NO FAVORITISM: St. Petersburg College president Carl Kuttler rejects accusations by two employees that he gives one staffer special treatment. (Photo special to the Times)

CHARTER ACCEPTED: The Hernando School Board agrees to a dropout-focused charter with Mavericks in Education, a group that just a month ago faced rejection. Board members suggest it might supplement other dropout prevention programs such as TOPP.

MORE BUSING COMPLAINTS: Parents sock Hillsborough superintendent MaryEllen Elia with their transportation troubles during her first town hall meeting of the year.

NO HOLIDAY: The Pasco School Board names its newest high school, located in Holiday, Anclote High, with one member noting that school's no holiday for a number of students.

THREE TO GO: The Pinellas School Board narrows its superintendent finalist pool to three - Julie Janssen, Alberto Carvalho and Nicholas Gledich.

LISTEN TO MARTINEZ: If Republican lawmakers won't heed the warnings of parents and teachers and Democrats, maybe at least they'll hear one of their own - State Board of Education member and GOP stalwart Roberto Martinez - when he says the state is cutting education funding too deeply, the Times editorializes.

STRUGGLING WITH GIFTED: Broward schools seek to diversify the student body in gifted classes, but find the indentification process inconsistent at best, the Miami Herald reports.

IS IT REALLY A CHANGE? A Broward charter school that lost state funding now plans to put its students into a different charter school run by the same company on the same piece of property, the Miami Herald reports.

NOT ENOUGH KIDS: Manatee schools face more funding losses as enrollment projections come up short, the Herald-Tribune reports. More layoffs don't appear imminent, the Bradenton Herald reports.

IT'S ALL CONNECTED: Volusia's decision to end busing to after-school programs forces parents to look for new after-care options, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.