Nancy Whalen's summer reading camp students at Park Elementary School faced a tough practice test Friday. ...more

July 27, 2008

The Florida Department of Education this week issued grades to the state's public schools. This no doubt re-ignited water-cooler debates on whether testing-based grading of school performance is accomplishing anything or is actually counterproductive. ...more

July 12, 2008

If your children brought home grade cards like most Hernando County public schools received Tuesday, you'd be shelling out lots of $5 bills and going out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate. ...more

July 11, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Teachers across Florida are awaiting the Department of Education's annual grading of individual schools. ...more

July 8, 2008

Science scores climbed at most schools this year, which could be good news when it comes to school grades. ...more

June 14, 2008

Coleman Middle School recently recognized 29 eighth-graders with a limousine ride to lunch at Lee Roy Selmon's and commemorative medals for receiving perfect scores on the FCAT Writes test. ...more

May 31, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Pasco County students continue to perform better in reading and mathematics than most of their peers across the nation, according to Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results announced Thursday. ...more

May 28, 2008

SARASOTA — Jesse Knowlin wanted to become a teacher's aide and seemed to be the perfect candidate. He was a youth minister at a Newtown church. He had part-time work at a summer camp. He helped children get ready for the FCAT at the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota. And those who knew Knowlin raved about his honesty, his creativity and his patience with children. Knowlin, 24, was hired this year by Wilkinson Elementary School but he abruptly resigned on Tuesday — writing a letter to the principal and district officials that said he "violated" two teenage boys that he met at church. ...more

May 22, 2008

With graduation looming, officials are hoping efforts to boost high school graduation rates will pay off in the numbers. ...more

May 22, 2008

SEBRING — Ross Lewis will graduate in a few weeks, then he is headed off to Tuskegee University in Alabama to study political science, and someday become a lawyer. He's not sure where he would be without the Boys and Girls Club, though. A statewide study recently found that young people who attend Boys and Girls Clubs show higher graduation rates, greater achievement on Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, lower rates of absenteeism and lower rates of criminal offenses. Ross, who has spent his afternoons at the Boys and Girls Club in Sebring for as long as he can remember, said he thinks the study is right on the money. ...more

May 21, 2008