PINELLAS' TOP TEACHER: Bridget Bohnet, a math teacher at Coachman Fundamental, is named Pinellas Teacher of the Year 2009. (Times photo of Bohnet, far left, by Kathleen Flynn)

ONE-STOP SHOPPING: Florida college officials welcome President Obama's proposal to remove private lenders from providing federal student loans.

PROTECTING PREPAID PROGRAM: The Florida State University System and the Prepaid College Board reach an agreement on tuition values to keep the popular program running.

TOP OF THE CLASS: Athenian Academy of Pinellas wins approval to add eighth grade • Hernando County reading festival has kids in mind

FINDING FLEXIBILITY: Senate Education Pre-K-12 chair Nancy Detert rolls out bills intended to give school districts more leeway in how they spend their money, the Bradenton Herald reports.

SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE BIG: Hundreds of Manatee teachers plan to attend Saturday's "Make Education A Priority" rally in Orlando, the Bradenton Herald reports. •  Lee, too, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. • Broward educators and parents practice with a rally of their own in Fort Lauderdale, the Miami Herald reports.

'PROTECT OUR PROFESSORS': Florida State students aim to raise $100,000 by mid April to help save faculty members who are in danger of being laid off, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

MORE BUDGET NEWS: St. Lucie parents offer views on cost-cutting measures, the Port St. Lucie Tribune reports. • Florida International University seeks $11 million from the state to support its new college of medicine, the Miami Herald reports. • USF needs more money before it can open a satellite campus in North Port, the Herald-Tribune reports. • Clay increases the number of people it plans to lay off, the Florida Times-Union reports.

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