Florida education news: Bus rides, school repairs, slavery lessons and more

BUS RIDES: Many Florida school districts have eliminated student bus routes, citing excessive costs. Now some state lawmakers aim to reverse that trend, advancing legislation to make it easier to identify hazardous walking routes and provide transportation to even more students. The only hangup remains the potential financial impact, listed at more than $150 million. Sponsor Sen. Greg Steube said he'd fight for the measure regardless: "I don't think there's a better use of taxpayer dollars than to make sure our students are safe."

SAVE OUR SCHOOL: Families and community leaders turn to Tampa city government in hopes of saving Lee Elementary School, which burned after Hurricane Irma.

SLAVERY STUDIES: A new report says Florida and several other states gloss over the details of slavery in their social studies curricula, the Florida Times-Union reports.

AFTER THE STORM: Puerto Rican students displaced by Hurricane Maria continue to adjust to school in Florida, Education Week reports. • Several Monroe County child care centers continue to seek homes after the devastation of Hurricane Irma, the Keys Weekly reports.

IN COURT: A grand jury convenes to examine whether child abuse was taking place in Okaloosa County special education classrooms, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

BULLYING: Debate continues over an attempt to create a new tax credit scholarship program for Florida students who say they are bullied in school, the Associated Press reports.

INCLUSION: A Palm Beach County high school's efforts to include everyone at lunch time reaches an international audience, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

TIMING MATTERS: Sarasota County school district leaders worry that their superintendent's accusations against a board member will derail their tax referendum, the Herald-Tribune reports.

TAXES: Manatee County school district officials visit groups to explain their property tax referendum, the Herald-Tribune reports.

TODAY IN TALLAHASSEE: House Higher Education Appropriations, 9:30 a.m. • House PreK-12 Appropriations, 12:30 p.m. (One bill on computer science instruction)