Tampabay.com
MAY 02, 2009

Lose a book, pay the price bill headed to Crist

Students who lose or damage instructional materials will have to pay schools 100 percent replacement costs under a bill that made it through under the wire Friday, stripped of a House add-on to require civics for all middle schoolers.

SB 1248, sponsored by Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, changes current law, which requires students to repay costs for lost or damaged books at a rate of 50 to 75 percent if more than a year old.

For students having trouble paying back the costs, there's a provision that allows for a penalty or in-kind activity in lieu of payment, such as scraping gum off the bottom of desks.

Also in the bill, a provision pushed for years by Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, to encourage service-learning programs in K-12 schools.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going in on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.

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Rebecca Catalanello covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail her: rcatalanello@tampabay.com.

Tony Marrero covers Hernando County schools. E-mail him: tmarrero@tampabay.com.

Marlene Sokol covers Hillsborough County schools. E-mail her: sokol@tampabay.com.

Ron Matus covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail him: matus@tampabay.com.

Jeffrey S. Solochek covers Pasco County schools. E-mail him: solochek@tampabay.com.

Kim Wilmath covers the University of South Florida. E-mail her: kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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