SCHOOL ISSUES BEING WEIGHED

Parents and students could soon see fewer tests and more school choices. Education issues have dominated the Legislature this year. So far, lawmakers have killed two pro-gun bills, charted a new course for charter schools, failed to reach a uniform conclusion on school dress and will likely amend the Class Size Amendment. Here is where they stand with just two weeks left in the regular session.

School choice

Parents may soon be able to send their children to any school in the state, as long as there is room. For example, a parent in Boca Raton might send his or her child to a school in Deerfield Beach, or

vice versa. Parents would have to provide transportation for their children. Education committees in both houses have supported broad education bills that include this provision.

“Contrary to ‘on the street’ wisdom, it isn’t just athletics that cause many to want to go from one school to the other,” said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville. “The predominant reason is academics.”

School uniforms

The Florida House supported a bill that would pay school districts to require their students to wear uniforms, but the Senate hasn’t acted in a timely fashion, so the bill looks to be worn out.

Supporters said it could help improve discipline and reduce jealousy among students, while reducing stress for parents. Many senators, however, balked at the $10 million price tag.

Charter schools

Charter schools would face more accountability under a bill passed by the House. It would allow school districts to reject charter school applications if their operators have a history of financial or other problems. The bill would also make it easier for districts to close failing charter schools.

But school districts may also have to share local tax dollars for capital needs with charter schools. That proposal isn’t in the current Senate version, but it could be added within the next two weeks. School districts oppose that part of the proposal, saying it takes away from students in traditional schools. Charter schools say they don’t have adequate dollars for construction and maintenance.

Testing

The state Legislature this year sided with parents and teachers who said there are too many tests. An 11th-grade test and hundreds of end-of-course exams are now gone. Districts will be able to promote third-graders who score poorly on a standardized test but are otherwise doing well. And test scores will only count for a third of a teacher’s evaluation, down from half.

The bill, already signed by Gov. Rick Scott, didn’t put a moratorium on school grades, as many districts requested. Still, there won’t be any penalties for poor grades.

“The Legislature opened the door and said they’re willing to listen to our parents and teachers,” said Keith Oswald, chief academic officer for the Palm Beach County School District.

Guns

Proposals that would allow more guns on school campuses appear to have been shot down.

The Senate Education Committee indefinitely postponed a proposal that would allow K-12 schools to designate employees and volunteers who would be allowed to carry guns. Right now, only police officers are allowed to carry them. The Senate’s decision this late makes it unlikely for the bill to pass, even though it’s cleared several House committees.

A second proposal that would allow students 21 and older to have concealed weapons on college campuses also appears to be a longshot in the Senate.

“I’ve polled the members of the Senate, and there doesn’t seem to be too much support for that bill,” committee Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, told the News Service of Florida.

Class size

Classes could get bigger, and smaller, with a classsize proposal moving through both houses.

Right now, school districts are penalized if any class defined as core has more than 18 students for elementary grades, 21 students in middle grades and 25 in high schools. But under a bill passed by the House, schools would only have to meet averages, so a school could have some large classes if it balanced it out with smaller ones. Several Senate committees have also supported the proposal.

The Broward County School District was particularly hard hit in 2011 when it was fined $9 million, which was then distributed to school districts that met the class-size mandates. The district has been successful at reducing those penalties since then.

“For a county like Broward, we have paid millions of dollars in penalties and none of those dollars come back to our School Board to fix the problem,” said Rep. Kristin Jacobs, DCoconut Creek. “Sending the money out of the county doesn’t make sense to me.”

School start date

Summer vacation will be shorter this year for many students. The Legislature approved, and Scott signed, a bill that allows school districts to start as early as Aug. 10. That replaces a rule requiring school start no earlier than two weeks before Labor Day.

Palm Beach County planned to start Aug. 24 but has moved that up a week to Aug. 17. Broward County’s school year is still scheduled to start on Aug. 24, which was approved before the law passed.

Bright Futures

The Legislature is considering some changes to the popular Bright Futures program this year, but they appear to be minor.

A requirement that recipients write an essay on a civic or social issue has been dropped. The current proposal would clarify that community service requirement must be volunteer work and not paid employment. The bill would also allow students to defer their award if they have a religious or service obligation that lasts at least 18 months, a provision already in place for those in the military. stravis@tribpub.com or 561-243-6637.