Florida education news: School start dates, attendance zone changes, contract talks and more

EARLY START: Palm Beach schools will take advantage of their high-performing status to begin classes a week earlier than otherwise allowed in 2010-11, the Sun-Sentinel reports. (Image from bubblecalendar.com)

FORGET IT: Angry Brevard parents say they'll never accept the district's plans to rezone their children to different schools, Florida Today reports.

STOLEN MEMORIES: Miami Palmetto Senior High's yearbook staff returns from a conference to find all its work for the 2010 book gone (along with lots of equipment), the Miami Herald reports.

OFF THE AIR: A Collier School Board subcommittee delays plans to televise its meetings, the Naples Daily News reports.

LABOR NEWS: Polk State College trustees approve employee bonuses instead of raises for the third straight year, the Lakeland Ledger reports. • Contract negotiations fail in Monroe, the Keynoter reports.

THE COST OF SUNSHINE: Santa Rosa district officials ask a judge to let them off the hook in a public records request regarding a recent prayer lawsuit, saying the cost to prepare it would be too high, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

Florida education news: Class size, volunteering, school grades and more

SCHOOL ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATION: Parents charge the high-performing Sanibel School in Lee of turning away low-performing students, the Naples Daily News reports.

CLASS-SIZE THOUGHTS: Brevard schools find compliance with Florida's class-size amendment vexing and look for alternatives, Florida Today reports. • The Florida Senate is looking at options to hold off the final stage of the amendment, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

JUST KEEP WORKING: Post-construction woes at one of Lee's prototype schools will keep crews busy over winter break, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. 

SHOW THEM THE MONEY: The Palm Beach district sues a former high school basketball coach for its share of the money he made in a sports camp run on school property, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

FOR THE SMILES: Ninety-five-year-old Genevieve Russo keeps on volunteering at Pathways Elementary in Volusia, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

SPREADING THE WORD: Nilda Soto, a former migrant farm worker, works to get migrant families into school, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

UPSET WITH D: Families and community leaders in Royal Palm are upset with the reputation a D grade brings to their local high school, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Florida education news: School spirit, class size, funding and more

'WE ARE HUDSON': Hudson High in Pasco has endured its share of detractors, but the school's reality differs quite a bit from the rumors. (Times photo, Keri Wiginton)

A SECOND CHANCE? Hernando should offer teacher Michael Provost another opportunity to teach at the STAR Center, the Times editorializes.

PUNISHING THE WRONG PEOPLE: An attorney for three Polk educators in trouble for accessing student records says his clients did nothing wrong, the Polk County Democrat reports. 

A 'POLITICALLY MOTIVATED CROCK': The lawsuit against Florida's school adequacy makes a good point about funding, but goes too far in its accusations, Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas writes.

SO LONG: Longtime Manatee families bid farewell to historic Manatee High, which is slated to be demolished and replaced, the Bradenton Herald reports.

MOVING SEATS: Broward considers consolidating schools as it works to meet class size requirements with some of its existing 33,000 empty seats, the Sun-Sentinel reports. • Collier schools will need to rezone or add portables to meet the class size amendment, the Naples Daily News reports.

ALL ABOUT RACE: The debate about Palm Beach's curriculum turns on the achievement gap among the races, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

GOING INTERNATIONAL: Florida Gulf Coast University sees an increase in the number of international students attending, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT? A Keys high school class uses used kitchen oil to make biodiesel and hopes to fuel a bus with it, the Miami Herald reports.

ACCESS APPROVED: St. Johns River Community College strikes a deal with Embry-Riddle to guarantee students access to specific four-year degree programs, the St. Augustine Record reports.

Florida education news: Career academies, practical jokes, student records and more

WHO SAYS CAREER ACADEMIES ARE NEW? The Veterinary Sciences Academy at Tarpon Springs High has been around since 1995, this year serving 220 students. (Times photo, Demorris Lee)

CONGRATS: Parrott Middle School ESE paraprofessional Yvette Hart is Hernando's school-related employee of the year. 

FREE DEGREE: UF offers some Pinellas math and science teachers a free master's degree in exchange for making a five-year commitment to their schools.

A GRUELING BATTLE: The latest lawsuit against Florida's schooling system will take a long time to get through, and shouldn't be the only effort to improve the system, the Times editorializes.

HECK NO, WE WON'T GO: A St. Lucie charter school files suit against the school district to stay open, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

DELAYED: The court case of ousted Broward board member Beverly Gallagher is postponed to give her time to cut a deal, the Miami Herald reports.

PRANKSTER IN CHIEF: The principal of Duval's Lee High loves a good practical joke as much as the next person, the Florida Times-Union reports.

ON THE MOVE: Some Merritt Island students are getting a real-life education as they walk to Tallahassee, 10 miles at a time, Florida Today reports.

EVEN TEACHERS MUST FOLLOW FERPA: Some Polk educators are in hot water for inappropriately accessing student records, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

LABOR NEWS: A Pinellas lawyer is telling Monroe teachers that their district doesn't respect their rights, the Keynoter reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with the plaintiffs and lawyers in the latest lawsuit over Florida's school adequacy.

Florida education news: Teacher quality, FCAT prep, school boundaries and more

IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY: Hillsborough celebrates winning a $100 million grant to reform teacher evaluations, pay, preparation and other aspects of the job from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (Times photo, Edmund Fountain)

SPEAKING OF TEACHER QUALITY: Someone has to prepare them, and the Florida Department of Education has decided to rate Florida's teacher preparation programs.

NINE CANDIDATES: Hernando has pared its list of superintendent hopefuls to nine, with interviews to come in January.

TEMPEST, WITH A TWIST: Dunedin High's production of the Shakespeare classic includes puppets, computer graphics and all sorts of different effect.

TOP SUPERINTENDENT: Broward's Jim Notter wins superintendent of the year honors from the state's coalition of education foundations, the Miami Herald reports.

FCAT REWARDS: Osceola schools will give prizes to students who log in to FCAT Explorer over the winter break, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

TEACHING CONTRACEPTION: Collier revamps its sex education curriculum to be clear about the consequences and how to prevent them, the Naples Daily News reports.

COLLEGE COMMITMENT: The first group of students completing Duval's AVID program see the value in pursuing higher education, the Florida Times-Union reports.

CITIES CONCERNED: Broward city leaders want to prevent major school boundary changes that could affect their residents, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

JUST FOR SCHOOLS: Seminole considers going solo in its request for a local sales tax after the County Commission signals its unwillingness to join the effort, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

PARTY ALL THE TIME: UF president Bernie Machen says the school has room to add rigor after a survey shows students feel like they party more than they study, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Florida education news: Teach-In, texting ban, ethics training and more

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE? Gator hunters, soldiers, financial planners and a host of professionals talk to students all around the Tampa area for the Great American Teach-In. More story, plus a photo gallery. (Times photo, Atoyia Deans)

GETTING DAD INVOLVED: Brooker Elementary in Brandon makes sure fathers have a role at the school, too.

CHOICE WORDS: Pasco School Board member Kathryn Starkey speaks her mind, and draws some gasps with her phrasing.

IT'S A MYSTERY: No one is quite sure how Pasco Middle's 1,700-pound football sled disappeared.

AND THE CHAIRMAN IS ... Pat Fagan gets a surprise nomination to lead the Hernando School Board. The board then rejects a deal with a teacher who had been suspended for drug use.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Oldest school in Pasco County celebrates 125th in 1880s manner 

NO  TEXTING ALLOWED: Miami-Dade becomes one of the few districts in the country to ban texting by school bus drivers, School Transportation News reports.

FUNDING LAWSUIT: Parents from Duval County who joined the "adequate funding" lawsuit against Florida government leaders speak about their concerns with the Florida Times-Union. The Orlando parents involved in the suit talk with the Orlando Sentinel. [Note: The Pasco parents haven't called us back.]

WORKING THE CONTRACT: Palm Beach teachers threaten to do no more than required in their contract while they fight the district's curriculum, the Palm Beach Post reports. Some critics say many fear to speak against the superintendent because of possible retaliation, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

LEARN SOME ETHICS: Miami-Dade mandates ethics training for all district employees, the Miami Herald reports.

COPING WITH CRIME: FAMU and Florida State see spikes in violent crimes, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

LABOR NEWS: Citrus teachers reach a tentative contract deal, the Citrus County Chronicle reports. • Charlotte teachers see their health benefits costs rise, the Herald-Tribune reports.

Florida education news: school funding lawsuit, class size concerns, homeless students and more

FINANCING FAILURE: Several Florida families, backed by a phalanx of lawyers, plan to sue the state over its failure to adequately fund a high-quality public education system as required by the state Constitution. (Image from mylegaladvance.com)

GOING FOR IT: The Hillsborough School Board unanimously backs accepting a $100 million Gates Foundation grant to improve teaching. 

STEPPING DOWN: St. Petersburg College president Carl Kuttler says he'll officially leave on Dec. 31.

NO HURRY: Pinellas board members say they want a new fundamental high school — they're just not sure when.

BUILD IT OUT: Hernando will construct a new K-8 school near Weeki Wachee.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Symphony of praise surrounds Stewart Middle band director 

LABOR NEWS: Charlotte teachers reach a tentative contract deal after going to impasse over health benefits, the Herald-Tribune reports. • Hundreds of Broward district employees protest for raises, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

CLASS SIZE CONCERNS: Polk district leaders are wringing their hands over how to implement the next phase of the class size amendment, the Winter Haven News Chief reports.

FEDERAL CASE: Complaints about the way a Sanibel principal treats teachers and staff have made it to the federal Office of Civil Rights for review, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

DOUBLE DIPPER ALERT: Seminole State College's president retires — for a month to claim pension benefits — and then plans to return to the job, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

HOMELESS: The number of Brevard students without homes has doubled, Florida Today reports.

SNEAKY BUSINESS: Monroe investigates a company that appears to have changed minimum job requirements for several administrative positions, the Keynoter reports.

GETTING UGLY: The fight over curriculum in Palm Beach continues, the Palm Beach Post reports.

IMPEACHED: FAMU's student senate votes to begin the process of removing the student government president, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

BIG SAVINGS: Alachua schools save more than $600,000 through energy conservation, the Gainesville Sun reports.

*

Florida education news: School recognition funds, campus smoking ban, lots of twins and more

SMALL VICTORY: Hernando teachers reach a tentative deal on health benefits with the district. 

TALKING CLIMATE CHANGE: USF will host a workshop to discuss how to prepare Tampa for rising waters.

POOR PUNISHMENT: A Miami-Dade teacher who's considered one of the best faces a lengthy suspension neither she nor her students deserve, CBS-4 columnist Jim DeFede writes. 

A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA: Brevard schools spend 94 percent of their recognition funds on bonuses, which come in the mail this week, Florida Today reports.

NO SMOKING: State College of Florida-Manatee considers banning smoking on campus, the Bradenton Herald reports.

PAY ATTENTION: A Lee teacher faces firing for surfing the 'net while two of his special needs students engaged in sex acts right there in the classroom, the Naples Daily News reports.

PAY UP: A Duval charter school gets a new deadline to cough up some of its back rent before its landlord kicks the school to the curb, the Florida Times-Union reports.

FROM SCHOOL TO WORK: Disabled teens in Flagler enjoy the pilot year of Transitions, aimed at giving them work experience before graduation, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU? A Polk elementary school has 11 sets of twins attending, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

PLAYING THE RACE CARD: Critics of Palm Beach superintendent Art Johnson say he's targeting minority families for support after white families bash his curriculum plans, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Florida education news: college enrollment, busing costs, parking problems and more

GOOD, AND BAD: Hillsborough teacher Todd Setter gets glowing reviews for his teaching, but sometimes finds himself in trouble for his behavior. He remains in his classroom, with hopes he won't repeat the bad. (Photo from buddhism101.blogspot.com)

FULL UP: Palm Beach Community College is overflowing with students whose families can't afford university tuition anymore, the Palm Beach Post reports.

ONLINE LEARNING: The popularity of Florida school districts' new virtual education programs grows, but it's not for everyone, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

SEEKING STUDENTS: Florida's private universities are aggressively recruiting students who find themselves unable to gain admission to the state's enrollment-capped public schools, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

A TRANSPORTATION MATH PROBLEM: Lee officials want to know whether school buses would run more efficiently if they carry less fuel, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

GRAB YOUR PARTNER: Some Polk fifth-graders get dance lessons as part of their P.E. instruction, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

EXPECTING BAD NEWS: Florida Keys Community College officials are bracing for some negative findings in an ongoing financial audit, the Keynoter reports.

'CAN I HAVE YOUR SPOT?': University of West Florida students struggle to find a parking place as the school undergoes construction, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

*

Florida education news: Reading lessons, school grades, middle school sports and more

FOR THE LOVE OF READING: Students in River Ridge High's musical theater class create a musical to encourage elementary children to read. (Times photo, Brendan Fitterer)

ANOTHER ACCUSATION: The family of another Walker Middle School student claims their child was repeatedly molested at the school.

ZONING CHANGES: Hernando prepares to change the attendance boundaries for three of its high schools.

BOGUS: Florida's school grading system still doesn't please the Palm Beach Post editorial team.

NOWHERE TO TRAIN: Florida faces a dearth of residencies for medical school students, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

HOW TO DATE: Manatee schools offer courses in boy-girl relationships, the Bradenton Herald reports.

NO ONE'S HOME: A Polk teacher is under investigation after twice putting a kindergartner on a school bus to go home when she wasn't supposed to, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

VIRTUAL DEGREES: Gulf Coast Community College offers six degree programs completely online, the Panama City News Herald reports.

WHO ARE YOU? Santa Rosa schools purchase an online program where teachers can use avatars to communicate with each other, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

WHAT'S GOING ON? Palm Beach parents and teachers are having a tough time figuring out if their schools are still participating in the district's controversial curriculum program, the Palm Beach Post reports.

SPORTS RETURN: St. Johns middle schools will see athletics return thanks to volunteers, the St. Augustine Record reports.

Florida education news: Errant phone calls, charter school eviction, top college president and more

OOPS: Thousands of Pinellas parents and school district employees receive two automated messages from the school district that weren't intended for them.

THAT'S HIS CHOICE: A Hernando teacher who was nearly fired for his off-campus drug use complains about his new teaching assignment.

HELPING HAND: Stetson law students help the Innocence Project of Florida look into claims that some convicts aren't guilty. 

EVICTED: A Duval charter school loses its home, leaving its students unclear where to go come Monday, the Florida Times-Union reports.

FINE TUNING: Some Fort Walton Beach kindergartners work on their fine motor skills by making miniature scarecrows, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

ONE OF THE BEST: Time magazine has honored Miami Dade College president Eduardo Padron as one of the nation's 10 best college presidents, the Miami Herald reports.

NO SURPRISE: Palm Beach leaders knew their new chief academic officer was accused and cleared of FCAT tampering before they ever hired him, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Joe Vitalo, chairman of the Hernando school district superintendent search committee.

Florida education news: Race to the Top, cooperating state boards, computer access and more

THINGS ARE TOUGH ALL OVER: In Pasco, even the affluent schools see spikes in the numbers of students qualifying for free and reduced price meals.

CONTAMINATED: Two Hillsborough schools have elevated arsenic and mercury levels in their soil.

JUST ONE CASE: Health officials find no more students test positive for TB at Plant City High.

HISTORIC GET-TOGETHER: The Florida Board of Education and Board of Governors meet for the first time to talk cooperation, the Palm Beach Post reports.

AND THEY'RE OFF: Florida begins its scramble to win Race to the Top funds, the Miami Herald reports.

GREAT TEACHER: Joe Underwood, a former Miami Vice star who now teaches TV and film production at Miami High, wins the Florida Education Association's top honor and will compete nationally, the Miami Herald reports.

'SERIOUS VIOLATIONS': An audit turns up fraudulent purchases and missing receipts in Palm Beach's credit card program, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

REPRIMAND: Polk's finance director gets in trouble for putting the wrong numbers into this year's financial report, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

TAX TIME: Bay considers asking voters for a half-cent sales tax to support building and technology needs, the Panama City News Herald reports.

SIT-IN: Some University of West Florida students protest the school's decision to cut hours at the campus computer lab, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

Florida education news: Free lunch, bullying, soda ban and more

GROWING NEED: The number of children qualifying for free and reduced-price meals grows in Tampa Bay schools. (Times photo, Douglas R. Clifford)

GOING HIGH TECH: USF considers building a state-of-the-art medical training complex in the Heights area of Tampa.

STOP THE BULLIES: Pinellas offers classes for parents of children who are bullied, as the district faces two lawsuits over bullying in school.

BONUS TIME: Pasco offers one-time bonuses to all administrators and nonunion employees.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Eastside Elementary hosts playful families • Teen Leadership Hernando gives students real-life scenarios 

WATER ONLY? The newest member of the Florida Board of Education proposes banning all sugary drinks in public schools, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

CURRICULUM QUESTIONED: Palm Beach parents plan another protest of the district's new curriculum program, and the superintendent says their plans make no sense, the Sun-Sentinel reports. The district will survey principals to see whether they're implementing the system, the Palm Beach Post reports.

BLOCKED E-MAILS: The Broward administration labels mass e-mails from teachers as spam and blocks them from getting to their destination, the Miami Herald reports.

CAN'T GET ENOUGH: An Indian River teen breaks into school — to surf for porn, the Vero Beach Press-Journal reports.

ACHIEVEMENT GAP: Alachua's black civic leaders confront the growing gap between black students and white students in their community, the Gainesville Sun reports.

TURNOVER: UF offers buyouts to more than 400 faculty members as it seeks to hire 100 new ones, the Gainesville Sun reports.

*

Florida education news: field trips, perfect FCAT scores, smoking ban and more

REVERSE FIELD TRIP: The Tampa Bay History Center brings artifacts and lessons to schools, such as Oakstead Elementary in Pasco, as districts scale back their field trip budgets. (Times photo, Michele Miller)

WHAT'S IN A NAME? A selection committee narrows the naming possibilities for Hernando's new high school to four geographic choices.

MUSICAL CHAIRS: Hernando interim superintendent Sonya Jackson shifts four principals into different schools.

STILL BLOATED: The Pinellas school district needs to cut more from the top, the Times editorializes.

SHUT IT DOWN: St. Lucie plans to close a financially struggling charter school at the end of the semester, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

INPUT WANTED: Brevard seeks parent comments as the district prepares to rezone nine crowded schools, Florida Today reports.

PERFECT: Gary Wang, a Polk seventh-grader, earns perfect FCAT scores — three times, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

TOO MUCH OVERTIME: Broward discovers it has overpaid overtime and looks for solutions, the Miami Herald reports.

WELCOME BACK? St. Lucie gives a new classroom to the teacher who let her kindergarten class vote out a classmate, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

NO SMOKING: UF proposes a smoking ban that would include fraternities and sororities, the Gainesville Sun reports.

*

Florida education news: Costly administration, football pride, magnet schools and more

HEY BIG SPENDER: After vowing to cut administrative costs, the Pinellas school district still remains among the most top heavy in Florida.

TOUGH CALL: Escambia's superintendent stands by his decision to close schools in anticipation of Hurricane Ida, which subsequently was downgraded, the Pensacola News Journal reports. Several Panhandle districts will close Tuesday because of the storm, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

EDUCATION INNOVATION: Florida gets some of the top marks in a new national analysis of state education systems, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

A SOURCE OF SPIRIT: Pahokee High's football team brings pride to an otherwise poor and struggling rural Palm Beach community, USA Today reports.

SHARE THE BLAME: Florida's school system has its flaws, but the parents suing over their children's failure to graduate from the Palm Beach district need to do their part, too, the Palm Beach Post editorializes. 

GRAD COACHES: The Manatee district will hire graduation coaches to help its two D-rated high schools improve their graduation rates, the Bradenton Herald reports.

PLEASE COME: Broward adds three new magnet schools in hopes of luring students to its under-capacity schools, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

LABOR NEWS: Central Florida Community College finds some money for raises and bonuses, the Ocala Star Banner reports.

GETTING DOWN WITH IT: A rap class inspires some struggling teens to stay in school at Manatee Bayshore High, the Herald-Tribune reports. 

STUDENTS SPEAK: Leon superintendent Jackie Pons holds forums with students to address their concerns, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Florida education news: Math instruction, smoking ban, gaming in education and more

MATH IS FUN: Bayonet Point Middle School in Pasco shakes up its math instruction with games and computers to keep kids interested and increase their scores. (Times photo, Brendan Fitterer)

MAKING SPACE: Deltona and Suncoast elementary schools in Hernando will add more permanent classrooms to ease crowding.

TIME TO REPRIORITIZE: Pasco parents fighting a cell phone tower at John Long Middle School should focus on more pressing issues, Times columnist C.T. Bowen writes.

NOT A REGULAR DIPLOMA: Florida high school students who choose to finish with a GED instead of completing their courses no longer will get a standard diploma, the Miami Herald reports.

REVOLUTIONARY: By pairing online gaming with education, Florida Virtual School stands at the brink of a whole new and exciting way to teach kids, Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas writes.

NO SMOKING: A growing number of schools, including UF and the University of Miami, are banning smoking on campus, the Miami Herald reports.

LEARNING ABOUT POVERTY: West Palm Beach leaders head to Harlem to look for new ways to teach the community's most impoverished students, the Palm Beach Post reports.

FIGHT FOR CHAIRMANSHIP: The Monroe School Board looks headed for a political battle over who will become its new chair, the Keynoter reports.

ADMISSION CONCERNS: UF will amp up its review of applicants who have criminal records, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Florida education news: Hernando superintendent search, Gates Foundation grant, pay for parent involvement and more

NARROWING THE FIELD: A selection committee cuts in half the field of Hernando superintendent applications it will review. Included in the mix is current interim leader Sonya Jackson (shown).

GOING FOR THE GATES: Hillsborough schools are wise to pursue a major Gates Foundation grant so the district can enhance the way students are educated, the Times editorializes.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH: The ACLU sues several Florida government leaders over Palm Beach County's poor high school graduation rate, the Palm Beach Post reports.

LABOR NEWS: The Broward teachers union loses a lawsuit in which it claimed the district breached the contracts of 32 dismissed teachers, the Miami Herald reports. • Pembroke Pines charter school teachers will get their annual step increases in a tentative contract deal, the Miami Herald reports.

SCHOOL IN THE PARK: Marco Island residents explore the possibilities of building a new charter school in a city park, the Naples Daily News reports.

PAYING PARENTS: Putnam schools use some of their stimulus funds to give part-time employment to parents, hoping it will increase their involvement while also freeing staff for other work, the Florida Times-Union reports.

ON THE HUNT: Florida Atlantic University kicks off its effort to replace former president Frank Brogan with 600 letters seeking input and ideas, the Palm Beach Post reports.

THEY'VE GOT OLD SCHOOLS: Okaloosa estimates it needs about $100 million to upgrade all its aging schools, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

Florida education news: Marching band, parent protest, free lunch and more

BIG BAND: The Tarpon High marching band continues to win accolades and awards. (Times photo, Douglas Clifford)

ONE PERCENT MORE: Tampa Bay area business leaders consider joining an effort to get 1 percent of area adults to obtain a college degree.

HELPING HAND: A consortium of Florida education foundations gathers to look into how they can help the state overcome some of its persistent academic problems, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

PARENTS PROTEST: Hundreds turn out to blast a planned attendance zone change in Broward, complaining that the district looks at kids as numbers rather than as kids, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

FREE LUNCH: Collier decides to eliminate the charge for lunch to students who already qualify for reduced-price meals, the Naples Daily News reports.

STOP THAT PRINCIPAL: Lee investigates a school leader accused by parents of bullying teachers and kids, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

SUSPENDED: A St. Lucie kindergarten teacher is under investigation after a parent claims the teacher forced a student to clean up urine in her classroom bathroom, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

SEEKING INDEPENDENCE: A committee recommends a path for FSU in Panama City to become a self-sufficient university, the Panama City News Herald reports.

TIME TO LISTEN: Florida Keys Community College gets a new leader five weeks after its former president dramatically resigned under pressure, the Keynoter reports.

SCHOOL USE: Palm Beach considers dropping rent for the Girl Scout troops and other nonprofits that use classrooms after school, the Palm Beach Post reports.

NIMBY: An upscale St. Johns community is trying to prevent the school district from building anything but an elementary school next door, the St. Augustine Record reports.

Florida education news: Gates Foundation grant, attendance zones, character education and more

CHANGING CULTURE: The Hillsborough school district is on the verge of getting a major grant that could change the way teachers do their job. Superintendent MaryEllen Elia spoke about the impact the grant could have. (Times photo, Atoyia Deans)

MAKING DO WITH LESS: A local hospital does not owe Hernando schools back taxes, a judge rules. Meanwhile, the Hernando School Board decides to absorb a $500,000 decrease in impact fees.

HECK NO, WE WON'T GO: The Pasco School Board draws a crowd of upset parents who call for changes in proposed new attendance zones.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Red Ribbon Week at Gulfside Elementary • Vietnam veteran's No. 1 lesson • Explorer K-8 eighth graders show parents what's going on 

WHAT TO DO? Palm Beach principals struggle to pick the best curriculum path for their schools now that the superintendent has eased his mandate for added testing, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

ETHICS ISSUES: The Broward School Board has trouble working its way through ideas to reform problems in its construction process, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

HOW MANY EMPTY SEATS? In schools, it all depends on how you count, as Broward is discovering, the Miami Herald reports.

BUILDING CHARACTER: Florida schools try to fit character lessons into all the academic work, the Florida Times-Union reports.

WHEN CONSULTANTS WILL DO: Martin schools hire outside help to run the district's finances, the Stuart News reports.

KEEPING STUDENTS SAFE: UF's police chief talks about campus security as the annual university crime statistics come out, the Gainesville Sun reports.

*

Florida education news: Driver education, cell phone towers, empty school seats and more

LEARNING TO DRIVE: Financially squeezed, Florida school districts are cutting out driver education courses. There's been a 30 percent drop in enrollment over two years. (Times photo, Lara Cerri)

'STOP THE TOWER!' A small group of Pasco parents protest a cell phone tower that's rising at John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel.

WHO WANTS TO BE SUPERINTENDENT? Twenty-seven candidates, including the current interim leader, apply to run Hernando schools.

TOO MANY EMPTY SEATS: Broward schools have 32,000 empty seats — most of them in parts of the county where kids aren't, the Miami Herald reports. • Some parents accuse one board member of a conflict of interest in considering a proposed boundary change, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

NOT TRUE! Duval's School Board chairman blasts Gov. Crist's claims that Florida education is well funded, WOKV.com reports.

GRADUATION HELP: Manatee converts two high schools to Title I status and pours money into new graduation coach positions at the campuses, the Bradenton Herald reports.

NEVER TOO LATE: Florida Gulf Coast University's alternative certification teacher program fills up with career changers, the Naples Daily News reports.

EASE UP: The Polk School Board tentatively agrees to scale back its academic goals for 10th-graders, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

LABOR NEWS: Monroe teachers lower their pay demands, but not low enough to agree to the district's contract offer, the Keynoter reports.

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT: The president of one Florida private university makes the national millionaires' club list, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LOOPING: A Sarasota elementary school hopes that keeping the same teacher with the same students for more than one year increases academic performance, the Herald-Tribune reports.

BACK TO WORK: His monthlong retirement over (and his $115,000 in unused sick leave now in his pocket), St. Lucie superintendent Mike Lannon returns to his office, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

*

Florida education news: virtual gaming, zero tolerance, text messaging and more

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM... Aiming to keep the attention of today's digital youth, Florida Virtual School launches Conspiracy Code, an online game that's also a full U.S. history course.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR: High school seniors, you should be getting your college apps ready. USF's admission director offers some advice.

KIDS NEED TO KNOW: Florida schools should teach high school students about statutory rape laws, just in case, the Naples Daily News reports.

MORE TOLERANCE: A growing number of states and school districts join Florida in relaxing their zero-tolerance policies and laws, USA Today reports.

GAINING POPULARITY: Florida's smaller state universities are attracting more students from outside their traditional areas, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

STAND IF YOU'RE HISPANIC: Palm Beach Community College is trying to prove that 25 percent of its students are Hispanic so it can qualify for more federal money, the Palm Beach Post reports.

ON THE MOVE: Brevard ponders whether to relocate its special programs that are housed in schools that are over capacity, Florida Today reports.

OMG: Bay schools are struggling to deal with texting teens, the Panama City News Herald reports.

*

Florida education news: Arts education, diversity, corruption and more

INSURANCE BATTLE: Hernando teachers and the administration are at odds in negotiations over how much the district should pay to cover health benefits. (Image from iaiabc.org)

IMPACT FEES: Hernando School Board members are examining whether the district can afford to cut them.

SAVE THE ARTS: Palm Beach district leaders will meet with community arts activists to talk about what happened to the district's art education master plan, the Palm Beach Daily News reports.

FIGHTING MAD: Cooper City mounts an opposition to Broward's plans to bus nearly 200 middle school students to a school outside the city, the Miami Herald reports.

GROWING DIVERSITY: Lake County students now are 40 percent minorities, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

KEEP IN TOUCH: Ousted Broward board member Beverly Gallagher frequently texted an FBI agent who posed as a developer but was investigating her during the months leading to her arrest, the Sun-Sentinel reports. 

NOT ALL-SEEING: Security cameras at one Collier high school don't get full coverage, and can't help a girl prove or disprove that she was raped on campus, the Naples Daily News reports.

GRASSROOTS: The Palm Beach Post dissects the planning that went into parents' attack of the district's hated new curriculum plan, which now has been scaled back.

GUARANTEED: Brevard Community College promises students that if a course appears in its class schedule, it will be offered regardless of how many students enroll, Florida Today reports.

STILL PRAYING: Students have picked up where administrators left off in Santa Rosa's battle over prayer at school and school-related events, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports. (Be sure to check out the several related stories in this series.)

SETTING GOALS: Polk will reexamine its strategic plan for improving high school graduation, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

FALLING SHORT: Orange schools have missed the mark in achieving some of the requirements in the district's desegregation order, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Florida education news: Ethics, scholarships, bears and more

NOTHING VITAL: An investigation reveals that no critical documents were shredded during a lawsuit involving Hernando Nature Coast Technical High.

BOUNDARY TIME: Pasco seeks parent input as it prepares to rezone thousands of students.

THEY STAY: Pinellas maintains funding for a program that has foster "grandparents" help low-performing students.

IT'S A DEAL: Pasco reaches a tentative contract agreement giving employees supplements but no raises.

BROWARD ETHICS: Broward board member Bob Parks helped a construction friend get his foot in the door with the district despite warnings, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Board member Stephanie Kraft faces a state ethics investigation over her relationship with a developer, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

CAN'T THEY ALL JUST GET ALONG? Lee board members talk about how they might have a more civil working relationship, the Naples Daily News reports. 

BEARS WELCOME: Okaloosa schools don't close just because a bear happens to visit campus, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

SAVE BRIGHT FUTURES: Some UCF students lobby lawmakers to preserve Florida's premier academic scholarship program, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LABOR NEWS: Santa Rosa continues its special hearing to try to get past its impasse in contract talks, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. 

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker, who talks about his scholarship program.

Florida education news: School maintenance, online grades, state standards and more

FIX IT: The Pasco School Board directs staff to put more money into major maintenance needs, which members say are underfunded. (Times file photo)

TELL THE TRUTH: UF researchers need to disclose who's funding their studies about fertilizers if they're to be taken seriously, the Times editorializes.

LOOKING TO FLORIDA: Georgia education leaders want to hear former governor Jeb Bush's ideas about education reform, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

MISCONDUCT: A UF education professor resigns amid allegations of improper sexual relations with students, the Gainesville Sun reports.

ON DEFENSE: Palm Beach superintendent Art Johnson remains convinced his testing plan was necessary, but admits his communication skills lacked, the Palm Beach Post reports. Now Johnson has to figure out how to make something of his reforms, the Post editorializes.

LABOR NEWS: Broward school employees see their health insurance rates skyrocket as the district limits their options, the Miami Herald reports. • Monroe teachers and School Board members spar over raises, the Keynoter reports.

WHERE'S YOUR REPORT CARD? Duval parents will get to check their children's grades online with a new reporting system, the Florida Times-Union reports.

READY OR NOT: Central Florida school districts are at different levels of preparedness to deal with a swine flu outbreak that might close classes down, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

MEETING STANDARDS: A national report shows that states are far from standard in the way they assess student achievement, with Florida generally in the middle. Stories from the NY Times and the Christian Science Monitor.

INTEREST HIGH: Applications for Polk State College's first four-year program far exceed expectation, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

SEEKING STABLE FUNDING: Universities chancellor Frank Brogan speaks about the need to better Florida's higher education system, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Florida education news: Virtual mountain climbing, School Board ethics, parental involvement and more

GET MOVING: A Hernando elementary school gets students physically active and teaches them all about mountain climbing as part of a fundraiser. (Times photo, Will Vragovic)

CLEANING HOUSE: Pasco-Hernando Community College fires three administrators in its law academy for their handling of an instructor who took a sexually explicit video of a student.

NAME THAT SCHOOL: Hernando County's newest high school finally has a principal assigned, and now it needs ideas for a name.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Volunteers help at Spring Hill Elementary on United Way's Day of Caring • Deltona Elementary students try their hand at journalism 

SMART MOVE: The Pasco School Board was wise to put maintenance needs at schools ahead of a new administration building in the district's capital five-year plan, the Times editorializes.

TIME FOR REVIEW: Broward names three heavy hitters to pore over the School Board's ethics policies and practices, the Sun-Sentinel reports. An insurer's ties to member Stephanie Kraft is getting attention first, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

FED UP: Manatee parents upset with the state's school funding efforts have joined forces with an Orlando-based group pushing to reform the system, the Bradenton Herald reports.

SMITH SPEAKS: Florida education commissioner Eric J. Smith talks about parental involvement, education funding, class size and other issues with the Miami Herald.

A NORMAL WEEKEND: Lee school officials are trying to stress normal behavior for kids as they embark upon a four-day weekend that includes trick or treating, the Naples Daily News reports.

BECOMING BETTER PEOPLE: Students and teachers at a Duval high school participate in two days of trust building and teamwork to confront bullying, prejudice and related matters, the Florida Times-Union reports.

REPLACING BROGAN: Florida Atlantic University seeks community input as it looks for a new president, the Stuart News reports.

LABOR NEWS: Charlotte heads to mediation as it cannot reach agreement with employee unions over health benefits, the Herald-Tribune reports. 

Florida education news: attendance zones, free dictionaries, Race to the Top and more

SIGN ONLINE: Pasco's Sunlake High students use Skype to hone American Sign Language skills (Times photo, Michele Miller)

MOVING TIME: Nine Hillsborough schools are too full and will require boundary adjustments to meet the Florida class size amendment. • Brevard might have to adjust attendance zones for 40 schools to deal with crowding, Florida Today reports. • Broward officials are looking for ways to avoid major student shifts, theSun-Sentinel reports.

RACING TO THE TOP: The Gates Foundation originally offered to help 15 states including Florida to apply for Race to the Top funds. After other states complained, the foundation has opened the process to all states, the N.Y. Times reports.

THANKS FOR THE DICTIONARY: Marion third-graders receive free dictionaries in an effort to help boost their vocabulary before the FCAT, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

CURRICULUM CHANGES IN PALM BEACH: Gifted classes no longer have to follow Palm Beach's controversial and previously mandatory curriculum program, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Many schools are not dumping the program, though, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

COLLEGE REALLY WANTS THAT HOUSING: Edison College wants to buy an apartment complex next to the campus and turn it into student housing, but lacking a deal, it looks to eminent domain, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

TO CLOSE OR NOT TO CLOSE? St. Lucie considers shutting down a financially struggling charter school, while school officials ask for time, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

USF NEWS: Architects unveil plans for the new USF campus in Lakeland, the Lakeland Ledger reports. • The university also ponders moving its Sarasota campus to North Port, the Herald-Tribune reports.

AN F FOR THAT? Leon parents question the district's new policy that fails students for missing four days in a nine-week period, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

*

Florida education news: College tuition, restraint and seclusion, unfunded mandates and more

PREPAID HIKE: The cost of Florida's Prepaid College program jumps, surprising parents and indicating that tuition will be covering a larger portion of higher education expenses. (Times photo, Melissa Lyttle)

SAFER WALKING: The site where a Hernando girl was killed while headed to her school bus stop will get a sidewalk.

NO RESTRAINT: A parent group is pushing hard to have Florida lawmakers end the practice of restraint and seclusion of children with special needs, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

LABOR NEWS: Raises still aren't on the table in negotiations for Flagler teachers, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. • Escambia considers whether to offer merit pay again, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

JUST LIKE A BUSINESS: A Duval businessman sees firsthand how busy and businesslike running a school is as he serves as principal for a day, the Florida Times-Union reports.

PRIVATE TO CHARTER: A small Christian private school in Manatee will trade tuition for tax dollars as it converts to charter status, the Bradenton Herald reports.

REPUTATION  AT STAKE: A contractor accused of overbilling Broward schools says it might sue the district over the allegations, the Miami Herald reports.

UNFUNDED MANDATES: A Marion School Board member makes noise about wanting to kill them, and his state senator is now asking for a list so she might help, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

DOUBLE DIPPERS: The Manatee school district keeps hiring them, the Herald-Tribune reports.

FAIR TESTING: Florida's new reading assessment is returning useful data but still causing headaches because of technical issues, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

*

Crist replaces ousted Broward School Board member

Pembroke Pines lawyer Kevin Tynan is Gov. Charlie Crist's choice to take the vacant seat on Broward County's School Board.

Tynan, 50, will serve during Beverly Gallagher's suspension. Crist removed Gallagher after her arrest on public corruption charges.

Tynan served as staff counsel to the Florida Bar for more than a decade.

*

Florida education news: fighting obesity, preparing teachers, improving failing schools and more

PUMP YOU UP: Physical education now is a mandate in Florida middle schools, and teachers are giving kids real workouts instead of just letting them play games, the Orlando Sentinel reports. (Orlando Sentinel photo)

PREPARING TEACHERS: Daytona State College launches its new education bachelor's degree programs, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

CHECK IT OUT: Edison State College offers online orientation for its online students, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

TURNAROUND SPECIALIST: Tony Bellamy is making plans to improve Duval's nine failing schools, the Florida Times-Union reports.

HOW MUCH? Florida parents signing up their kids for prepaid college tuition get sticker shock, Florida Today reports.

DEFENDING RELIGIOUS RIGHTS: All the money that Pace High principal Frank Lay has left in his legal fund from his prayer in school case will go to the Liberty Counsel, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

*

Florida education news: International Baccalaureate, Response to Intervention, school segregation and more

WHERE'S THE CEMETERY? A local Pasco historian fights the school district over a new school site in Hudson, contending there's a historic cemetery somewhere under there. The school is slated to open in August. (Times photo, Brendan Fitterer)

HARD WORK: Springstead High in Hernando debuts its new International Baccalaureate program to a group of ambitious, smart teens.

ROBOT CAGE MATCH: Tampa area teens face off in a robotics contest at USF.

SOLVING PROBLEMS: Teachers at San Antonio Elementary in Pasco use lots of data and planning time to their advantage to identify academic problems in their classrooms and fix them. It's called Response to Intervention.

ILLOGICAL: The Hernando School Board is approaching construction questions with the wrong set of priorities and no clear leadership, the Times editorializes.

THEY ARE THE FUTURE: Three Miami organizations push for greater investment in early education programs as a way to pump the economy, the Miami Herald reports.

CLOSE IT DOWN? St. Lucie officials recommend shutting a charter school that has struggled academically, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

HANDS OFF: Sex ed in Collier doesn't teach that sex with anyone under 16 is a crime in Florida, something many teens don't know, the Naples Daily News reports.

HOW IMPORTANT IS DIVERSITY? Plans to rezone thousands of Brevard schools could resegregate the schools, Florida Today reports.

HUMBUG: The Marion School Board cancels its Christmas parade float for fear of appearing frivolous with tax money in the down economy, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

Florida education news: Dropout prevention, small classes, school uniforms and more

'DREAM BIG': Pinellas officials look for things that motivate teens to stay in school as they embark upon a major revamp of the district's dropout prevention programs. (Times photo, Lara Cerri)

SMALL WORKS: Alachua Learning Center capitalizes upon its small enrollment and a mix of performing arts curriculum to regularly make top marks in the state, the High Springs Herald reports.

CLOTHES DON'T MATTER: A group of Bradford parents oppose the district's uniform mandate as too restrictive, the Bradford County Telegraph reports.

TOO CLOSE? A review of e-mails shows just how tight some Broward School Board members got to lobbyists, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Speaking of which, ousted Broward board member Beverly Gallagher might be cutting a plea deal in her corruption case, the Miami Herald reports.

OPEN RECORDS BLITZ: A Collier charter school finds itself on the defense as it deals with a slew of public records requests, the Naples Daily News reports.

UNDER INVESTIGATION: Polk's accounting director is placed on administrative leave as officials look into some documents he prepared, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

LABOR NEWS: The University of West Florida's faculty union declares impasse in contract talks, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

CRIMINAL RECORDS NOT WELCOME: Manatee considers refusing to hire anyone who has a criminal conviction until years after the conviction has passed, the Herald-Tribune reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Florida deputy education chancellor Nikolai Vitti, who talks about school improvement plans. 

Florida education news: Student safety, performance pay, sick leave and more

STRANGER DANGER: The abduction of a Jacksonville girl while walking to elementary school reinforces the importance of Tampa-area schools teaching children how to be safe from people they don't know. (AP photo)

OUTBREAK: A Hillsborough charter school closes for two days because so many students have swine flu.

COOL: Hillsborough begins installing new high-tech air conditioning systems that should save thousands in energy costs.

CHANGE TEACHER PAY: Pinellas schools should adopt differential and performance pay to make sure the right teachers are in the right classrooms, the Times editorializes.

WHO'S IN CHARGE? Palm Beach parents and teachers are upset with academic changes there, but it appears even the School Board can't help as the superintendent holds control of proposing policy, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Superintendent Art Johnson has yet to reveal his intentions, the Palm Beach Post reports.

WHISTLEBLOWER: A Lee resident complains that the school district refuses to audit its school supply purchases, which he claims could turn up systematic overcharging by Office Depot, the Naples Daily News reports.

NO RECORDS: Brevard board members question a three-year-old financial move that cost the district health plan millions, and no one can find the records to prove whether the board approved the change, Florida Today reports. 

WHAT DID YOU SAY? Seminole plans to build a new school next to the Sanford International Airport, discounting FAA noise warnings, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

WASH YOUR HANDS: Some Sarasota third graders determine that hand washing beats hand sanitizer when trying to kill flu germs, the Herald-Tribune reports.

NEVER MIND: UF leaders decide against cutting employee sick leave payouts, saying they will look for other ways to improve revenue, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Florida education news: Teacher pay, FBI sting, gun at school and more

DELAY: Late shipments of swine flu vaccine postpones plans to offer the shots at many Tampa area schools. (Times photo, Skip O'Rourke)

MAKING AN OFFER: The Pasco School Board puts two one-time payment options on the table for employees to consider during contract negotiations.

CONFUSION: The Hernando School Board loses consensus over whether its new school in Weeki Wachee will be an elementary or K-8.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Central High Navy JROTC cadets add to their dozens of awards • Math Mania is a competition that counts 

ON THE AIR: Some Manatee elementary students learn television production skills while performing their daily morning news, the Bradenton Herald reports.

INSIDE SCOOP: The FBI releases more details about the sting that snared Broward board member Beverly Gallagher, the Miami Herald reports.

RIPPED OFF? Lee purchasing officials are examining all past purchases from Office Depot to see whether the district lost money in the company's pricing scheme, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

NO CHEERING FOR THEM: Sebastian High cuts its competitive cheerleading program after team members aren't able to raise enough money to support the sport, the Vero Beach Press-Journal reports.

GROWING STRONG: Forget the weak economy. Bethune-Cookman University plans two new campus buildings with the support of donors, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

NOT FOR SHOW AND TELL: A Leon fifth grader is expelled for bringing a gun to school for show and tell, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Florida education news: virtual school, women's studies, sales tax and more

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE: Swine flu vaccinations begin in Hillsborough schools. A district survey showed about half of families plan to participate. (Times photo, Skip O'Rourke)

ONLINE SUCCESS: Pasco's virtual school draws hundreds more students than expected.

THE SURVEY SAYS ... St. Petersburg residents perceive the quality of their schools as slipping.

PARENTS WIN: In Hernando, the School Board backs off plans that would have ended guarantees that younger siblings get into magnet schools their older family members attend.

FUNDRAISING: USF launches a $600 million capital campaign, shrugging at the poor economy.

ACCUSED TEACHER STAYS: A Hernando teacher who faced termination over his marijuana use outside school instead cuts a deal to keep his job.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Anclote Elementary rewards budding writers 

TIME TO LISTEN: Palm Beach parents and school officials need to move beyond complaints over the district's new testing program toward honest discussion over the matter, the Palm Beach Post editorializes.

STAY AWAY: The Martin School Board approves an agreement with the St. Lucie board that will prevent St. Lucie teens from attending a charter school in Martin, the Stuart News reports.

ALL ABOUT WOMEN: A Palm Beach high school becomes one of the few to offer a women's studies course, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

STEP IT UP: Watchdogs urge Broward officials to act more quickly when audits turn up construction problems, the Miami Herald reports.

NEVER MIND: Lee board members decide not to censure colleague Bob Chilmonik after all, saying perhaps they can work out their differences more amicably, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

FALLING SHORT: Orange's sales tax for school construction appears unlikely to fund all the promised projects, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LABOR NEWS: Brevard officials claim the local teachers union is using bad budget numbers to talk insurance costs, Florida Today reports.

*

Florida education news: AP exams, plagiarism, contract negotiations and more

CLEARED: USF did not misuse a multimillion-dollar endowment, an investigation determines.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY NEEDED: FSU put athletics ahead of academics and now it's paying the price, the Times editorializes.

NO IMPACT: A Lee School Board member isn't sweating his colleagues' plan to censure him, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

NO CHEATING ALLOWED: A Manatee teachers' assistant faces disciplinary action after being accused of plagiarizing work to get her own teaching certificate, the Bradenton Herald reports.

ETHICS ISSUES: Broward School Board member Stephanie Kraft faces scrutiny after it becomes public that she worked for a developer that got a break from the board, the Miami Herald reports. • Broward has no penalties for lobbyists who violate district rules, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

STILL SHRINKING: Martin schools continue to lose enrollment, the Stuart News reports.

LABOR NEWS: Santa Rosa teachers remain at impasse with the district after a day of special hearings, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

ACADEMIC CHALLENGE: Alachua lets teens challenge themselves in Advanced Placement courses, and the results show the effort is working, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Florida education news: GI Bill, school lunch menu, performance pay and more

COMBAT PAY: Pinellas administrators and the teachers union begin to discuss a differential pay plan and merit pay for teachers who move to the district's most struggling schools.

RESEARCH GRANT: USF receives $1.46 million to study mental illness and substance abuse, its largest federal stimulus grant to date.

SEEKING INPUT: Duval schools launch a Web site to ask the public which federal stimulus grants the district should pursue, the Florida Times-Union reports.

BACK TO SCHOOL: The revised GI Bill is helping a growing number of military veterans attend Florida colleges and universities full time, the Florida Times-Union reports. • Bay County vet Larry Henderson finds a sense of purpose in college after being wounded in Iraq, the Panama City News Herald reports.

GOING PRIVATE: A Polk charter school for at-risk students goes private to avoid the FCAT, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

GOOD NEWS: Lee schools project increased state funding as enrollment surpasses expectations, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. 

INSPECTION TIME: State reviewers visit Duval's F-rated schools to identify areas needing improvement, the Florida Times-Union reports.

GRANDSTANDING? OR MORAL OBLIGATION? A newly elected Marion School Board member stands firm on her tactics as others on the board criticize her, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

YUM: Two Orlando moms create a healthy, but more expensive, lunch menu at an Orange elementary school, and kids are eating it up, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

*

Florida education news: Magnet schools, prepaid tuition, double dipping and more

JOB SHARING: Lauren Piper and Heather Velez of Deer Park Elementary in Hillsborough are among a growing number of teachers sharing a position so they can balance work and family responsibilities. (Times photo, Edmund D. Fountain)

WE ARE FAMILY: Hernando parents who send their kids to magnet schools are worried that new district policies would split their children among different schools.

GARDENING: DeSoto Elementary in Tampa gets what it hopes will be the first of many gardens, this one for students to read in.

NOT A FIRING OFFENSE: Hernando health teacher Michael Provost doesn't deserve to lose his job over his recreational use of marijuana outside school, the Times editorializes. 

LOCK IT IN: Many Florida financial planners recommend joining the state's Prepaid College tuition program to secure today's tuition rate for years down the road, the Miami Herald reports. But be prepared to see higher prices than in the past, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

CENSURE-SHIP: The Lee School Board plans to censure one of its members, saying he has violated his oath of office. Member Bob Chilmonik shrugs off the criticism, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

DOUBLE DIPPERS: A retired Manatee principal is to return to the district as a human resources officer, just weeks after leaving his school, the Bradenton Herald reports. • Broward plans to rehire a recently retired deputy superintendent to her same post, but at lower pay, the Miami Herald reports.

PAINS OF CHANGE: Lee teachers and students are trying to get used to block scheduling, which was implemented to save money, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

WHO'S YOUR FACEBOOK FRIEND? Brevard principals increasingly warn teachers to be careful when they're online, Florida Today reports.

CAREER ACADEMIES: Santa Rosa and Escambia high schools pick up the pace in offering a variety of career-focused programs, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Experts question whether spending stimulus money on university research labs will really stimulate the economy, the NY Times reports. • Hundreds of people spend an 18-hour hearing complaining about the firing of hundreds of D.C. teachers, the Washington Post reports. • San Diego's superintendent preaches the gospel of value-added teacher evaluations, the LA Times reports.

Florida education news: Achievement gap, arts education, stimulus funds and more

RETIRING: Hillsborough Community College president Gwendolyn Stephenson announces her retirement next year. 

SMALL STEPS: Pinellas schools' improvement plans show they're taking some actions to eliminate the achievement gap, but critics say the changes aren't enough. With sidebar on school improvement plans.

FEDERAL WASTE? More than $2 million in stimulus funds have gone toward putting more students into Tampa area massage and beauty schools.

LEAVE US BE: Residents of the Suncoast Lakes subdivision in Pasco lobby hard to keep their kids out of the mix in the district's new attendance zone revisions.

DANCE, DANCE, DANCE: Some Hillsborough elementary students test the theory whether participation in dance and other arts increases academic performance.

VOUCHER FIGHT: The two Democrats running for Florida attorney general toss barbs back and forth over whether one of them has supported school vouchers, the Miami Herald reports.

SAVING JOBS: More than half of the Florida jobs protected by the federal stimulus have been in schools, the Palm Beach Post reports.

GRADUATION DEAL: The Palm Beach board signs a pricey three-year agreement to hold commencements at the county convention center, the Palm Beach Post reports. 

TOO SHORT: Flagler's new seven-period day causes academic struggles for students and teachers, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

FLASHING RED MEANS STOP: Alachua plans a crackdown on drivers who illegally pass school buses on the roads, the Gainesville Sun reports. 

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Teresa Daiker, co-chair of the Fundamental Schools Advisory Network in Pinellas County.

Florida education news: AP chemistry, volunteering, free Bibles and more

LET'S HEAR IT: Pasco lawmakers Will Weatherford and John Legg head up key education committees in Tallahassee, and they want to hear priorities from local educators before session starts. 

FIRE THEM: Hernando's board attorney recommends the board overrule an administrative law judge and fire a teacher who admitted smoking pot. While they're at it, the superintendent says the board should dismiss a bus driver who failed a breath test, too.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY: Palm Beach district leaders finally explain their new testing policy, and it's about time, the Palm Beach Post editorializes.

MAKE A COMMITMENT: First Lady Michelle Obama urges children to get more involved in their schools and communities during a trip to Miami, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

LABOR NEWS: The Broward teachers union accuses the district of treating employee e-mails like spam, the Miami Herald reports. • Santa Rosa teachers plead for their step increases from the board, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

TEACHERS? WHO NEEDS 'EM? A group of Miami high school students teach themselves AP chemistry when the school won't provide the class, the Miami Herald reports.

THANKS FOR THE BIBLE: A dad gets upset when his fifth-grader brings home a Bible handed out at his south Georgia school, and officials say they don't have problems with people handing out free books at school, the Florida Times Union reports. 

FLU TEST: A Sarasota elementary school studies whether soap or hand sanitizer is best for keeping the flu at bay, the Herald-Tribune reports.

Florida education news: School recognition funds, FHSAA gender lawsuit, cursive writing and more

FIGHT FOR IT: The annual battle over how to allocate Florida's school recognition funds ensues at Hernando schools.

SUE YOU: A Countryside High wrestler who was injured in a school fight sues the Pinellas school district, saying it failed to provide a safe environment.

TOP OF THE CLASS: At the Parent Institute, adults can get schooled in how to help kids • Springstead homecoming carnival puts the fun in fundraising • Sertoma foundation conducts annual speech and hearing tests at Pasco schools 

SETTLED: The FHSAA has settled a lawsuit with a group that complained its move to reduce athletic contests discriminated against girls, the Naples Daily News reports.

SOLVING A MEDICAL PROBLEM: Florida International's new medical school focuses on increasing the number of primary-care doctors, Time reports.

LEARNING CURSIVE: Some Collier parents and educators lament that cursive writing doesn't get the attention it deserves as kids learn keyboarding instead, the Naples Daily News reports.

OFFICIALLY THE BIGGEST: UCF officially has more students than any other Florida university, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

CURRICULUM PROBLEMS: Monroe officials blame their curriculum for high school students' strong showing on state tests but poor performance on national ones, the Keynoter reports.

CONSTRUCTION WOES: FAMU needs new digs for some of its key programs, yet it doesn't have enough money to cover construction costs, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Florida education news: fundamental schools, flu shots, sex education and more

REOPENED: The former Jordan Park Elementary in Pinellas reopens as a Head Start center after a major renovation. (Times photo, Cherie Diez)

MORE FUNDAMENTALS, PLEASE: A group of Pinellas parents pleads for additional fundamental schools.

FLU SHOTS: Hillsborough schools expect to be the first in the Tampa area to have swine flu shots available for students.

A PLACE TO SUCCEED: A new charter school offers Miami children with autism a new option for educational success, the Miami Herald reports.

SEX ED: Some Democrats are pushing for a more comprehensive sex education program in Florida's schools, the Jacksonville Observer reports.

LABOR NEWS: Brevard school employees dress in black to protest changes to their insurance plan, Florida Today reports. • The Seminole board approves pay raises for teachers, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

SLIM CHANCES: Eight groups have applied to open charter schools in Manatee, and none is likely to win approval, the Bradenton Herald reports.

OUTSIDE REVIEW: Broward proposes creating an oversight committee to review the way the district does business in the aftermath of suspended board member Beverly Gallagher's arrest on corruption charges, the Miami Herald reports.• Broward board member Stephanie Kraft announces her husband will stop working for a prominent lobbyist caught up in the investigations, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

YOU'RE REHIRED: St. Lucie's board allows superintendent Mike Lannon to retire for a month in order to cash in some benefits and then return to the job, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HISTORY: Volusia gets a grant to provide teachers more training about U.S. history, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

THEY REALLY LIKE HIM: St. Johns extends superintendent Joe Joyner's contract by eight years, the St. Augustine Record reports.

*

Florida education news: Courtesy bus rides, drug testing, algebra lessons and more

IT'S JUST NOT SAFE: The city of Oldsmar puts up $36,000 to pay for a courtesy school bus route to Oldsmar Elementary that the Pinellas school district can't afford. (Times photo, Jim Damaske)

NURSES NEEDED: There's a school nursing shortage nationally, and Florida has the biggest need, ABC Action News reports.

TAKE THIS CUP ... Manatee adopts a new policy requiring all new hires, including substitute teachers, to be drug tested, the Bradenton Herald reports.

SURRENDER: Palm Beach halts its controversial new testing program amid a flurry of parent complaints, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

MUSICAL CHAIRS: Collier schools might see major attendance zone shifts to cope with the class size amendment, the Naples Daily News reports.

MATH TEST: Lee schools are participating in a national pilot study on the best way to teach algebra, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

BACKLASH: St. Lucie residents have little problem with superintendent Mike Lannon retiring for a month and coming back to his job, but they do have complaints about him cashing out his sick leave during that month, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports. 

PARK IT FIRST: Brevard prepares a policy that would ban bus drivers from using their cell phones while their buses are running, Florida Today reports.

CLASS CHOICES: A Leon high school finds that offering a variety of electives keeps kids more interested in school, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

MIX THEM UP: An Alachua elementary school merges its first- and second-graders as its enrollment shrinks, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Florida education news: iPods in school, teaching Christopher Columbus, campus parking and more

iLEARNING: Pasco's Shady Hills Elementary uses iPods to get students excited about reading and learning. Its efforts get some statewide attention. (Times photo, Brendan Fitterer)

TWO SIDES OF COLUMBUS: Teachers in Florida and elsewhere look for ways to teach about Christopher Columbus' explorations, as well as his harsh treatment of natives, the AP reports.

PARKING PROTEST: Florida Atlantic students complain they can't get to classes on time because their school lacks adequate parking, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

LABOR NEWS: Brevard school employees are protesting a large increase in insurance costs, Florida Today reports.

PRIVATE NURSES: Okaloosa's privatization of school health services has gone smoothly, with just a few parents raising concerns, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

GET ME OUT OF HERE: Southwest Florida College expedites some of its degree programs to let time-strapped students finish more quickly, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

*

Florida education news: Learning Chinese, barred from homecoming, skipping ESOL training and more

YOU TEXTED? USF students inside the library and other parts of campus where reception is spotty didn't get the message that a gunman was on campus. The school is working on that. (Times photo, Stephen J. Coddington)

LEARNING IN CHINESE: An elementary school in South Miami becomes the first English/Mandarin school in South Florida, the Miami Herald reports.

SHE CAN'T DANCE: A Manatee teen attending Florida Virtual School is turned away from a local high school's homecoming dance because she hadn't properly registered as a home-schooling student there, the Bradenton Herald reports. Complaints ensue.

A LITTLE HELP, PLEASE: Students at Florida's universities are suffering a lack of guidance counselors, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

NO CORE CLASSES WITH 50: Collier officials assert that rumors of 50 kids in science classes aren't true, the Naples Daily News reports. As for non-core electives, well, that's another story.

SKIPPING OUT? A Lee board member accuses some teachers of intentionally not attending mandatory ESOL training, a charge the union disputes, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

ON THEIR OWN: Volusia has 104 students without homes or parents, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. Homeless numbers are up in Volusia and Flagler, the News-Journal reports.

IMPASSE: UF administrators and faculty agree the professors deserve more pay. How they achieve that is where they run into disagreement, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Florida education news: Reading tests, school construction, school rezoning and more

FRUSTRATED BY FAIR: Florida's new online reading assessment is causing fits among educators as the system keeps freezing up. (Times file photo - not actually kids taking the test)

SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES: A new Pinellas mentoring program aims to help teen girls improve in school, and in life.

TAKING THEM ON: Palm Beach's chief academic officer copes with the criticisms of his new accountability and testing program, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Meanwhile, the district continues to back away from the requirements, the Palm Beach Post reports.

PROBLEMS PERSIST: The Sun-Sentinel takes a look at why Broward's construction program has so many troubles.

CASH FOR THEIR FISH: A Fort Pierce middle school raises — then cooks — tilapia in its aquaculture program. The fish fry proceeds will help pay for new projects, the Fort Pierce Tribune reports.

SHAKE 'EM UP: Marion considers redrawing its high school attendance boundaries, the Ocala Star Banner reports.

TRUSTEES NEEDED: Lots of them. Gov. Crist has 48 university trustee slots to fill over the next three months, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview about homework with Club Z tutor Tracey Holloway.

Florida education news: Jeb Bush, performance pay, swine flu and more

SELLING FLORIDA'S BRAND OF REFORM: Former Florida governor Jeb Bush is taking his education program on the road, and finding lots of interested takers all over the country. Read more from the Palm Beach Post. (Photo of Jeb in Indiana from the Indianapolis Star)

BEING GREEN: Land O'Lakes High junior Matt Mooney wins Gov. Crist's first Green School Award for students. Pasco County wins the school district version of the award.

'A LITTLE EGG LAY ON A LEAF': Dozens of volunteers in Hernando participate in the national Read for the Record literacy initiative, with everyone reading Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

PERFORMANCE PAY: The Broward teachers union wins a grant to help it develop a pay plan that incorporates student test scores, the Miami Herald reports.

DON'T DRINK THE WATER: Four Collier schools fail state and federal water safety tests, the Naples Daily News reports.

CLOSED: A Polk Catholic school shuts its doors for a few days as absenteeism spikes because of swine flu, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

Florida education news: Zoo school, civics lessons, nursing school and more

ZOO SCHOOL: Lowry Park Zoo is the nation's only zoo to have an accredited school. (Times photo, Daniel Wallace) 

ANOTHER SRO ATTACK: A third Pasco County high school student in a month is arrested for assaulting a school resource officer. 

UNKNOWN LOAN: Pinellas officials are just finding out about a multimillion-dollar loan that former superintendent Clayton Wilcox made to the education foundation — and they're not happy.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Westside Elementary students spin yarns at monthly Authors' Tea • Central High student Cassandra Rivera has a dress for every occasion • Students with learning disabilities, ADD overcome obstacles in one-room school 

CIVICS LESSONS: All Florida seventh-graders are supposed to get a semester of civics, but many schools are waiting for a new textbook adoption before launching the class, the Florida Times-Union reports.

LOTS OF OT: Broward spends more than $1 million on overtime for employees who hold second jobs in the district, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, PLEASE: Brevard parents say they want to keep their kids in schools close to home as the district considers major rezoning ease crowding, Florida Today reports. Racial diversity didn't rank high in the survey.

TURNED AWAY: About half of the qualified applicants for Florida's nursing programs were turned down this fall because the state lacks training sites and staff, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Florida education news: gifted education, swine flu shots, semester exams and more

STILL REELING: Tax increases, federal stimulus support and spending cuts weren't enough to protect Florida's budget from continuing deficits, state estimators warn.

WANT A SWINE FLU SHOT? In Hillsborough, elementary school students will need to bring their parents with them to get one.

LET THE SHOW GO ON: Hernando's Springstead High almost loses the right to have its homecoming fireworks after failing to secure the proper permits.

AT LAST: Pinellas adds a full-time gifted program for middle schools at the urging of parents.

PAY CUT: Pasco board members reduce their pay.

FINALS: Hillsborough makes semester exams count for less and gives seniors back one exemption.

WORK WITH THEM: Hernando's board says it would take less in impact fees to help the building industry get back on its feet.

GOOD MOVE: The Pasco School Board was wise to end its lengthy dispute over teacher Jeff Bush's discipline, the Times editorializes.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Fish add to Centennial Middle's agriculture instruction 

NEW USF OK'D: USF Polytechnic in Lakeland gets the nod to enroll freshmen and sophomores, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

WASTE? Broward plans to spend $90,000 to rent 44 parking spaces, and the union isn't pleased, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

INFIGHTING: Lee board members consider censuring one of their own, the Naples Daily News reports.

MORE TOLERANCE: Duval schools and police work to reduce the number of teen arrests at school, the Florida Times-Union reports.

LAWSUIT BREWING: Broward schools consider suing disaster relief companies for work not completed, the Miami Herald reports.

*

Florida education news: Overflow dorms, policy revisions, selling concessions and more

NO ROOM AT THE DORM: The University of Tampa houses overflow students at a nearby Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel. (TImes photo, Kathleen Flynn)

WAIT UNTIL KIDS ARE GONE: Pinellas decides to stop doing roofing work at San Jose Elementary until students leave each day, after concerns arise about the smoke and fumes.

EXAM EXEMPTIONS: Hillsborough will consider giving seniors one break on finals.

POLICY MATTERS: Pasco teachers raise some red flags about the School Board's policy manual revisions in hopes of getting some amendments before everything is approved.

SOFT LANDING: Dismissed Hernando superintendent Wayne Alexander nabs a six-figure, high profile education job in Connecticut.

LOCKED DOWN: USF-Tampa students sit tight as police deal with a bomber (who turned out not to have a bomb).

TAKE THE PAY CUT: Pasco board members should follow state law, not the FSBA's fuzzy logic, in setting their salary, the Times editorializes.

BUYING TIME: St. Johns superintendent Joe Joyer tells parents that the federal stimulus package delayed, but won't stop, Florida schools from dealing with the major costs of the class size amendment, the St. Augustine Record reports.

SEEKING SAVINGS: Manatee considers cutting sick leave payouts at retirement for future employees, the Bradenton Herald reports.

MONEY LOSER: Broward sets new rules for working concessions that could cost school clubs big money, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

WHERE'S THE MONEY? Lee teachers are peeved as the district recalculates how they get paid, and their checks shrink slightly, the Naples Daily News reports.

GROWING AGAIN: FAMU sees its enrollment rise to levels before it was embroiled in troubles, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Florida education news: Truancy, community service, longer school year and more

TRUANCY MATTERS: Pinellas Circuit Judge Irene Sullivan talks about her philosophy of running truancy court. Her goal is to get kids successful in school, then successful in life.

UPBEAT: FAMU Law has a new attitude as it turns itself around.

NO MORE RED FACES: Lakeland High School's new principal works to make sure the school doesn't receive any more D grades from the state, the Lakeland Ledger reports. • Bay High has similar desires, the Panama City News Herald reports.

CONFLICTING MISSIONS: As USF and State College of Florida in Manatee and Sarasota fight over four-year degree programs, and the state needs to redefine the governance structure that once worked well for community colleges and universities, the Herald-Tribune editorializes.

CAMPAIGN WORK CAN COUNT: Collier will let students earn community service credit working on political campaigns — but only if they're nonpartisan races, the Naples Daily News reports. • Alachua aims to control employees' political activities, as well, the Gainesville Sun reports.

MORE SCHOOL? With spending cuts continuing, a longer school year isn't likely for Florida, the Gainesville Sun reports. • The idea gets mixed reviews in Panama City schools, the Panama City News Herald reports.