Today's news

WALKING TO WIN: Pasco's school employee association plans to hit the street to seek support for its bargaining position, but also for its preferred candidate for superintendent, challenger Steve Donaldson. (Image from Donaldson's campaign Web site)

HIRING REVIEW: St. Petersburg College trustees launch an independent audit of hiring practices amid allegations that president Carl Kuttler improperly hired a friend to an administrative post.

FRILL? OR LIFE-SAVING LESSON? Hernando officials are considering whether to end water safety classes for all kindergarteners in order to save some cash.

FORGET METAL DETECTORS: If you want to keep guns off campus, educate students to tell authorities if one of their classmates has one, the Fort Pierce Tribune reports. (It has been an issue in Fort Pierce since a 13-year-old was arrested with a gun at school.)

DARE DROPPED: Lee schools lose the drug prevention program through budget cuts, and resource officers might be next, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

CUSTODIANS COMPLAIN: Recently outsourced Collier custodians file an EEOC complaint against the district, alleging the district violated the civil rights of the mostly Hispanic crew, the Naples Daily News reports.

KIPP IS COMING: Duval lands Florida's first KIPP school. The nationally lauded charter school is expected to debut here in 2010, the Florida Times-Union reports.

BONUSES AT FAMU: The university's administration seeks permission to grant $1,000 one-time bonuses to the faculty and staff, who haven't seen a raise in five years, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

HARDER TIMES AHEAD: Volusia leaders warn that the district's deficit could grow another $8-million, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

WORKING MORE FOR LESS: Brevard teachers' contract doesn't compare favorably with others around the state, Florida Today reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Texas looks to revamp its teacher merit pay plan after nearly 60 percent of schools fail to qualify in the second year, the Dallas Morning News reports. Latin isn't dead anymore, the NY Times reports. Raises are no longer an option for Montgomery Co., Md., schools either, the Washington Post reports.

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Today's news

GETTING PHYSICAL: Florida elementary schools are trying to fit the state's new physical education requirements. Some have less success than others, the Miami Herald reports. (Times file photo)

DON'T FORGET THE CLASSROOM: As Lee works out its antibullying policy, one mom seeks to ensure the district looks at classroom troubles as well as what happens in the cyber world, the Naples Daily News reports.

FCAT PRE-TEST: Four Florida school districts pilot a new assessment designed by the Florida Center for Reading Research to determine whether students are ready to pass the FCAT, the Herald-Tribune reports.

NO PARKING: More and more Florida college students who have turned to commuter schools for additional education and training are struggling to find a place to park their cars, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

WHAT TO DO WITH EMPTY SCHOOLS? Lake officials discuss whether to sell them, use them or mothball them, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

COLLEGE TAX HEADS TO VOTERS: Amendment 8 on the Nov. 4 ballot, which would pave the way for Florida's community colleges to seek their own local tax revenue, has not gained much attention, the Gainesville Sun reports.

CLASSROOM ON WHEELS: Flagler sends out a new bus filled with computers to visit homes where families have limited or no technology available, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Teacher merit pay seems like a bad idea because it could limit teacher teamwork, Washington Post education columnist Jay Mathews writes. Some video game creators attach books to their games in hopes that players will read more, the NY Times reports.

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Today's news

LESS MONEY, LESS SCHOOL: Hernando had plans for a $50.8-million new school, but only $27-million available. So leaders started to think smaller. (Rendering special to the Times)

STUDYING CHILDREN'S HEALTH: USF researchers get a $28.8-million grant to conduct part of "the largest study of children's health in the history of the U.S. government." The University of Miami got a piece, too, the Miami Herald reports.

YOU'RE HIRED: Collier custodians, whose jobs were recently outsourced, begin taking jobs with the company that replaced them but vow to keep fighting the School Board's decision, the Naples Daily News reports.

"COMMITTED TO OUR STUDENTS": Volusia superintendent Margaret Smith responds to criticisms of her handling of the budget in an op-ed piece for the Orlando Sentinel.

"BRING SPELLING BACK": Clay educators lament students' growing inability to spell properly, the My Clay Sun reports.

BUT WHAT'S MY GRADE? Palm Beach schools consider report cards without letter grades for elementary students, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

FREE RIDE: Brevard Community College cuts a deal to get all students, staff and faculty free rides on the public transit system, Florida Today reports.

Today's news

MAKEOVER: Pinellas middle school principal Cheryl DiCicco, who usually pays more attention to her students than herself, gets a new look -- and the kids notice. (Times photo, Lara Cerri)

NEW FOCUS: Pinellas now has more majority-black schools with its new closer-to-home attendance plan, forcing educators to find fresh ways to improve performance.

WRITING CAMP: A Pasco elementary school makes writing fun during a free after-school camp for fourth-graders.

GO AHEAD AND BRING FIDO: But not to classrooms or eating areas, please. Eckerd College allows students to keep their pets in the dorms.

INTERNS EVERYWHERE: Blanton Elementary brings in seven ESOL interns to help with a growing number of English-language learners.

HOW ABOUT THAT DROPOUT RATE? Instead of bragging about winning grants and bonds for affordable housing, Gov. Charlie Crist should focus on lowering Florida's dropout rate as an economic stimulus strategy, the Gainesville Sun editorializes.

SLEEP ON IT: An ethics panel urges the Miami-Dade School Board to delay approval of Alberto Carvalho's contract to become superintendent, questioning the way Carvalho won the appointment, the Miami Herald reports.

UNIFORMS, AGAIN: The Lake School Board plans to revisit the idea of districtwide uniforms, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

WE'VE GOT SPIRIT [SEND]: Sarasota High students compete with more than 2,000 schools nationally in an online spirit contest, the Herald Tribune reports. It's not real until it's on the Internet, right?

MANATEE ARGUES: The teachers union and administration present their cases over an unfair labor practice claim, the Bradenton Herald reports.

KIPP COMING? Duval could become home to Florida's first KIPP charter school, the Florida Times-Union reports.

BANG! A Palm Beach Gardens high school student brings a gun to school, where it goes off in a class, the Palm Beach Post reports. Two Alachua middle school students are arrested for shooting an airsoft gun at classmates, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Education Trust president Kati Haycock.

Today's news

'WE WOULDN'T MAKE IT': Pasco school officials say the district could not meet state class-size requirements next year, given the current financial situation. Several Florida lawmakers, including key senators, say they expect more flexibility on the matter during their next session. (Times file photo)

FED UP: Volusia teachers plan a PR offensive to challenge their district's budget management, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

DRESS CODE CONSISTENCY: A debate ensues in Duval about how the student dress code is enforced as a teacher is reprimanded for going over the top, the Florida Times-Union reports.

GIVING KIDS A CLUE: Some Panhandle high schools pilot a new financial literacy course, hoping to teach students how to manage their money, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

TEACHING ENGLISH: Lee schools change some requirements for English-language learners, including a step that should shrink the numbers of students in the program, the Naples Daily News reports.

OUSTED, CUSTODIANS MIGHT SUE: Collier outsourced its janitorial services, and now the laid off workers threaten to sue the district, the Naples Daily News reports.

ON THE AIR: Martin will begin televising its School Board meetings, but not as live broadcasts, the Stuart News reports.

NO BULLYING ALLOWED: Following a newly approved state law, Lee schools unveil their new anti-bullying policy, the Cape Coral Daily Breeze reports.

TEACHER SUSPENDED FOR N-WORD: A Jackson middle school teacher uses the slur while discussing Barack Obama with his class, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Smacked by an $84-million deficit, Dallas, Texas, schools prepare to lay off 1,100 workers, the Dallas Morning News reports. Los Angeles public schools have seen their district administration expand 20 percent in six years, the LA Daily News reports.

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Book ruckus roundup

We're not sure how Banned Books Week almost came and went without our mentioning it, but better late than never. There were at least a couple of book controversies in Florida schools over the past year, including this one in Hillsborough County and this one in the Panhandle.

Here are the most challenged books from around the country. (And Tango Makes Three, shown, is No. 1.)

Ron Matus, state education reporter

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Today's news

SHORTCHANGED: The NAACP, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities file a complaint against Hillsborough schools, saying students with disabilities are mistreated in the system. A similar complaint was filed against Palm Beach schools, the Palm Beach Post reports. (Times photo, Melissa Lyttle)

RESOLVED: Leaders of Mavericks in Education say they've fixed the problems that Hernando district officials listed in the group's charter school application.

THINK TWICE: Naming a new high school in Brandon "Strawberry Crest" could doom its athletic program to laughingstock status, columnist Ernest Hooper writes. "Who's going to be the mascot, Strawberry Shortcake?

 WHO'S ON THE BUS? Public transit use in Hillsborough is on the rise, with school students riding along workers to get to their destinations.

MEMORIALIZED ON FILM: Hillsborough High, the county's oldest public high school, is featured in a new documentary that debuts Saturday at the school.

LESS LOTTERY: Sales are 14 percent down, meaning millions less for Florida schools, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

A TIMELY LESSON: One Miami high school teacher turns the nation's financial woes into a class debate over economics and the proposed government bailout, the Miami Herald reports.

SURPRISE SUPPLIES: Teachers in Broward and Miami receive $1,000 of classroom supplies from Office Max, the Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald report.

BE SAFE: New student orientation at Santa Fe College now includes lessons like how to barricade yourself into a classroom if a gunman is on campus, the Gainesville Sun reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Wachovia Bank has limited access to the accounts of nearly 1,000 colleges and universities, putting their payrolls in jeopardy, the NY Times reports. New York schools will start to measure teacher performance by student test results, but not use the information in evaluations and pay decisions, the NY Times reports. A California school district has unbanned the popular Twilight book series after initially removing them, the AP reports. Many superintendents hold doctorate degrees, but some experts question the value, the Washington Post reports.

Today's news

CHECK THAT BACKPACK: A Pasco school nurse has taken up the cause of protecting children's backs from overloaded backpacks. Tips included.

MORE ON THE MOM FIGHT: A lawyer for the Westchase Elementary mom arrested after punching another mom during lunch time says racial name calling sparked the incident. A Sheriff's Office account tells a different story.

A HARD TIME TO BE A KID: Hernando conducts its first Summit for Youth, where participants talk about how to improve the lives of county youngsters and teens.

HAPPY 30TH: Woodland Elementary in Zephyrhills celebrates its 30th anniversary by focusing students' attention on the number 30.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Walk for Pride puts kids in the loop for fundraising (Moton Elementary); Program brings justice, civics to life (Tyrone Middle); Family literacy day encourages relatives to read and relax (Bishop Larkin Catholic)

NI HAO, KIDS: Students at a Naples elementary school join the growing trend of learning Mandarin Chinese as part of their daily curriculum, the Naples Daily News reports.

STAY ON YOUR SIDE: The Escambia County, Alabama, School Board won't let its students cross the state line to attend school in Escambia County, Florida, anymore, Northescambia.com reports. More from the Atmore (Ala.) Advance here.

A DAD IN CHARGE: Lawyer and father of two Mike Ryan becomes Broward's second male PTA president, a job traditionally dominated by women, the Miami Herald reports.

BEYOND SCHOOL BOUNDARIES: Manatee parents of special needs students form a countywide Special Education PTA to focus on their children's issues, the Bradenton Herald reports.

COMMUNITY MENTORS: Leon officials put together a program where local business executives will mentor new principals, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

TAKE THE MONEY: Volusia superintendent Margaret Smith takes a 2 percent pay cut over the objections of the School Board, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

Today's news

NOT THE DISTRICT'S PROBLEM: A circuit court judge sides with the Hillsborough School Board in a long-standing dispute over whether the district or the county government must pay for road improvements leading to new schools. (Times file photo)

MORE MAGNETS: Pinellas students could have three more academic options as early as next year.

MOM FIGHT: A Westchase Elementary mom is arrested for repeatedly punching another mom in the face in the school's cafeteria as kids watched.

IT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE CONSTITUTION: But is Florida's "paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders" worth the paper it's written on? Gainesville Sun columnist Ron Cunningham ponders the issue.

READY TO WORK: Students in Florida's job preparation program say it does give them an edge in the work place, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

EXTRA HELP: When studying at school isn't enough, Polk students have plenty of supplemental options, the Winter Haven News Chief reports.

CHICKENS AND RABBITS AND DOGS: Oh my. Felix Varela Senior High's four-year pre-vet program offers some Miami-Dade students an opportunity to learn about working with animals, the Miami Herald reports.

NO MORE YEAR-ROUND: To save money, Polk considers ending the year-round calendar at the district's one school that uses it, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

KEEP THEM IN STORAGE: Despite pressure from parents, Sarasota won't put its 62 new defibrillators into schools yet, saying they have not provided proper training yet, the Herald-Tribune reports.

UWF WANTS YOU: The University of West Florida launches an ad campaign to attract more students, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. Part of the pitch - it's not big and anonymous like FSU and UF.

NOT EVEN CLOSE: Bay teachers ask for a 4.5 percent raise. The district offers zero, the Panama City News Herald reports.

Today's news

CORRELATION? OR COINCIDENCE? A review of cases posted on myfloridateacher.com shows that higher-poverty schools in Hillsborough and Pinellas are more likely to have teachers who have been penalized for serious misconduct than those in other neighborhoods.

ABOUT THAT $120-MILLION: The Pasco school district doesn't have that kind of money just lying around and available for raises, despite what some teachers might think.

ASK THE KIDS: The Collier School Board considers creating a student advisory board to give input on district issues, the Naples Daily News reports.

LESS MONEY: Even as participation is on the rise, the Palm Beach school district prepares for a cut in funding for Advanced Placement programs, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Florida districts also are preparing for an additional cut in lottery funding, Florida Today reports.

ONLINE ALL THE TIME: Florida school districts are preparing new virtual education programs, beginning at the elementary level, to meet a new state mandate, the Palm Beach Post reports.

WHAT'S NEXT? Tallahassee Community College already has cut back its spending, and leaders there worry about what they might have to do without if another round of budget reductions comes, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

HARD TO HOLD ON TO: School districts across the nation are targeting academic accountability. But superintendents of large urban districts, including Miami-Dade, are having trouble keeping their leaders at the top to make meaningful reform stick, the AP reports.

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Today's news

SURPRISE: More than half of Florida community college students find out the hard way that passing the FCAT does not mean they're ready for college. (Times photo, Will Vragovic)

STICK WITH THE MESSAGE: Florida's next university system chancellor must keep up the fight for additional funding and academic freedom in the state's higher education system, the Times editorializes.

REEXAMINE ADMISSION EXAMS: A national panel's recommendations gives colleges and universities the opportunity to reconsider whether student SAT and ACT scores really matter in the admission process, columnist Bill Maxwell writes.

A PATH TO SUCCESS: Manatee Community College can help the area's economy with its push to four-year degree offering status, the Bradenton Herald editorializes.

COLLEGE GOES ONLINE: To keep up with its tech-savvy students, Edison College amps up its e-learning effort with Edison Online, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

DISTRICT STRUGGLES WITH TECHNOLOGY: Lake schools still have many classrooms without computers, and lots of the district's computers are outdated. Officials want to upgrade, but finances make it a hard sell, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: A housing developer gives a Brevard teacher's classroom a complete renovation, Florida Today reports.

AROUND THE NATION: New York educators and parents are finding that school grading can be awfully subjective, the NY Times reports. A financial crisis threatens the Dallas school district's recent academic reforms, the Dallas Morning News reports. A growing number of Massachusetts schools are using breath tests at school events to crack down on teen drinking, the Boston Globe reports.

Today's news

DON'T START SCRATCHING: Back to school means an uptick in head lice, and they're getting harder to kill. (Image from allaboutlice.com)

CLASS ATTACK: A 14-year-old student at J.D. Floyd K-8 in Spring Hill is arrested after assaulting some classmates during lunch break.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE? A panel reviewing the need for Collier's local tax referendum criticizes the school district for lacking any other ideas to deal with funding shortfalls, the Naples Daily News reports.

THINK FAST: More than 700 Florida schools compete in Math Mania, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

GETTING RURAL STUDENTS TO COLLEGE: A joint effort by FSU, Gulf Coast Community College, several schools and the St. Joe Community Foundation is helping get more Panhandle students into college, Rick Dalton of College for Every Student and John Mills of Paul Smiths College write in an op-ed for the Tallahassee Democrat.

SAT'S MATTER: Florida soon will include high school students' SAT scores in the mix when grading their schools, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

MORE FREE MEALS: The level of Broward students receiving free and reduced-price lunches is on the rise, the Miami Herald reports.

TOUGHER STANDARDS: Manatee Community College increases passing scores for its nursing students after seeing many of them fail their licensure exams, the Bradenton Herald reports.

EPIPEN RULES: Some Brevard parents get upset when told their young children - and not school personnel - will be responsible for carrying the allergy antidote around school, Florida Today reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon today for an interview with Imagine Schools founders Dennis and Eileen Bakke.

Today's news

LET MORE FRESHMEN IN: The State University System Board of Governors discusses easing its enrollment cap to allow more people access to higher education.

FAR FROM HOME: A Pinellas kindergartner is dropped off by her school bus at the wrong school and wanders off. A friend of her mother's who happened to drive by picks up the crying girl and takes her to the right school. (Times photo, Jim Damaske)

MORE MONEY: The Board of Governors will ask the Legislature for $24-million to offset rising utility costs, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. More from the Gainesville Sun.

ONLINE TUTORING: The Immokalee public library provides free virtual tutoring to students each afternoon to help them improve their academics, the Naples Daily News reports.

ARE TEACHERS SAFE ENOUGH? A violent outburst by a 21-year-old autistic student sends a Sarasota teacher to the doctor's office. The teachers union says the episode illustrates what risks some educators face daily, the Herald-Tribune reports.

FLASHING RED MEANS STOP: Ocala police clamp down on car drivers who pass stopped school buses in the aftermath of a bus crash that killed one girl, the Ocala Star Banner reports.

GETTING THEIR GED: Duval sets up a new program to help nonviolent inmates complete their high school education and move on, the Florida Times-Union reports.

Today's news

LEARNING LANGUAGES: Preschools across the Tampa Bay area teach children a second language to help them with their cognitive skills. (Times photo, Gen Yamaguchi)

NO PINK SLIPS: Pasco begins transferring teachers to cope with enrollments that didn't meet projections. The rumor that folks are getting laid off isn't correct.

NAME THAT SCHOOL: The Griffin family of east Hillsborough is petitioning to have the area's new high school named after its patriarch. The district is seeking nominations before making a decision.

PEACE DELAYED: A Hillsborough charter school with a peace education curriculum puts off its opening as only six students enroll.

TEACHER CRIME BLOTTER: Pinellas elementary school teacher Alyson Perry-Jarvis is arrested, accused of having a two-year sexual relationship with teenager (not her student).

MORE CHALLENGES: An Indian River magnet school adds more enrichment programs for high-achieving students who seek more demanding lessons, the Vero Beach Press-Journal reports.

DIPATRI TO RETIRE: Brevard's respected superintendent of eight years plans to call it a career in 2009, Florida Today reports. Interesting factoid: No other sitting Florida appointed superintendent has been in his or her current position longer.

CRIME DOWN: Putnam schools report a 41 percent decrease in on-campus crimes, the Palatka Daily News reports.

NEW RULES: UF trustees approve an updated student code of conduct, which includes a ban on campus keg parties and an updated definition of sexual consent, the Gainesville Sun reports.

HEALTH PLAN APPROVED: The Manatee board unanimously approves a huge spike in health insurance premiums over teacher objections, the Bradenton Herald reports.

FINANCIAL CRUNCH HITS HOME: Palm Beach might have to postpone three new schools because of Wall Street's woes, the Palm Beach Post reports.

OOPS: About 11,000 Broward district employees are overpaid, the Miami Herald reports.

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Today's news

ABOUT THAT TRIP: St. Petersburg College president Carl Kuttler has been defending his hiring of the school's director of international studies, who some contend is not qualified, but details keep getting in the way.

A 'BLESSING' FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT: The Pasco School Board had a home it didn't need. Kathryn Reiter needed a home. Well, you know where this story is going. (Times photo, Brendan Fitterer)

TEACHER CRIME BLOTTER: Hillsborough fourth-grade teacher Wildalynn Harris is arrested for growing pot in her Tampa home. Pinellas high school art teacher Gerald DiPanfilo is fired for having sex with an underage student.

TOP OF THE CLASS: A school guidance counselor's calming ground (Fox Chapel Middle); Armed with mallets, they make music (Cypress Elementary); Kids, adults interact with Largo library pre-k reading program (Largo library)

THINK BIGGER: Earlier this year, Gov. Crist's office told school districts to plan for a 2 percent withholding in funding. "We were told this week that it might be smart for us to start looking for 3.5 percent," Lee superintendent James Browder told the Cape Coral Daily Breeze.

THEY NEED HELP: A new analysis of FCAT science results indicates that Florida students need more practice with the concepts, the AP reports. (As if the low passing rates didn't suggest that.)

NO MORE VALEDICTORIANS: The Lee school district moves to a system that recognizes graduating high school students with honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, etc.), the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

NO MORE TRAYS: Florida Atlantic University gets rid of cafeteria trays as a way to reduce uneaten food and dishwashing expenses, the Palm Beach Post reports.

UNILATERAL DECISION: The Manatee School Board prepares to vote on health benefits without employee input, as the workers' union has refused to negotiate, the Bradenton Herald reports.

SEEKING HIGH SCHOOL SOLUTIONS: The Duval school district wants to see more of its high schools succeed. But that could mean altering its magnet school program, something parents don't want to change, the Florida Times-Union reports.

Today's news

ROSENBERG RESIGNS: Mark Rosenberg, chancellor of the Florida State University System for the past three years, decides to return to teaching at Florida International University. The Board of Governors could begin planning for a replacement as early as Thursday.

IT'S A DEAL: Julie Janssen tentatively agrees to a $200,000-a-year, three-year contract to lead Pinellas schools.

NO MORE BOWLING: Nature Coast High in Brooksville, a perennial state powerhouse in competitive bowling, cancels the program because of a lack of funding.

HE WANTS OUT: Collier School Board attorney Richard Withers, under investigation for possible improper actions, asks to be released from his contract, the Naples Daily News reports.

A SAFER BET? With Wall Street in crisis, the Lee school district moves millions of its invested funds from the SBA to Bank of America, the Naples Daily News reports.

A GREAT YEAR, ANYWAY: Sure, Florida Atlantic University has seen its share of troubles this past year. But president Frank Brogan focuses on the school's achievements during his state of the university speech, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

ON RAISING LOCAL TAXES: A group of Alachua parents and other residents begins to coalesce in favor of an increased local-option property tax to support school operations, the Gainesville Sun reports.

WATERED DOWN: University of Florida officials alter their proposal to clamp down on drinking to clarify that they won't be policing off-campus activities, the Gainesville Sun reports.

SEEKING SATISFACTION (AND $5-MILLION): Lawyers file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of Sarasota students whose personal information was posted online by the Princeton Review, the Herald-Tribune reports.

HOPING TO STAY AFLOAT: Gulf Coast Community College in the Panhandle launches a fundraising effort to keep its athletics programs alive, the Panama City News-Herald reports.

THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR: Dallas, Texas, teachers are worrying about whether they'll all have jobs as the district prepares to cope with an $84-million shortfall, the Dallas Morning News reports.

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Today's news

A SIMPLE SOLUTION: Moon Lake Elementary in Pasco finds an easy way to meet the state's latest P.E. requirements, one that teachers and students alike enjoy. And that's a big deal, as experts say exercise is just as important as classroom instruction, the Sun-Sentinel reports. (Times photo, Janel Schroeder-Norton)

CUTS STILL COMING: Vern Crawford, one of Florida's main education lobbyists, warns Collier officials that yet another round of spending cuts could come in the spring, the Naples Daily News reports.

STICKER SHOCK: Even you can remember the $100 college textbook. Now, Florida is looking for ways to curb the costs of students' required reading, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

DETRACTING FROM DIVERSITY: Budget reductions force many Florida school districts to scale back their recruitment, which could hurt efforts to have a diverse teaching pool, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

STILL SHRINKING: Broward, the nation's sixth-largest school system, has seen enrollment decline by about 17,000 students since 2004, the Miami Herald reports.

LET THEM HELP: A group of Venice High juniors becomes peer mediators to help schoolmates work their way through disputes, the Herald-Tribune reports.

MAXIMIZING RESOURCES: UWF president Judy Bense seeks to create a coalition of Panhandle colleges and universities, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

WHAT HAPPENED? Sanders-Clyde Elementary in Charleston, S.C., aced the state exams despite being one of the city's poorest schools. The principal left, and now questions of cheating are in the air, the AP reports. P.S. 363 in NYC sees its grade drop from a B to a D, confusing parents who thought the school was doing well, the NY Times reports.

REFOCUS: A national panel recommends that colleges pay less attention to SAT and ACT scores, and more attention to high school performance, when considering which students to admit, the NY Times reports.

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Today's news

INFLUENTIAL, ATYPICAL: State Rep. Daryl Rouson, a voucher-supporting Democrat, is anything but your usual Florida politician. (Times photo, Martha Rial)

KEEPING KIDS SAFE: Schools along the Treasure Coast are taking campus safety seriously with increased security measures, the Scripps-Howard chain reports with a series of stories. Click on the links for stories about the St. Lucie, Martin and Indian River districts.

NOT RELIGION ALL THE TIME: Ave Maria University may be a Catholic institution, but that doesn't mean that everything that happens there is religious, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

BRING BACK THE TEST: Some Floridians are dissatisfied with the state's ending a program to test high school student athletes for steroids, the Miami Herald reports.

SUPER PAY: Many of Florida's appointed superintendents make a lot more than the governor, but some contend they're underpaid for the job they do, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

WHO IS THIS CARVALHO, ANYWAY? He's a shrewd insider who's going to need his skills and knowledge to run the fractious Miami-Dade school district, the Miami Herald reports.

FIGHTING TO THE END: Outgoing Lake superintendent Anna Cowin again tries to demote an assistant superintendent whom the board has wanted to remain, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

HARD TO DEFINE: Leon schools work on an anti-bullying policy, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

TIMES ARE TOUGH: A growing number of students in Escambia and Santa Rosa schools apply for free and reduced-price meals, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

BE SATISFIED WITH A GOOD GRADE: School districts around the nation are giving up candy as rewards for good performance, the Washington Post reports.

Today's news

READY TO GET MOVING: New Pinellas superintendent Julie Janssen talks about how she will make her mark on the district.

RELIEF IN SIGHT: Pasco officials hope to buy land from the Catholic diocese so it can build a new elementary school to ease crowding at Oakstead and Longleaf elementary schools.

OFFER STANDS - FOR NOW: Hernando keeps its proposal for 3.5 percent raises on the table, but the superintendent warns things could change as budget projections worsen.

STICK TO THE NECESSITIES: Senate education appropriations chairman Stephen Wise suggests that the class-size reduction rules will have to be scaled back because the state can't afford it, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

CUTTING FEES: FSU will waive out-of-state fees for select students in an effort to become more cost competitive with universities in other states, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

SHOWING SOME 'SOLE': Broward teachers protested their lack of raises by delivering shoes to the school district, saying they have given their "sole" to education. Superintendent Jim Notter delivers the shoes to a homeless shelter, the Miami Herald reports.

SUBS TO SHARE PAIN: Manatee cuts pay for long-term substitute teachers, the Herald-Tribune reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Linda Whiteford, USF associate vice president for global strategies.

Today's news

EAT UP: We've all heard that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. Schrader Elementary wins an award for taking the message to heart, and other Pasco schools aim to duplicate the success. (Times photo, Janel Schroeder-Norton)

STAY SAFE: Hernando officials look for ways to keep kids safer at school bus stops in the wake of a recent fatal accident.

SHRINKING SHORT LIST: A Manatee superintendent search committee whittles down the list of hopefuls, the Bradenton Herald reports.

CUTS HIT SCOUTS: Palm Beach asks Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops to begin paying rent to meet inside schools, something troop leaders say they can barely afford, the Palm Beach Post reports.

BYE-BYE BONUSES: Polk leaders consider eliminating a teacher bonus pay plan, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

OUTSOURCED: Collier hires an outside firm to clean the schools, leading to layoffs of hundreds of custodians but saving lots of money, the Naples Daily News reports.

SHORT TENURE: Putnam schools hired 13 new teachers this summer; 10 of them already have been laid off as the district failed to meet enrollment projections, the Palatka Daily News reports.

STUDENTS NEED IT MORE: Brevard Community College president Jim Drake gets a $100,000 raise, donates it to students to help them pay for textbooks, Florida Today reports.

AROUND THE NATION: A panel of experts recommends scrapping the federal college financial aid system and starting over, the NY Times reports. A Georgia state commission recommends a needed plan to prevent school board meltdown like the one that recently occurred in Clayton County, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorializes.

Today's news

KEEP THE COPS: Hernando decides to continue assigning resource officers to all middle and high schools, despite budget concerns. (Times file photo - not from Hernando)

TWO WILL DO: The Hernando School Board nixes the idea of having a three-building new high school when only two structures are needed.

BUDGET APPROVED: The Pasco School Board adopts its $1.2-billion budget despite employee pleas to include raises. Board members suggest the budget can always be amended. The Times editorializes that Cathi Martin's lone vote in opposition to the plan appears to be sheer pandering.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Two schools move to continue chess champions' momentum (Wimauma Elementary, Shields Middle); Brandon elementary students absorb lessons of Patriot Day (Kingswood Elementary, Nelson Elementary)

NOT YET: The Miami-Dade School Board delays its vote on Alberto Carvalho's contract to become superintendent, the Miami Herald reports.

DRESS CODE DISPUTE: A Port St. Lucie dad gets upset when his daughter's school changes the dress code rules mid-year, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

MORE SCHOOL NEEDED? Brevard examines whether to extend the school year beyond 180 days, Florida Today reports.

SURPRISE: Lee schools see a steeper than expected decline in students, prompting the district to lay off dozens, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. See a sidebar here.

WHO DOES HE WORK FOR? The Collier School Board attorney appears to be under investigation for his interactions with the district's former superintendent, the Naples Daily News reports.

SEE YOU IN COURT: Manatee teachers and district administrators will get their hearing over the union's unfair labor practices complaint in October, the Bradenton Herald reports.

NEW CHARTER: Palm Beach approves its first new charter school in two years, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

WHAT'S YOUR MAJOR? FAU starts assigning students to dorms based on common interests, hoping it will boost student grades, the Palm Beach Post reports. 

UF CELEBRATES INTEGRATION ANNIVERSARY: But 50 years after its first black student enrolled, the university is seeing its number of black students decrease, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Today's news

JANSSEN GETS THE NOD: Spurned by its first choice, the Pinellas School Board unanimously picks interim superintendent Julie Janssen to lead the district in what some consider a surprise vote. The Times editorializes that the board made the right choice.

BOARD WEIGHS IN ON BUSING: Hillsborough School Board members offer superintendent MaryEllen Elia ideas on how to fix the district's busing problems.

PASCO PROTEST: Hundreds of Pasco school employees picket for raises, then bring their demands inside for the School Board to hear. (To see the meeting results, click here.)

TOUGHER SCHOOL, HIGHER PAY: Senate Education chairman Don Gaetz likes that idea, and he's crafting legislation to promote differential pay.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Basic training set to music (Wiregrass Ranch High); Mary Giella Elementary School students learn about election process; Communications department captures events for TV, web (Hernando schools); History lesson served with a side of corn (Brooksville Elementary)

LEARNING TO GOVERN: The Collier School Board gets a lesson in leadership as it tries to keep the district's accreditation, the Naples Daily News reports.

CHANGE FOR AUTISTIC STUDENTS? State lawmakers suggest they will propose legislation to improve the way children with autism are treated in public schools, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports.

NO FIELD TRIPS: Orange and Seminole schools cancel travel plans as diesel fuel remains in short supply after Hurricane Ike, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

HEALTHY COMPETITION: Charter schools are good for Florida because they give parents education choices, James Madison Institute president J. Stanley Marshall writes in an op-ed for the Herald-Tribune.

TOO FAST: The Miami-Dade School Board moved too quickly in choosing a new superintendent, Miami Herald columnist Myriam Marquez writes.

STAYING ALIVE: Broward officials scale back their legislative priorities to match the tough economic times, the Miami Herald reports.

STICK AROUND: FAU gives president Frank Brogan a six-year contract extension, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

EARLY DEPARTURE: Columbia superintendent Grady Markham, ousted in his re-election bid, resigns two months before his term expires, the Gainesville Sun reports.

PEEVED PARENTS: Three Sarasota schools lock down moments before dismissal, leaving parents waiting for their kids without information why, the Herald-Tribune reports.

FIRST PAY CUTS, NOW THIS: Manatee proposes higher employee rates for health insurance to cover a growing deficit, the Bradenton Herald reports.

Today's news

NO RUSH: Several Pinellas School Board members suggest they might take a few more weeks to decide who should become the district's next superintendent.

SIT DOWN OR ELSE: The Florida Board of Education is considering a rule to expand teachers' authority to use force to control students -- and not just those with special needs who pose a threat to themselves, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

CAN YOU IMAGINE? Sarasota school officials have concerns about why the Imagine charter school firm wants to expand so quickly in the area, the Herald-Tribune reports.

SORRY, SENIORS: Palm Beach Community College looks into closing its center for lifelong learning as part of its budget-cutting plan, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

SMALL RAISE IN SARASOTA: Teachers agree to a 1 percent raise plus an additional 1 percent bonus (if the state doesn't cut any more funding), the Herald-Tribune reports.

'STUNNING' ACCOMPLISHMENT: Education commissioner Eric J. Smith praises the turnaround success of Nims Elementary in Tallahassee as he doles out recognition funds, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

LIFE LESSONS: Sure, sociology and statistics might be tough. But college freshmen also must figure out how to live on their own. So the University of West Florida offers a class in budgeting, planning and other "academic foundations," the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

LOWER STANDARDS: Here's an interesting concept in today's outcomes-oriented education world. Duval district leaders are debating whether to decrease the minimum mandatory GPA for students to remain in several accelerated programs, as the Florida Times-Union reports.

CHARTER BOOM: Volusia sees a record number of charter school applicants, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. (You might recall, this is the district that closed seven schools this year.)

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Today's news

ALARM BELLS: The state's chief economist warns that there's only likely to be enough money in the budget for the next two years to maintain basic critical needs, such as schools.

NEVER TOO LATE: Maria Romero made some wrong choices in her life, including dropping out of high school. But now the Pasco mom has completed her GED and hopes to become a social worker to help teens avoid the problems she faced.

FEWER OFFICERS: Hernando reduces the number of resource officers serving schools, but not by as much as originally expected.

KEEPING ITS OPTIONS OPEN: The Athenian Academy of Pasco seeks to become the first existing charter school to tie itself to the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission rather than its local school board.

LEAVE IT ALONE: Don't touch the legal drinking age as several university presidents have suggested, the Times editorializes.

PAY ATTENTION: Driving instructors find there's no easy way to get all teens to listen to what they're teaching, the Florida Times-Union reports.

FINISH UP, ALREADY: The University of Florida threatens to toss out students who don't graduate in a timely manner, the Gainesville Sun reports.

IT'S NOT OVER: Bolstered by her success in Florida, activist Debbie Johnston plans to push for a national antibullying law, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

COSTLY DEPARTMENT: The legal work for the Palm Beach school district puts a big dent in the budget, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

PAY UP: The Lake School Board considers charging all clubs and organizations to use schools when classes aren't in session, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LEAVE THE PB&J AT HOME: Several Manatee schools ban peanuts because of allergies, the Bradenton Herald reports.

AROUND THE NATION: Some California high schools are working harder to make the transition into ninth grade easier, the LA Times reports. College professors begin putting their own textbooks online -- free -- for their students, the NY Times reports.

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Today's news

SPECIAL NEEDS: As part of Hillsborough's busing changes, the district has put students with disabilities on buses with everyone else. Some parents are upset they weren't notified and that drivers weren't trained in how to best deal with their children.

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY: Education gives Floridians the chance to rise up above their individual lives, but the state's investment strategy is putting the system in jeopardy, Santa Fe College president Jackson Sasser writes in a column for the Gainesville Sun.

DADS WANTED: Broward seeks to get more fathers - especially those of boys- involved in their children's education in an effort to improve the graduation rate, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

THE TROUBLE WITH BRIGHT FUTURES: It's appearing more and more likely that the scholarship program will soon use up all the lottery funds assigned to public education in Florida, the Tallahassee Democrat editorializes. (Ignore the part about Joe Pickens being chairman of the House Schools and Learning Council, though. He's now president of St. Johns River Community College.)

HEY, I KNOW THAT KID: Vero Beach fifth grader Paul O'Neal becomes one of just a dozen national reporters for Weekly Reader, the Vero Beach Press-Journal reports.

SKIPPING SHOTS: Thousands of Florida students are going to school without getting all the recommended vaccinations, Scripps-Howard News Service reports.

NO NEW TAXES: The new leadership of the Florida House says it will spend the next two years evaluating spending, not trying to raise new revenue, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

GOOD LUCK: New Miami-Dade superintendent Alberto Carvalho has lots of big tasks ahead, the toughest of which might be working with a fractured school board, the Miami Herald reports.

SEEKING A STEP UP: Broward teachers won't sign a new contract deal because it doesn't include annual "step" increases for 2009-10, the Miami Herald reports.

LET GO OF MY KID: A growing number of Florida parents who have children with special needs is challenging the use of physical restraint to control their kids, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Today's news

WHO'S THE BETTER TEACHER? You wouldn't necessarily be able to tell just by looking at the district salary schedule, years of experience and degrees held, a Times analysis of Hillsborough's merit payments suggests. (Times photo, Ken Helle)

SPEAKING OF PAY SCHEDULES: Hillsborough's administration and teachers association reach a contract deal. Word also goes out which teachers will get performance pay bonuses. (Sorry, no list yet.)

TOO MANY ROOKIES: Seventy-Fourth Street Elementary in Pinellas, a school in restructuring, lands nine rookie teachers this year -- more than the principal would have liked. But most veteran teachers don't choose high-poverty schools, and the district does little to lure them there.

GETTING READY FOR THE REAL WORLD: Hernando boosts its career academies to give students more experiences for life after high school.

NEXT UP? Will it be insider Julie Janssen or outsider Nicholas Gledich? The Pinellas School Board will meet Tuesday to select one of its two remaining finalists for superintendent after first choice Alberto Carvalho declined to take the offer. You can read about Carvalho's first day as Miami-Dade superintendent in t