. More from the Palm Beach Post.

LAST HIRED, FIRST FIRED: Seniority plays a key role in deciding which Lee teachers will get laid off, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

CREATIVE CUTTING: Clay officials say they'll look outside the proverbial box for savings, the Florida Times-Union reports. Ideas include adopting a four-day week, slashing athletics and reducing employee pay by one day a month.

FIVE IS ENOUGH: Collier decides to drop its pursuit of adding two more School Board members, the Naples Daily News reports.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS: Santa Rosa considers shutting down one of its A-rated schools, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports. • Bay redraws its attendance zones after closing some schools to save money, the Panama City News Herald reports.

Legislature will scrutinize teacher bonuses

The bonus program for national board certified teachers in Florida needs to be scrutinized for effectiveness, the chair of the House PreK-12 Appropriations Committee said today. Rep. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, said she plans to schedule a hearing on the issue within the first few weeks of the legislative session, which begins March 3.

Her comments came after the committee was presented with one page of Department of Education data that suggests national board certified teachers aren’t much more effective than their counterparts who are not national board certified.

“I think we have to have further discussions … about the effectiveness of the program,” Flores told The Gradebook. “When we spend such a large chunk of money outside of direct classroom funding, I want to make sure we’re using it in the best way.”

“Maybe it turns out that these numbers don’t tell the whole story,” Flores continued. “I’m hoping they don’t tell the whole story so we can preserve the program.”

Pasco considers an unpaid day to save some cash

Facing budget cuts up to $37 million next year, Pasco County school officials are looking at every expense for possible trimming.

Employee pay, which runs $1.9 million a day and makes up more than 80 percent of the operating budget, offers a big target. And superintendent Heather Fiorentino has taken aim.

In talks with United School Employees of Pasco president Lynne Webb, and then with the district's new budget advisory committee, Fiorentino suggested that one budget cut might be to reduce the 2009-10 work calendar by one planning day.

"You don't have to come in. I don't have to pay you," she explained to the committee this morning.

Webb fell short of endorsing the idea, but she did indicate it was more acceptable than a pay cut. "Telling people they're going to have the opportunity to stay home, they're not going to get pay, is a little different," she said.

Florida’s got work to do making diplomas count

It must be National Education Report Day. This morning it was a Fordham report. Now it’s the annual report from Achieve, which in essence looks at how far states are progressing in making high school diplomas more valuable.

How's Florida doing? Well … it's trying.

The Sunshine State expects to have high school standards aligned with the expectations of college and the workplace by 2010, the report notes. And it's aligning high school graduation requirements with college- and career-ready expectations, and developing college- and career-ready assessment systems.

Florida's hardly alone in being a work in progress. The state out front? Texas.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

*

Report highlights No Child's flaws in Florida

Is No Child Left Behind working in Florida? Yes and no, according to this wonkiferous new report, which dives into the nitty-gritty of how Florida and federal officials structured the AYP system here.

On the plus side, the system is spotlighting schools where poor and minority students are lagging, says "The Accountability Illusion," a joint effort between the Fordham Institute and the Northwest Evaluation Center. (Hear Fordham president Checker Finn explain the report on the group's blog.)

On the down side, some schools appear to be meeting federal standards simply because they have smaller student populations, or because the size of their poor, minority and/or other subgroups are too small to matter under Florida's definition of AYP.

The report takes fresh aim at a No Child system that has allowed states to set wildly different AYP rules for themselves. Many schools that fail to meet federal standards in one state "would fare better if they were just allowed to move across state lines," the report says.

Florida officials have no love for No Child. Jeb Bush criticized it when he was governor and recently talked up Florida's school grading system as more effective. Last summer, Florida moved to a hybrid accountability system that looks at both grades and AYP to determine what kind of intervention and extra help a school should get.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

*

Don't want to cancel class size? Then how about a class size voucher?

You read that right. Class. Size. Voucher.

Freshman Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, has filed a bill with the title "Class Size Grants" that takes a different approach to tackling the 2002 amendment. Rather than scaling back the measure, as key GOP leaders have proposed, Horner suggests this:

"The Class Size Grant Program is established to provide the option to attend a public school other than the one to which a student is assigned, or to provide a grant to a private school of choice, for students assigned to classrooms that exceed the constitutional class size limits." (Emphasis added.)

There's no Senate companion bill yet. But there could be -- along with several other stabs at altering what many lawmakers have called one of the biggest hurdles they face in dealing with next year's budget. Can't wait to hear what the FEA says about this latest one.

*

Today's education news: Rising tuition, shrinking board pay, reconsidering class size and more

SAVING BY RECYCLING: Hernando schools find savings in compacting trash, using waterless urinals, turning their trucks hybrid and other green efforts. (Times photo, Ron Thompson)

STILL FUSSING OVER CELL TOWERS: Hillsborough commissioners try to set up rules that would require the school district to at least listen to parents' concerns before allowing towers on campuses.

ONE MORE TIME: Florida lawmakers plan to take another stab at reducing the requirements of the class size amendment.

HIGHER PAY: Unable to find enough quality candidates for chief financial officer, the Hernando School Board increases the salary range for the job.

PAY TO GO AWAY: USF gives vice president Abdul Rao -- the guy caught on tape stealing a student's bike -- $50,000 to secure his resignation.

TUITION ON THE RISE: A bill that would allow Florida's public universities to increase the amount students pay clears its first Senate hurdle, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. And here's the Palm Beach Post version with updated analysis.

WHATEVER IT TAKES: Lee officials are prepared to fight an audit finding that the district misspent $3.6 million, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

LEAVE ESOL STANDARDS ALONE: The Florida Department of Education decides to recommend no change to the training teachers must receive to instruct students who are still learning English, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

LESS HOMEWORK: Broward adopts a new policy requiring teachers to lessen the load of work they send home with students, the Miami Herald reports.

BUDGET NEWS: Volusia's School Board agrees to cut its own pay by 2 percent, the Orlando Sentinel reports. // UF faculty want to know why the university is recruiting new profs at the same time it's talking about layoffs, the Gainesville Sun reports. // Orange prepares to slash freshman sports, the Orlando Sentinel reports. // Some Florida superintendents are surprised to learn that next year's budget cuts might approach 16 percent, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. // Santa Rosa investigates closing down a school, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

AROUND THE NATION: A new Texas law aimed at stemming dropouts allows adults to sit in the same classrooms with kids, the Dallas Morning News reports. // A handful of GOP governors are talking about rejecting money from the federal spending plan because of the "mile long strings" attached, USA Today reports. // Nits but no lice? More schools are letting kids stay in class if nothing's crawling around, AP reports.

*

Commissioner on stimulus: Strings still attached

With his office inundated with questions, Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith sought this afternoon to provide all the information he had about the federal stimulus package to superintendents and school board leaders.

The biggest news: Even if the state wins access to $2.2 billion in education stabilization funds, there are still caveats to its use.

Districts would be accountable for showing improvements in the equitable distribution of teachers, maintenance of effort in funding, use of standards and assessment, and imposing corrective action on struggling schools. He added that he's seeking clarification on what that all means.

"Although these dollars have ... a broader use (than IDEA and Title I funds in the plan), they are not without some stipulations and requirements," Smith told the leaders during a 15-minute conference call.

He couldn't say when the money might come, how it might be distributed, or how it would affect the anticipated 16 percent budget cuts that districts face for the coming fiscal year. Those things are up to the U.S. Department of Education first, and then the state Legislature and governor.

More immediately, though, he could offer this: The stimulus package could stave off expected 2 percent budget cuts that districts otherwise might have to impose before the end of June.

"It appears that (the cuts) are not as certain to occur now because of some of the Medicaid dollars that are available in this act," said John Newman, Smith's director of policy and budget.

Smith promised to provide further updates to the district leaders as they become available.

Documents provided to superintendents for the call: Preliminary statewide stimulus allocations and National Governors Association analysis of stimulus on education.

*