Gradebook

Florida education news: FCAT, graduation, summer slide and more

FCAT MARKS: Education commissioner Tony Bennett focuses on improving writing scores, while downplaying flat third grade reading and math results. More from the Sun-Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald, Tallahassee Democrat.

GRADUATIONS: An ailing Dixie Hollins High senior gets the medical all-clear to attend her commencement. • About 5 percent of Pasco seniors seek the stability of the military after high school. • The Hernando School Board eliminates valedictorian and salutatorian honors for future graduating classes.

BLAME ALL AROUND: No one was the hero in a recent drama over River Ridge High School's prom, columnist C.T. Bowen writes.

MOVING ON: The closure of the nuclear power plant in Crystal River forces some Citrus teachers to leave the district, the Citrus County Chronicle reports.

DON'T STOP: Moms and dads need to keep their kids from experiencing the summer slide as school ends, Florida Today reports. More from the Ocala Star-Banner.

RECRUITING: Florida's newest university begins looking for students, the Ledger reports. …

An FCAT success story

Gradebook asked the principal of Cahoon Elementary School in Tampa, "what are you feeding your students?"

And Joanne Griffiths graciously answered, "it's really what we're feeding our teachers."

In a year when third grade FCAT reading proficiency rates barely budged, Cahoon's jumped from 55 to 81. …

Elimination of valedictorian, salutatorian designations in Hernando doesn’t set well with all

Nature Coast Technical High School senior Alyssa Cooper has always been a motivated student.

She’s worked hard to achieve a 4.55 grade-point average. To pull in highest honors at the school. To obtain her associate’s degree from Pasco-Hernando Community College.

One big factor keeping her motivated: the prospect of becoming valedictorian — earning her graduating class’s top academic honor.

“It causes us to be even more driven than we already are,” Cooper said. “And it gives us something to strive for.”

She achieved her goal, becoming the Class of 2013’s top student at Nature Coast. But she might be one of the last to earn that designation.

Without much discussion or public input last summer, and based on the recommendation of a committee doing a routine review of district policies, the Hernando County School Board voted to eliminate the valedictorian and salutatorian designations at district high schools beginning with the current freshman classes.

It’s a decision that is now starting to generate backlash from some students, parents and community members.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea at all,” said Cooper.

Cooper’s mother, Michelle, agreed.  …

Gov. Rick Scott urges university trustees to hold tuition flat

Gov. Rick Scott, having vetoed budget provisions for a 3 percent tuition increase, on Friday reiterated his stance to university trustees.

In a letter to the the chairmen of all 12 university boards, Scott stressed that he considered a tuition hike akin to a tax increase on Florida families. He said the cost of a university education should remain affordable, and urged the presidents to join his opposition to higher costs.

"This is a worthy battle, you have all the tools to win the battle, and I would be proud for you to join me in our fight to hold the line on tuition," he wrote.

Read on for Scott's full letter to the university chairmen. …

Bonus program confirms it: Good bus drivers are hard to find

It's common knowledge in Hillsborough County and pretty much everywhere: It's hard to hire good bus drives, and enough of them.

Hillsborough, in particular, is a sprawling district with an ambitious magnet program that has a lot of kids on buses.

The starting pay? Less than $11 an hour for some very stressful work.

Seeking to fill some 150 vacancies, the district in December embarked on a bonus program for school employees who successfully recruit new drivers.

So far the results are less than spectacular.

According to a memo from transportation manager John Franklin, "a large pool of applicants will only result in a few successful hires. In order to become a bus driver, applicants face stringent driving history record checks, criminal history background checks and must pass the CDL (commercial driver's license) paper and written exams."

Now for the numbers:

Since December, 61 drivers have been hired. Six have been re-hired. Fifty-six have resigned, retired or died while on leaves of absence. Another 40 have gone out on workers comp. Twelve have been hired since December, but then left the job.
 
As for the referral program: …

Hillsborough leads the region in FCAT writing scores

Hillsborough County's school district is celebrating the release Friday morning of FCAT writing scores that surpass the statewide averages for proficiency and, for the most part, lead the region.

Tested in grades 4, 8 and 10, Hillsborough's students showed proficiency rates of 65, 66 and 67.

Proficiency is defined as a 3.5 or better on a test is scored from 1.0 to 6.0.

Some schools improved more than others, with the district spotlighting these examples:

FCAT results posted for third grade math and reading, and all writing

The 2013 FCAT writing results, as well as scores for third graders, are now posted on the Florida Department of Education website. You can review all the spreadsheets hereas we review them for trends.

Statewide, more than 37,000 third graders could be retained in third grade because they earned a Level 1 on the reading FCAT. Level 3 or above is considered proficient. In the Tampa Bay area, 5,507 third graders failed. Numbers ranged from 2,956 in  Hillsborough   County  to 258 in  Hernando   County .

Reading  scores across  Tampa   Bay  were about the same or slightly better than last year.

In  Pinellas   County , 56 percent of third graders scored on grade level or above. That’s the same percentage as last year. In Hillsborough, 56 percent of third graders earned proficient scores, compared to 57 percent last year.  Pasco  third graders were two percentage points up over last year, with 59 percent on grade level or above.

Hernando had the  Tampa   Bay  area’s best reading scores, with 62 percent proficient or better this year compared to 59 percent last year. Statewide, 57 percent of third graders earned a Level 3 or better.

 …

Pasco School Board approves cell tower at elementary school

Commenting only after the deal was done, the Pasco County School Board this week gave permission for a cell phone tower to rise on the campus of Sand Pine Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

The district has approved similar land leases for cell towers at Fivay High, Long Middle, Sunlake High and Gulf Trace Elementary in the past, with a goal of raising some added revenue to bolster its resources. The latest agreement calls for annual rent of $16,000 over 10 years, with four 5-year options to extend the lease. The rent would rise 4 percent each year, with an additional increase of $9,500 if a second tenant joins.

Over the course of 30 years, the lease is projected to bring the district $1 million.

In the past, such proposals have generated some small protests. Only one parent spoke out against the tower at Sand Pine, raising concerns that children's health might be at risk. One speaker supported the proposal, saying the area needs better cell phone coverage.

After the board unanimously approved the agreement, board member Allen Altman told the one parent in opposition that he appreciated the safety concerns raised, but that he had done enough research to not share those concerns.

Florida education news: Cat dissections, prom photos, expired food and more

CUTBACKS: The University of South Florida prepares to eliminate expendable degree programs.

PROM LESSONS: Pasco school district officials find that River Ridge High prom planners did not distribute the photo of a girl ahead of time to keep her out. The entire prom affair was filled with teachable moments if anyone had sought to teach them, columnist Sue Carlton writes.

SCIENCE CLASS: Some Palm Beach parents oppose cat dissections in their children's classes, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

A LITTLE HELP: The Citrus School Board turns to its employee union asking for acceptance of about $1 million in negotiable budget cuts, the Citrus County Chronicle reports. • Three Brevard schools have their last day of classes ever, Florida Today reports.

NO THANKS: The Palm Beach sheriff rejects an offer for his department to take over policing the school district, the Palm Beach Post reports.

SEARCHING: Polk's choice for superintendent withdraws from two other job searches to take the district's top job, the Ledger reports. • Lee board members remain unclear as to whether they'll have a national superintendent search, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. …

New round of FCAT results due Friday

The year's first big release of FCAT results comes Friday.

The Florida Department of Education has announced it will put out scores for third grade FCAT reading and math, as well as for FCAT writing outcomes for fourth, eighth and tenth graders. The official numbers are scheduled to be posted on the department website around 10 a.m.

Already, though, the word spreading through Florida school districts is that the FCAT writing results for fourth graders, at least, look high -- even with the increased passing score of 3.5 (up from 3.0) and more stringent standards. In a conference call Wednesday with superintendents, department officials reported the strong scores and asked what districts did to foster success.

They did not provide more details, according to district officials who participated in the call.

A year ago, by contrast, state officials were scrambling to deal with poor writing results. They temporarily lowered the passing score to 3.0 soon afterward.

Commissioner Tony Bennett plans to visit Starkey Elementary School in Seminole on Friday to discuss the results in greater detail. In a YouTube video for parents, he said the rest of the FCAT scores should be made public by June 8.

Fairmount Park Elementary hiring teachers

Fairmount Park Elementary, one of five schools in Pinellas County facing state intervention, has posted a job advertisement looking for teachers. Maximo Elementary, another of the five, posted a similar advertisement earlier this month. 

Teachers at the five schools have been asked to reapply for their jobs, if they want to stay for the 2013/14 school year, as part of a state-mandated turnaround plan. District officials selected the plan - called the district-managed turnaround option - which requires the selection of a new principal and the reassignment of teachers whose teaching can be linked to the poor performance of students. (How they do that is something to be debated.)

Union officials have said that teachers who were ranked effective or highly effective on their evaluations should, in most cases, be able to keep their jobs. Teachers with other ratings will interview. It's not clear yet if the job advertisements at Maximo and Fairmount Park are an indication that teachers have been forced out of the school or are leaving voluntarily. Requests for transfers were high at all five of the schools on the state's list.

See the job posting below:

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Pasco school district outlines extra possible budget cuts

The Pasco County school district administration has offered an additional list of areas it might cut spending next year in order to balance the budget. The School Board asked for the list on Tuesday, after learning that its projected shortfall had grown to $26.4 million.

Superintendent Kurt Browning suggested that, despite his distaste for the idea, using nonrecurring revenue sources to cover a portion of the gap might be the most painless solution. But board members shied away from that thought, saying that several years of tapping into those funds had brought the district to its current position, unable to sustain all its spending with its current revenue.

The staff supplied its proposals in time for a budget town hall meeting Wednesday evening. It included: …

Florida education news: Emergency plans, cafeteria menus, budget cuts and more

READY? Tampa area schools have plans in place to deal with emergencies like the tornado that hit Moore, Okla.

PTA THEFT: The treasurer of the Weightman Middle School PTA is arrested on charges that she stole more than $5,000 from the organization.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Hillsborough's food services department asks students to taste test possible new options for school cafeteria menus.

CHARTER DEBATE: Manatee district officials don't throw their full support behind a parent-led effort to convert a magnet school to charter status, the Bradenton Herald reports. • A Miami-Dade village will reconsider its rejection of a charter school application, the Miami Herald reports.

BUDGET CUTS: Citrus leaders explore budget cutting options including elimination of middle school sports, the Citrus County Chronicle reports. • Manatee's superintendent tries to make sure parents get enough information about his budget balancing efforts, the Bradenton Herald reports.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS: Brevard School Board officials defend their criteria for closing schools to city officials who suggest they should have more say in the process, Florida Today reports. …

Lew Williams Project prepares for fall opening

The Pinellas County School District is getting ready to open the new Lew Williams Center for Early Learning in the 2013/14 school year.

The center, which will target children ages 1 to 4, is to open at pTEC St. Petersburg. The School Board approved Tuesday a new job description for an administrator - executive program manager - to oversee the center's daily operations. That job will need to be filled soon. District officials are submitting an application to the Department of Health in Pinellas County for a license to open. (The health department oversees childcare centers.) And renovations at pTEC St. Petersburg are expected to start June 1 and finish in mid-August. 

The Lew Williams Project, as the district calls it, is an early childhood initiative named for board member Lew Williams who died unexpectedly in 2011. Williams, who owned a daycare, was passionate about early childhood education.  …

SPC begins inviting students to $10,000 degree program

St. Petersburg College is moving forward with plans to offer a $10,000 degree, the higher-ed version of a unicorn frolicking in the Fountain of Youth.

SPC was one of 23 state colleges in January to accept Gov. Rick Scott's "$10,000 Degree Challenge." Immediately questions arose as to how a college could slash the price tag without sacrificing the degree's quality.

At its board of trustees meeting Tuesday, SPC laid it bare: They're targeting students who are coming to SPC with credits already, and are willing to come to class fall, spring and summer semesters to crank out the work.

The college has identified 271 eligible high school seniors, and planned to send out invitations to a June 11 information and registration session yesterday afternoon. The college hopes for an initial class of 30 to 60 students, though may be able to accommodate more if interest is high.

To be eligible, students must enter with 12 to 15 accelerated credits (Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, etc). They must be full-time, continuously enrolled students who receive a "C" or better in all their classes. …