Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–November 11
Nov 11, 2009
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Property tax appeals hit new high as owners seek relief
A record 18,000 property owners gambled $15 this year for a chance to save on their property tax bill.
OP-ED: Crist’s tax cut claim doesn’t add up
It has become part of Gov. Charlie Crist’s firewall when confronted with criticism that he isn’t conservative enough.
Broward OK’s 27 more charter schools
The Broward School Board, prohibited by the state from building any new schools because there are already too many empty seats in the district, approved 27 new charter schools Tuesday.
BLOG: Architect of the Orange County Public Schools sales tax program lashes out at district
Dick Batchelor, who helped pass the sales tax referendum about 7 years ago, is tussling with OCPS over building schools.
Pinellas school district has cut costs
The Pinellas school district is no longer No. 1 when it comes to spending the most on administration.
But despite a major effort to cut and reclassify costs, it still spends more per pupil on general administration than just about every other large district in Florida, according to a St. Petersburg Times analysis.
North Port could put tax break for new businesses to its voters
The city is following Sarasota County’s efforts to spur employment growth through a possible 10-year property tax exemption for some new businesses, a move that could offer hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings for companies.
Not a good time to seek funds, Duval delegation warns
The newly elected chairwoman of the Duval County Legislative Delegation warned dozens of government and nonprofit leaders Monday that this is not the year to ask for new funding for their agencies.
Cooper City parents protest planned school boundary changes
Hundreds of Cooper City parents, determined to sway the Broward school district from changing boundaries for Pioneer Middle School, protested at a public meeting Wednesday evening by wearing red, carrying signs and dumping scores of letters and a 732-signature petition at the feet of district representatives.
ACLU sues state over county graduation rate
Palm Beach County’s “poor” high school graduation rate is a result of the state’s failure to provide a high-quality education guaranteed under the state constitution, a class-action lawsuit claims.
District uses reserve funds for after-school program
It seemed like any other day when the final bell rang Tuesday at Fort McCoy School.
Florida Department Of Education Report: Class size reduction in schools unnecessary, too costly
A report to be discussed by the Florida Board of Education next week finds that there is a lack of evidence to support smaller class sizes, saying they have a minimal effect on student performance.
Florida’s home buyer tax credit program hits snag
The state’s plans to stoke the housing market with down-payment assistance have hit a bureaucratic wall.
EDITORIAL: Legislature must fix foreclosure proceedings to help tenants
ISSUE: Tenants are victims of foreclosure, too.
The Sunshine State continues to be buffeted by the nation’s ongoing home foreclosure crisis, a problem that has provided a rare opportunity to help a group of Floridians who, through no fault of their own, have fallen victim to this crisis — tenants.
BLOG: Foreclosure prevention program less successful in Florida
This story from the AP says 650,000 homeowners are enrolled in the Obama administration’s foreclosure prevention/mortgage modification program. But Florida has been less successful in attracting candidates to the Making Home Affordable program.
County governments feel economic strain
America’s sour economy is forcing county governments to slash spending and scrape for revenue, according to a survey released on Monday by the National Association of Counties that showed most counties expect their budget gaps to persist through next year.
States Lag in Educational Innovation, Report Says
A report card issued Monday on state-level innovation in education found what a trio of ideologically varied groups sees as deeply disturbing results, with most states earning C’s, D’s, or even F’s in such key areas as technology, high school quality, and removal of ineffective teachers.
States Mold School Policies to Win New Federal Money
Colorado’s lieutenant governor, Barbara O’Brien, has been parsing every public statement by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for nuances that could help her position the state as a winner in the $4 billion competition for federal school dollars known as Race to the Top.
32 Broward teachers lose contract suit
A judge ruled against a group of Broward teachers who had sued the school district.
The Broward school district did not breach employment contracts with a group of teachers who were forced to retire last school year after being told they would have jobs this fall, a Broward judge ruled Thursday.
Grants reward creative teaching
One teacher is using sports to teach algebra. Another pair of educators are using a fish farm to teach science, math and business theory. Others are using a garden to show second-graders how science relates to their plates.
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