Today's news -- February 13, 2012

“In 1996, Florida began a grand experiment in education reform. Charter schools were placed in a statewide Petri dish. Critics warned that the public/private hybrids would siphon off funding and spell the end of traditional public schools. And now, some state lawmakers foolishly plan to hand charter schools the hose. The Senate Education Committee has endorsed a bill requiring local school districts to share with charter schools a portion of the $1.9 billion in construction and maintenance money collected through local taxes. Money that charter schools could use to defray leases or to buy buildings that -- rather than reverting to the public -- private operators get to keep if the school is not renewed or goes belly up. … For-profit charter management companies could take the money and build schools and lease them to the charter schools. Should the school fold, taxpayers are out the money -- and the building. Unacceptable.”

-- Orlando Sentinel editorial.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-charter-schools-funding-021112-20120210,0,7431759.story

Poverty, homelessness rising sharply among Florida students

Since the economy collapsed in 2008, Florida’s student population has become poorer each year -- with almost all school districts in the state experiencing spikes in the number of kids who qualify for subsidized meals. Children have become homeless at alarming numbers as well. Homelessness among school-age children has soared from 30,878 in the 2006-07 school year to 56,680 in 2010-11. Homelessness for children of all ages, including those too young for public school, was 83,957 in 2010-11, up from 49,886 in 2006-07. The adverse effects of the economic downturn are having a significant impact on Florida’s public school system, in which more than 56 percent of students enrolled in the 2010-2011 school year qualified for subsidized meals. The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting analyzed data relating to poverty rates, homeless students and subsidized meals for all school districts before the financial crisis began up to and through the 2010-11 school year. The widespread increase in these three poverty indicators paints a picture of a state that has become much poorer after the Great Recession. Advocates for the homeless say external factors driven by poverty -- such as lack of housing, low wages, foreclosure and unemployment -- place Florida and its public school system at a critical juncture. Children living in poverty are more likely to have behavioral problems, complete fewer years of education, and, as they grow up, tend to experience more years of unemployment, according to poverty experts and research by the American Psychological Association. “I think that we are growing a Third World in our own back yard,” said Ellen Bassuk, founder and president of the National Center on Family Homelessness, an advocacy and research organization in Needham, Mass. “We look at developing countries, but we don’t look at our own country.”

http://fcir.org/2012/02/12/poverty-homelessness-rising-sharply-among-florida-students/

Online education no substitute for the real thing

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/online-education-no-substitute-for-the-real-thing/1214920

Fewer dollars flowing into statewide school repairs fund

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/09/2638677/fewer-dollars-flowing-into-statewide.html

Teacher evaluation change fuels race for union job (Jean Clements, Leo Haggerty and Joe Thomas quoted)
http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/feb/13/memeto1-teacher-evaluation-change-fuels-race-for-u-ar-358132/

Bill would give parents power with failing schools (Dianne Falvo quoted)

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/feb/12/proposed-bills-would-allow-parents-to-propose-to/

NCLB waiver: Good for Florida? (Vicki Rodriguez quoted)
http://www.wpbf.com/video/30421759/detail.html

Okaloosa School Board to vote on STEMM Center (Karen Peek quoted)
http://www.thedestinlog.com/news/board-47363-nwfdn-school-center.html

Lake union president calls for end to lunch duty for teachers (B Grassel quoted)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-no-lunch-duty-20120211,0,1863756.story

It's not the test's fault (LCEA mentioned)
http://www.dailycommercial.com/Voices/Editorials/021112saturdayedit-RAN-2-12

Palm Beach School Board may bypass superintendent finalists and pick Gent (CTA mentioned)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/fl-super-interviews-palm-20120208,0,2123689.story

Volusia School Board to consider adjusting student dress code (VTO and VESA mentioned)
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/west-volusia/2012/02/13/volusia-school-board-to-consider-adjusting-student-dress-code.html

Pasco parents raise concerns over four-day school week

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/parents-raise-concerns-over-four-day-school-week/1214903

Pasco schools are worried about class sizes

http://suncoastpasco.tbo.com/content/2012/feb/11/PGNEWSO4-schools-are-worried-about-class-sizes/news/

Schools sniffing around for new tax revenue

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/11/2636898/schools-sniffing-around-for-new.html

Faculty seek halt to USF-Poly plan

http://www.theledger.com/article/20120211/POLITICS/120219845/1078/YOURTOWN21?Title=Faculty-Seek-Halt-To-Plan-

USF Poly bill could mean loss of accreditation

http://www2.tbo.com/news/politics/2012/feb/11/usf-poly-bill-could-mean-loss-of-accreditation-ar-357614/

It’s Scott vs. state officials in effort to raise tuition rates

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/schools/its-gov-rick-scott-vs-state-officials-in-2170316.html

Bill to allow student fee increase catches senators off guard

http://floridaindependent.com/68817/bill-to-allow-student-fee-increase-catches-senators-off-guard

Former Strayer University owner gives back to students through foundation

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/former-strayer-university-owner-gives-back-to-students-through-bailey/1215180

Legislature faces host of issues in final month of work

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/fl-session-halfway-point-20120213,0,3694299.story

http://htpolitics.com/2012/02/10/florida-legislature-at-the-halfway-mark/

http://findout.typepad.com/the_fine_print/2012/02/halftime-of-the-2012-session-bills-are-dying.html

Dockery says private Florida prisons no cheaper than public ones

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2012/02/dockery_says_private_florida_p.html

Prison, school moves to change the rules

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120212/COLUMNISTS0207/302120006/Matt-Reed-Prison-school-moves-change-rules

Senate releases $70.8 billion budget

http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=26525757

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120211/WIRE/120219904/1034?Title=Fla-Senate-spending-plan-much-larger-than-House-

Lawmakers' budget maneuvers often aren't transparent

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-capview-column-deslatte021212-20120210,0,6334976.column

Legislature is leaving poor Floridians without a safety net, critics say

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/personalfinance/legislature-is-leaving-poor-floridians-without-a-safety-net-critics-say/1215119

Bondi asks justices to review redistricting

http://www.weartv.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.fl/38ba6683-www.weartv.com.shtml

New district boundaries need work

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/new-district-boundaries-need-work/1214952

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/editorials/new-lines-old-attitudes-2168164.html

Democrats, independents tilt Miami’s congressional districts

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/09/2635547/democrats-independents-tilt-miamis.html

Redistricting maps will spur big changes in Central Florida

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-redistricting-landscape-orlando-20120211,0,7091758.story

Leon supervisor of elections says new elections law will cost county $112,000 more

http://floridaindependent.com/68926/ion-sancho-elections-law-leon-county

Tallahassee tax cuts put squeeze on cities

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/11/2636918/tallahassee-tax-cuts-put-squeeze.html

Feds reject part of state's request for Medicaid change

http://www.newsserviceflorida.com/cgi/as_web.exe?rev2012+D+1592603

NRA got sweet deal on billboards from company at center of grand jury probe

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-02-07/story/nra-got-sweet-deal-billboards-company-center-grand-jury-probe

Gaetz (the elder) criticized for hanging remark
http://ap.news-journalonline.com/dynamic/stories/F/FL_XGR_HANGING_REMARK_FLOL-?SITE=FLDAY&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/gaetz-47359--.html

http://htpolitics.com/2012/02/10/gaetz-apologizes-for-hanging-remarka/

Florida lawmakers tread carefully with deregulation of professions this time

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/florida-lawmakers-tread-carefully-with-deregulation-of-professions-this/1214939

Keep Florida Forever alive

http://www.pnj.com/article/20120211/OPINION/202110302/Feb-11-Editorial-Keep-Florida-Forever-alive

Fasano popular with constituents, but not with fellow Republicans

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/fasano-popular-with-constituents-but-not-with-fellow-republicans/1215115

Rising House speaker ascends leadership ladder quickly

http://htpolitics.com/2012/02/12/rising-house-speaker-ascends-leadership-ladder-quickly/

Siplin doesn't fall in line

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/state-sen-gary-siplin-a-central-florida-democrat-doesnt-fall-in-line/1215185

Obama budget bets other concerns will trump the deficit

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/us/politics/obamas-budget-to-focus-on-cutting-deficit-and-adding-jobs.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/us/politics/obama-budgets-dueling-priorities-stimulus-and-deficit.html

Debunking the “entitlement society” myth

http://www.offthechartsblog.org/debunking-the-entitlement-society-myth/

The truth about corporate taxes

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/02/10/3863354/the-truth-about-corporate-taxes.html

Occupy Movement regroups, preparing for its next phase

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/occupy-movement-regroups-laying-plans-for-the-next-phase.html