The big story: Overcoming achievement gaps between Black and non-Black students has proven a stubborn problem for Pinellas County schools.
The district has made minimal strides toward improving the outcomes targeted in a settlement with the group that filed the lawsuit claiming the schools were shortchanging Black children.
Community and school officials recently voiced their commitment to continuing the effort. That means more work by educators and families alike, they acknowledged.
“We’re holding them accountable for the data, But we should be accountable too,” Esther Matthews, president of the NAACP St. Petersburg chapter, told neighbors attending a recent update on the county’s Bridging the Gap effort.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick agreed that families have a key role to play. But he said the schools must improve with or without their participation.
“You’re not going to hear us say, ‘The parents aren’t …’ or ‘The community isn’t …’,” he said. “The parents are sending us the very best children they have.”
One player that many looked to for ongoing support is the court system, which brought the sides to the table to collaborate on solutions. “I have no faith in what will happen if the court order is removed,” said Trenia Cox, a member of the Concerned Organization for the Quality Education of Black Students. Read more here.
New schools: The Pasco County school district announced its intention to accelerate by two years planned construction of a new high school to cope with faster than expected enrollment growth in east Pasco. • Students at an aging Escambia Count elementary school soon will be moving into a brand new replacement, WEAR reports.
New College: A former top administrator at New College is leading an effort to privatize the school, Suncoast Searchlight reports.
Immunizations: President Donald Trump questioned the appropriateness of ending all school vaccine requirements, saying some are not controversial and should be taken so people don’t get sick, the Miami Herald reports. • The state’s initiative would not take place for at least 90 days, and initially will not include all vaccines, Associated Press reports. • Florida surgeon general Joseph Ladapo told CNN his department had not done any impact analysis before making the proposal. Watch the interview below. And get more details on the proposal.
Immigration enforcement: More than 100 Florida Atlantic University students protested the school’s agreement to help enforce federal immigration laws on campus, WLRN reports.
English language learners: Bay County schools have seen the number of students for whom English is not their primary language more than double since Hurricane Michael in 2018, WJHG reports.
Efficiency reviews: Leon County superintendent Rocky Hanna called for a state efficiency investigation of a charter school that shut down and gave its taxpayer funded space to a private school that has not opened, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
Document disposal: A Duval County school employee is getting trained on how to properly dispose of student documents after several records were found scattered across a public roadway, WJXT reports.
Contract talks: Brevard County teachers reached a tentative contract agreement that would provide 2% raises, Florida Today reports. • Collective bargaining began for Alachua County teacher contracts, MainStreet Daily News reports.
College enrollment: A finance officer at Polk State College has detailed how the administration redirected scholarship money as part of the school’s efforts to improve enrollment figures, the Ledger reports.
Budget woes: A St. Lucie County private school says it faces closure because the state’s largest voucher and scholarship funding organization has delayed funding for nearly 100 students, WPTV reports. • State economists said Florida should have a one-year budget surplus but deficits lie ahead without changes in spending patterns, including on school vouchers, Politico Florida reports. • The Florida House will begin discussing ways to revamp property taxes, without discussion of completely eliminating them, USA Today Florida Network reports.
From the police blotter … A Pinellas County school bus driver was arrested on allegations of possessing child pornography, WTVT reports. • A Polk County teacher was arrested on allegations of striking a student, WTSP reports. • A Hillsborough County substitute teacher was arrested on allegations of exposing two students to sexual content, WFLA reports.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to Friday’s roundup.
Before you go … Interested in robotics? This is pretty cool.
Jeffrey S. Solochek is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here.
