NO MORE 'NO CHECK' LIST: The Pasco school district plans to change its system for collecting bounced checks from parents.

WARFORD A FAVORITE: Former Florida K-12 chancellor Jim Warford, who was a semifinalist for the state's education commissioner job, now is one of the top two hopefuls for the same job in Kentucky, the AP reports. An announcement is expected Sunday.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TEXTING: Kids love to do it. So why not use that to a school's advantage? Two Orange County  middle schools will do just that, participating in an international pilot program where students will get math problems sent to their phones. Correct answers will win incentives, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

MORE MENTORING, CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING NEEDED: The state's Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys makes recommendations how to improve education outcomes for black boys, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

CHARACTER BUILDING: Several Miami-Dade schools are adopting a program based on the popular self-help book Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, the Miami Herald reports.

FIGHTING OVER PEACE: A war of words has broken out at Cocoa Beach High, where a group of students wearing t-shirts with peace slogans have sparked a debate in the school and online, Florida Today reports.

SEEKING ELITE STATUS: Florida State University wants to gain access to the nation's association of leading research universities, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. USF also is trying to get an invitation.

SARASOTA TEACHER DEAL: The Sarasota district and teachers tentatively agree to 3 percent raises, the Herald-Tribune reports.

IMPACT FEES IN LEE: Already among the highest in the state, Lee County's impact fees could rise higher if the School Board asks for more, the Naples Daily News reports.

BRING IDEAS HOME: Professors from elite universities increasingly are putting lectures on free podcasts, sharing the ivory tower with the rest of the world, the LA Times reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Anitere Flores, chairwoman of the Florida House K-12 Education Committee.