Detroit's (predominantly black) public schools are the worst in the nation, and it takes some doing to be worse than Washington, D.C. Only 3 percent of Detroit's fourth-graders scored proficient on the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) test, sometimes called "The Nation's Report Card." Twenty-eight percent scored basic and 69 percent below basic. "Below basic" is the NAEP category when students are unable to demonstrate even partial mastery of knowledge and skills fundamental for proficient work at their grade level. It's the same story for Detroit's eighth-graders. Four percent scored proficient, 18 percent basic and 77 percent below basic. Michael Casserly, executive director of the D.C.-based Council on Great City Schools, in an article appearing in Crain's Detroit Business, (12/8/09) titled, "Detroit's Public Schools Post Worst Scores on Record in National Assessment," said, "There is no jurisdiction of any kind, at any level, at any time in the 30-year history of NAEP that has ever registered such low numbers." The academic performance of black students in other large cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles is not much better than Detroit and Washington. ...more

December 26, 2009

On a recent sunny afternoon, a dozen youngsters played in a circle with a rainbow-colored parachute in the playground outside Witter Elementary school in Tampa. A few yards away stood a new 200-foot cell phone tower. ...more

February 17, 2009

Across Hillsborough County, school principals are lining up to put cell phone towers on their campuses to produce badly needed cash for teacher salaries and classroom supplies, even shoes for children who lack them. By summer, 14 new towers could be up at local schools. Some school officials are ready to jump at the new revenue, but they might be jumping into a hornet's nest. ...more

February 17, 2009

More than 500 teachers in Marion County are being laid off as the school district anticipates big cuts in state funding. ...more

February 13, 2009

Florida moved up in a national teacher salary ranking from 32nd to 29th in the nation, but the state average salary continues to fall below the national average. ...more

January 3, 2009

Hernando Classroom Teachers' Association officials still want 5.5 percent pay increases for teachers for the 2008-09 school year - like the one awarded in May to Superintendent Wayne Alexander - but are willing to work with the numbers. ...more

August 23, 2008

SEBRING — Contract talks between the Highlands County School District and the school support personnel union have recessed until September when negotiators will have more information on which to base their salary talks. The state budget issues will be a little clearer in a few months, said Michel Bernier, chief negotiator for the support personnel union. Also, after school starts in August, the district will know how many support workers they'll need based on student enrollment. The state funds school districts a certain amount per student. More students bring in more state monies to school districts. ...more

June 19, 2008

SARASOTA — New Gate School's headmaster Paul Wenninger said it was an instant heartbreak to learn that someone stole nearly every item for an upcoming silent auction. ...more

February 21, 2008

TALLAHASSEE — Less than one percent of traditional Florida public schools are in line for financial penalties for failing to meet Florida's class size reduction requirements after State Board of Education rulings Monday. ...more

February 5, 2008

City voters showed Tuesday that they like the direction Clearwater is headed, soundly re-electing Mayor Frank Hibbard to a second term over former Mayor Rita Garvey. ...more

January 30, 2008