Floridians offer input as school districts seek new superintendents
The big story: The Pinellas County school district has begun searching for its next superintendent.
With 10-year leader Mike Grego heading out this summer, School Board members have a chance to determine what type of person they want to succeed him. They established a basic job description, and now are asking for community input.
Residents attended the first of three public forums on Wednesday to offer some ideas.
“We need someone who has a commitment to educating the whole child, is committed to the value of the whole child,” said Maria Cantonis, an advocate for arts in education.
Read more about the forum and the search.
The district will have one more input session at 6 p.m. Monday at St. Petersburg High School, with online access available. It also will accept completed surveys about the search through Monday evening. Get details on the board’s superintendent search web page.
Pinellas is among several large Florida districts to seek a new chief executive. The Broward County School Board approved a contract with its new superintendent this week, WLRN reports. The Orange County school district is looking to replace Barbara Jenkins, who has announced she will leave at the end of the year.
Tallahassee action
As expected, the Florida House approved two bills addressing race and gender issues in schools. Seven Republicans voted against the so-called “don’t say gay” bill, and one Democrat voted for it. The measures (HB 7 and HB 1557) next head to the Senate. Read about the House floor debate here. • Leon County LGBTQ advocates said the latter measure can hurt student privacy rights, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. • Polk County advocates offered similar warnings, the Ledger reports. • The Palm Beach County School Board unanimously supported a resolution opposing the so-called ‘don’t say gay’ bill, the Palm Beach Post reports. • More from the News Service of Florida, Florida Politics.
Gov. Ron DeSantis amped up the stakes of the culture wars in his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference. He said liberals are attempting to “delegitimize our founding institutions.” • DeSantis also announced new state guidelines for school masking and other coronavirus protocols, saying he was “bucking” the federal recommendations. • Charlie Crist, a possible Democratic opponent to DeSantis in the race for governor, blasted DeSantis for infusing politics and bias into education, Florida Politics reports.
The House passed a bill to clarify how schools should implement security measures. The proposal passed unanimously, Florida Politics reports.
Today in Tallahassee ... The House is scheduled to meet in full session from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Up for third reading is HB 173, which would set requirements for schools to provide treatment to students with epilepsy or seizure disorders. • The Senate has not scheduled any meetings.
Hot topics
Gender issues: Members of a Brevard County high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance said they’ve received threats that made them fear attending classes, Florida Today reports.
Charter schools: Indian River State College will use an anonymous $10 million donation to build a new charter school in Martin County, TC Palm reports.
Pay raises: The Alachua County school district and employee union reached a deal on the largest pay package in the district’s history, the Independent Alligator reports. • The Volusia County School Board asked staff to reconsider its current proposal on raises for its lowest paid employees, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
Other school news
It’s time to go. Four-term Palm Beach County School Board member Frank Barbieri announced he would not seek another term, Boca Magazine reports.
The Jefferson County school district is working to reassert local control. A new state financial audit issued six findings that officials must address within the next 180 days, the Jefferson County Journal reports.
The Martin County school district announced it has spaces available for students who live in other counties. It has eight schools where non-county residents can apply for open enrollment, WPTV reports.
From the police blotter ... A Volusia County teen faces felony charges over a violent attack of another student during a school fight, WKMG reports. The victim was hospitalized, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
Don’t miss a story. The link to yesterday’s roundup is here.
Before you go ... Has the weight of the world and politics got you down? Don’t worry about a thing.
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