State tests: The end of the much-maligned FCAT is no cause for celebration by critics, writes the Palm Beach Post. Sen. John Legg correctly recognizes there are too many standardized tests in Florida’s public schools, but his proposed solution of a test-free period around state-required tests is impractical, writes the Tampa Bay Times.
Common Core: A state senator has submitted legislation to stop the Common Core State Standards from taking effect in Florida. The Buzz. The new state standards place more emphasis on cursive writing, but not everyone is on board as technology takes over the classroom. Fort Myers News-Press. Studies find textbooks are a poor match for Common Core standards. StateImpact Florida.
Teacher evals: The publication of teacher performance scores this week resonate in Leon County Schools, drawing criticism from school board members and fueling recruitment efforts by the local teachers union. Tallahassee Democrat.
Special needs: The state teachers union releases a video showing Polk County school administrators giving a standardized test to a blind child in a persistent vegetative state. Herald/Times.
State grades: The state Board of Education should listen to parents and educators who want to put the brakes on the grading plan, writes The Ledger.
Pay raises: Pasco County’s superintendent recommends new salary schedules for administrators and non-bargaining personnel that would increase their pay by 4 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively. Tampa Bay Times. The roughly 6,000 Palm Beach school district service employees like bus drivers, custodians and electricians will get a 4 percent raise under a new tentative labor agreement. Palm Beach Post.
School boards: Pinellas County School Board members vote unanimously to change the time allotted for public comments from the beginning of their meetings to the end, despite initial concerns the switch would discourage public participation. The Tampa Tribune. More from the Tampa Bay Times. The Palm Beach County school board hears some tough talk on a still-sparse budget for next school year. Palm Beach Post.
Teachers: Kristen Iannuzzi, a language-arts teacher at West Orange High, is named the 2015 Teacher of the Year for Orange County. Orlando Sentinel.
School safety: The Pinellas County school district is using gun-sniffing dogs to patrol schools and alert authorities to firearms. Associated Press. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
School technology: Manatee County School Board members discuss a plan to correct an information technology system they admit is “antiquated” and “not elegant.” Bradenton Herald.
Conduct: The Pinellas County School Board fires a special education aide who has a history of problems and poor performance. Tampa Bay Times. A former coach at the now-closed Broward Christian School is arrested on sex trafficking charges, with police finding more than 300 index cards on him listing the physical characteristics and phone numbers of different women. Sun Sentinel. An $80,000 discrimination settlement between Gulliver Preparatory School and its former headmaster is tossed after his daughter breaches the terms of a confidential agreement by bragging about it on Facebook. Miami Herald.
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