Big story: This is the time each year when local governments, including school boards, decide whether to go to voters in the fall with tax referendums.
of hillsborough county The school district, which has faced severe financial difficulties for several years, is at a crossroads with voters.
To build new schools, the district has relied on a 0.5 percent local investment tax for nearly 30 years. (School districts impose their own sales taxes on other capital projects.)
Schools and professional soccer stadiums carried community investment taxes across the finish line. But county officials decided to exclude schools from consideration as they prepare to put the tax back on the ballot.
Meanwhile, the school district is still seeking additional property taxes to support general school operations, including raises for teachers. Without it, we are less competitive in employment than our neighbors who have it. Voters rejected the idea two years ago. Officials hope to try again in November.
neighborhood pinellas county has used local option property taxes to supplement teacher salaries since 2004. Until 2021, it did not share revenue with charter schools. Now, charter schools are seeking retroactive distribution of funds. The region could put millions of people at risk.
hot topic
Construction project: Black civic leaders lamented the Palm Beach County School District's lack of funding to build a Black History Museum as part of the Roosevelt High School renovation. The district then secretly approved his $30 million for the project, the Palm Beach Post reported. • The Okaloosa County School District has purchased land where it plans to build a technical high school north campus, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported.
measles: The Sarasota County School District has advised schools to be on the lookout for students with measles symptoms as infections spread in other parts of Florida, the Herald Tribune reported.
New university: A former press secretary for a super PAC that supported Gov. Ron DeSantis and his presidential campaign has been hired to promote New College of Florida. Taryn Fensk's company pays her a monthly salary of $15,000. • New university officials slammed the national teachers' organization's sanctions against the school as “headline targeting,” WUSF reported.
School closure: Broward County Superintendent Peter Licata said the district is considering closing five or more schools as it looks to consolidate campuses, the Sun Sentinel reported. The district has a list of 67 schools that are below capacity.
school days: WKMG reports that Brevard County School District officials are debating whether to introduce a year-round school calendar in elementary schools as a pilot for wider use in the future.
safety: The Clay County School District will pay the sheriff's office $1.1 million for school security measures after the district police department is disbanded, WJAX reports.
Teacher salary: Broward County teachers will receive a raise after the school board approves new contract terms, WTVJ reports. • Polk County teachers will receive a retroactive pay raise after resolving a class-action lawsuit complaint against the school district, Lakeland Now reports.
Truancy: Bay County schools have launched an attendance campaign after reports that nearly half of students are missing at least 10% of classes, WMBB reported.
From court records… Lawyers for six Florida A&M University students have appealed a court ruling in a potential class-action discrimination lawsuit, Florida News Service reports.
action in tallahassee
budget: As the House and Senate near agreement on the fiscal year 2025 education budget, Senate budget negotiators have agreed to provide an additional $205 million for teacher raises, Florida Politics reports.
Pastor: USA Today Florida Network reports that the Satanic Temple has expressed interest in joining Florida's school chaplaincy program if it can pass the state legislature.
Lessons of Communism: WMFE reports that a bill that would require public schools to teach the history of communism has passed its final Senate committee. The bill is headed for final votes in both Florida legislatures.
Today in Tallahassee… The full Senate will convene at 10 a.m. Special order bills include SB 240 on teacher bonuses and SB 7032 on alternative high school graduation programs. • The House convenes at 10 a.m. Bills available for final consideration include HB 883 on inhaler availability in schools, HB 1429 on school advisory committees, HB 917 on career education, HB 217 on college facilities, Contains HB 707, SB 7002 regarding unspent funds. Regarding deregulation of education.
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