READ ALL ABOUT IT: Journalism students at John Hopkins Middle School explore violence at their school. (Times photo, Melissa Lyttle)

POWER TO THE PARENTS: Florida lawmakers continue to press ahead with a "parent empowerment" bill despite the opposition of several — but not all — parent organizations.

NO CHEATING: The Palm Beach school district bans smart phones from public superintendent candidate interviews so no applicant gets an edge, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

STAY A LITTLE LONGER: Leaders of a Flagler charter school slated for closure ask for more time, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT: Central Florida school district officials say their systems would struggle to keep up if the Legislature moves more construction funding from traditional to charter schools, WFTV.com reports. [The legislation is heard in Senate committee today at 3 p.m.]

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: Florida school districts must learn from the state's new ranking system, however simple, and act appropriately, the Naples Daily News editorializes. • A Stuart News review affirms that poverty is a strong predictor of FCAT scores and district rank results.

RATS: Eighteen of them were trapped in a Palm Beach elementary school over the weekend, the Palm Beach Post reports.

THEY DO IT ANYWAY: FAMU's hazing death came despite a known ban on the ritual, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

GREATER AUTONOMY: UF president Bernie Machen wants his university to be treated differently than the others in the state system, the Gainesville Sun reports.