Florida education news: Textbooks, contracts, degrees and more

TEXTBOOK CHALLENGES: Florida lawmakers made it easier this past spring for school district residents to challenge the instructional materials used in local schools. Districts are now seeing complaints starting to roll in, focusing on science, history and literature selections, the Associated Press reports. The new law "creates a level of bureaucratic hurdle that could be disruptive to some good processes that are already in place," Broward County superintendent Robert Runcie said.

LABOR NEWS: Pasco County school employee negotiations run more smoothly than a year ago, when they hit impasse.

IN FLORIDA: U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will visit schools in Collier and Lee counties to discuss technical and STEM programs.

CAREER READY: As the University of Florida pushes for national preeminence, area business leaders question whether a degree is needed, the Gainesville Sun reports. • Duval County schools increase their career and technology programs, the Florida Times-Union reports.

HB 7069: The state has filed its formal response to the Palm Beach County school district's legal challenge of the new law, the News Service of Florida reports.

COLLEGE PLANS: Leaders of Florida's state colleges say a bill aimed at streamlining higher education could harm their mission, the Orlando Sentinel reports. • House Speaker Richard Corcoran says he backs the Senate's higher education plans this year, Politico Florida reports.

INVESTIGATIONS: The Okaloosa County school district spokesman receives a "guidance" letter over his dealings with a local resident, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

CLASS SIZE: Santa Rosa County's superintendent says a proposal to use savings from relaxing Florida's class size rules would not help districts, WUWF reports.

SCIENCE STANDARDS: A state senator files legislation to require schools teach "controversial" science in a "balanced" way, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

LABOR NEWS: Manatee County teachers reach a tentative salary deal, but have more issues remaining in contract talks, the Bradenton Herald reports.

START TIMES: Indian River County school district leaders will not change their school schedules after a parent survey shows little interest, TC Palm reports.

SHARING: Hungry south Florida students can get extra food at lunch time at their school cafeteria sharing tables, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

CHARTER SCHOOLS: A Marion County charter school applicant appeals the district's denial of its plans, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

IN COURT: The Brevard County School Board abruptly drops its lawsuit against a computer software company and enters a settlement instead, Florida Today reports.

REZONING: The closure of a Palm Beach County middle school is affecting students who didn't attend there, are parents are unhappy, the Palm Beach Post reports.

AFTER THE STORM: Volusia County schools collect more than $28,000 to donate to Puerto Rico's hurricane relief effort, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

TODAY IN TALLAHASSEE: Constitution Revision Commission Education Committee, 11 a.m.