Florida education news: Financial literacy, teacher shortage, school closings and more

FINANCIAL LITERACY: A bill that would require Florida high school students to complete a half-credit course in financial literacy passes its first state Senate committee. Named after former Sen. Dorothy Hukill, who died in 2018, the legislation marks the sixth straight year lawmakers have attempted to impose the requirement, which many teens have said is needed.

TEACHER SHORTAGE: Hillsborough County School Board members tell their superintendent to get moving on filling the several classroom vacancies throughout the district. “You should not have a substitute teacher in algebra,” board member Melissa Snively said. “That’s core curriculum.” • An audit reveals Volusia County schools have more teacher positions open than originally thought, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS: A proposal to close two Pasco County elementary schools to fund improvements at a dozen others hits the rocks, as School Board members balk. “We need to look deeper” for solutions, board member Megan Harding said. “I don’t think closing a school is going to fix it.” • The Bay County School Board agrees to temporarily close three schools because of declining enrollment after Hurricane Michael, the Panama City News Herald reports. It wants to try to keep open a fourth.

LABOR NEWS: A tentative contract agreement for Pinellas County teachers would pay newly hired veteran educators less than those who already work for the district. • The Pasco County School Board ratifies a contract settlement with non-instructional staff. • Teachers at Miami-Dade County’s charter schools lobby the district for added pay from revenue generated by the district’s new property tax, the Miami Herald reports.

SAFETY FIRST: Hillsborough County officials seek to place crossing guards outside every middle school.

PLANNING TIME: Pasco County schools prepare to begin having regular early release days to give teachers workday professional development opportunities.

COMMON CORE FALLOUT: The Martin County School Board will seek guidance from the state on whether to buy new math textbooks, after Gov. Ron DeSantis announces his desire to scrap the current state standards, WPBF reports.

INFIGHTING: Broward County School Board members battle over secret meetings between the district administration and Parkland parents, the Sun-Sentinel reports. • A recording from inside those meetings reveals what was said there, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

HANDS OFF: NAACP leaders warn Gov. Ron DeSantis against attempting to remove Broward County superintendent Robert Runcie, calling any such move an "extreme overreach, highly political and racist,” the Sun-Sentinel reports. (DeSantis has said he does not believe he has the authority to suspend an appointed government official.) • Some Broward parents continue to protest Runcie’s leadership, WLRN reports.

GROWTH: Lake County School Board members discuss how to handle anticipated steady enrollment increases, the Daily Commercial reports.

CONSTRUCTION CONCERNS: Sarasota County School Board members debate how to respond to audit findings that raise questions about district record keeping for construction projects, the Herald-Tribune reports.

ICYMI: Yesterday’s Florida education news roundup

TODAY: House PreK-12 Quality, 10:30 a.m. (On the agenda: HJR 229, School Board term limits) • House Higher Education Appropriations, 10:30 a.m. • Senate Education Appropriations, 4 p.m.