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Florida education news: Disqualification list, mediation, school safety and more

A roundup of stories from around the state.
 
An empty classroom at Bloomingdale High School in Hillsborough County. [Skip O'Rourke | Times]
An empty classroom at Bloomingdale High School in Hillsborough County. [Skip O'Rourke | Times]
Published April 10, 2019

DO NOT HIRE: Raising concerns that teachers with unsavory pasts have been hired by unwitting schools, the Florida House and Senate advance legislation to create a list of people disqualified from working in the state’s public, private and charter schools. It’s particularly aimed at substitutes who are not certified, and escape the oversight of the state Education Practices Commission, lawmakers say.

STILL NO CONTRACT: Pasco County school district and teacher representatives head to mediation this weekend to try to find resolution to ongoing contract disagreements.

SCHOOL SAFETY: Members of the state Public Safety Commission discuss the value of rating schools on how well they implement safety and security plans, the Sun-Sentinel reports. • The commission asks a group of Flagler County high school students if they would help other schools replicate their safety program, WKMG reports. • The families of victims in the Parkland school shooting say they will file suit against the Broward County school district, the Miami Herald reports.

FLVS WOES: Florida Virtual School officials say the state Department of Education has said nothing about a full audit of the school in light of allegations of wrongdoing and major leadership changes, WFTV reports.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: A bill to require Florida schools to teach children about the dangers of human trafficking advances to the House floor, the Associated Press reports.

SUPERINTENDENTS: Three Indian River County School Board members say during a workshop they want a new superintendent, TC Palm reports. • A top Palm Beach County school district administrator is a finalist for the superintendent post in Beaufort, S.C., the Palm Beach Post reports.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The Okaloosa County school district receives a state report recommending areas in exceptional student education needing improvement, the Northwest Florida Daily News reports.

SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION: A proposal to close, consolidate and rebuild aging Duval County schools hits immediate resistance, the Florida Times-Union reports.

TURNAROUNDS: The Marion County School Board picks a respected former district principal to run a struggling elementary school if it fails to improve its student performance in state testing, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.

ARMED TEACHERS: Manatee County School Board members say they oppose letting teachers carry guns, but don’t adopt a formal resolution saying so, the Bradenton Herald reports. More from the Herald-Tribune.

OUTSIDE BUSINESS: The Citrus County School Board rejects an offer to take over a local hospital, the Citrus County Chronicle reports.

CHARTER SCHOOLS: One of three new charter school applicants wins approval to open in Volusia County, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

START TIMES: The Orange County school district will review possible later start times for high schools in May, the Orlando Sentinel reports. • The Volusia County school district will ask middle school parents if they want before-school care offered when classes begin later next fall, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

SCHOOL SITES: The St. Johns County School Board changes its mind about the location for a proposed new high school, the St. Augustine Record reports.

TEACHER PAY: Broward County teachers protest the district’s salary offer, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

HEALTHY HEARTS: The Brevard County school district considers requiring heart screenings for school athletes, WKMG reports.

TODAY: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, 8:30 a.m. • Senate Education, 1:30 p.m. (On the agenda: SJR 274 school board term limits, SB 1726 parental rights, SPB 7106 risk protection orders) • Senate Innovation, Industry and Technology, 1:30 p.m. (On the agenda: SB 770 career-technical education) • Full House, 1:30 p.m. (On special order: HB 741, anti-Semitism at schools; HB 349, restraint and seclusion; HB 1027, early education teacher training) • Full Senate, 4 p.m. (On special order: SB 292, military uniforms at high school graduations)

ICYMI: Yesterday’s Florida education news roundup