PODCAST · education
Gradebook
by Tampa Bay Times
Gradebook takes you inside the world of Florida education issues with reporter discussions and newsmaker interviews on the hottest topics of the week. Florida has been a national leader in education initiatives for more than two decades, and our team brings you closer to the action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Controversies in the Capitol: Vouchers, teacher pay, Common and more
If you ever had any question whether education is important in Florida, look no further than Tallahassee. Year after year, lawmakers and the governor have spent hours crafting policy ideas — good and bad — and even longer arguing about them. Even in the sessions when they announce they'll be…
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Student scientists send research to space
Who says the annual science fair has to be boring? Three Pasco County high school seniors took a challenge to devise a research project worthy of study in anti-gravity, and they now will send their effort to the International Space Station. Their teacher also is quick to point out that Krinn...
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Who cares who a school district's superintendent is?
Superintendent searches serve to remind us of the important role that a chief executive plays in leading a school district to success. Everyone wants a "unicorn" — that unique someone who can do it all. But it's not always easy to find that person, as politics, loyalties and other agendas can...
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Why are Florida schools using the Baker Act more often?
Florida's Baker Act wasn't intended to apply to school children when created in the 1970s. Lawmakers wanted to make it easier to help adults with mental health concerns get treatment closer to home. Over the years, though, schools have turned to the measure as justification to take into custody…
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What education issues will dominate Florida's 2020 legislative session?
Florida's Legislature formally kicks off its 2020 session on Jan. 14. Several key education issues will hit the fan a day earlier. The Florida Education Association expects thousands of teachers to rally in Tallahassee for improved public school funding, while the Senate Education Committee is…
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Who will be Hillsborough County's next school superintendent?
The Hillsborough County school district, the seventh largest in the nation, is looking to hire a new chief executive before the current one retires in the spring. The School Board hasn't hired someone from outside the system to lead the district since the 1960s. But this time, the board appears...
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There ought to be a law: One Florida student's civics lesson
As Florida government leaders look to enhance students' civics knowledge, they might want to talk to Hillsborough County senior Haley Manigold. She and some of her schoolmates at Armwood High identified a concern with the state's graduation requirements and how they affect teens still learning...
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What's coming in Florida education policy? A look at the 2020 legislative session
Florida's 2020 legislative session begins Jan. 14, and in the months leading up to the annual event, it's been Gov. Ron DeSantis — not state lawmakers — who has led the charge in proposing new directions in state education policy. Improving teacher pay has become the driving topic of the…
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Why does a UF senator want to impeach the student body president?
University of Florida student government president Michael Murphy faces an impeachment inquiry in the aftermath of Donald Trump Jr.'s campus speech. A group of student senators alleges that Murphy, whose family has apparent connections to the president, improperly used student fees to pay Trump…
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Why do principals matter? One principal's perspective.
In efforts to make schools better, Florida officials often look to the person in charge of the campus. The principal sets the tone, leads by example, attracts (or in negative examples, repels) the faculty and staff charged with the daily education of children. How do school principals view their...
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Can Florida afford teacher raises and increase per-student funding, too?
Florida's government leaders have decided to prioritize increasing teacher pay in their next state budget. They also want to expand vouchers, bolster school security, improve early education funding and raise per-student spending. They don't want to raise taxes, either. (Did we mention the…
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Why are Florida teacher union leaders riding a bus around the state?
As Florida lawmakers have gathered in the state capitol to debate education issues such as teacher pay, prekindergarten funding and student-athlete health protections, leaders of the state's largest teacher union hit the road. They launched a five-week, 50-stop bus tour aimed at drawing attention...
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Florida's school standards and children of color: A mom's view on what needs fixing
Alexandra Gilmore knew she needed to attend the Florida Department of Education's public forum about student expectations when it came to Tampa on Oct. 17. The mother of two, who sometimes substitutes in local schools, has seen the love of learning sucked out of her children, and others like…
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Should Florida school districts have their own police forces?
Two years after Parkland, Florida government, political and education leaders continue to debate the best ways to keep schools safe from violence. The state's Public Safety Commission, convened in the aftermath of the deadly attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, is about to issue a new set of...
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Florida's governor proposes $600M for teacher raises. Why isn't everyone cheering?
This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his goal to increase Florida’s base teacher salary to $47,500. That would move the state from 26th in the nation to 2nd. And it would meet a longtime teacher plea to shift attention from bonuses to wages. DeSantis’ call to put more than half a billion…
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What should schools do to help students who struggle to read?
In Florida, the Hillsborough County school district has one of the largest number of schools on the state's lowest performing list when it comes to reading. Nearly one in four students in the system score below grade level on the annual reading and language arts exam. To combat the problem, the...
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A civics lesson for Florida teens who think there ought to be a law
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state's youth need improved civics lessons so they can become better citizens. Tony Pirotta, a social studies teacher at Hillsborough County's Armwood High School, sees the answer already exists — give students a hands-on experience to involve themselves in the...
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Florida's 4-year-olds: Are they ready for school?
Florida voters approved a universal prekindergarten program back in 2002, after lawmakers refused to implement a an early education system to help prepare young children for school. Since then, the program has grown in enrollment, but its funding has remained stagnant, and its success has been...
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They're back. Florida lawmakers talk education priorities for 2020
Just months after ending their 2019 session, Florida lawmakers have headed back to Tallahassee to begin preparing for 2020. The first week of committee meetings has offered a glimpse into the education priorities the Legislature is poised to tackle. Among them are school security (no surprise...
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Can public comment at a school board meeting be made privately?
By their very nature, school board meetings are public. They're held in an open room. Anyone can attend. They exist specifically to deal with the public's business. Yet in the nation's eighth largest school district, the board chairwoman has led the fight to keep residents' comments to the board...
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Charter schools take over a tiny Florida school district. Who's next?
The tiny Jefferson County school district, about 25 minutes outside Florida's state capital, turned out poor student performance for more than a decade. Its finances were in peril, too, as the racially divided community battled politically over the flailing school system of about 800 students....
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Florida's shrinking spending on school capital projects
School districts across Florida have long lists of construction, maintenance and repair projects with price tags that far exceed the revenue they anticipate getting from the state. Dozens have gone to their voters asking for sales tax increases to bolster the amount available to spend. Several…
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Teachers are being 'voluntold' to do extra. Are schools taking advantage of them?
Teachers have contracts with their school districts for a reason. The agreements detail what their employers can expect of them, and what they're required to do. But what about when a principal 'suggests' that something more needs to get done, and requests volunteers? There's no mandate to do the...
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A decline in student discipline referrals is a good thing. Right?
Over five years, the Pinellas County, Florida, school district has seen the number of student disciplinary actions drop by almost half. You might think that means kids are behaving better, and schools are running more smoothly. District leaders like to credit the decline to new programs aimed at...
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What does it take to get schools ready for students? One Florida district's summer schedule
4,000 door locks. 97,000 wrist bands. Hundreds of hires. Millions in upgrades. Summertime offers a break from school to students and teachers. But it's the busy season for districts' maintenance, purchasing, security, transportation and other employees who use the time to prepare for when…
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Why teach? First-year Florida educator London Eaves explains
London Eaves is excited to have her very own classroom for the first time. A Florida International University graduate, Eaves said she couldn't have imagined going into any profession other than teaching — despite all the concerns about increasing state mandates, low pay and other woes that many...
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Why teach? With Florida Teacher of the Year Dre Graham
With demands growing and respect from some declining, many teachers talk about leaving their profession. Not Dre Graham, Florida's 2020 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Graham, a music instructor at King High in Tampa, says whenever the logistics and the mandates drag him down, he remembers the "why"…
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Improving schools in Hillsborough County
The Hillsborough County school district has struggled to boost some of the lowest performing schools in the state of Florida. Despite several efforts, including cash infusions and outside expert assistance, progress has been slow going. Reporter Marlene Sokol, who covers the nation's…
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Why school vouchers in Florida? With Doug Tuthill of Step Up For Students
Growth in contributions to Florida's tax credit scholarship program slowed to the point where supply no longer met the growing demand for assistance to attend private schools. State lawmakers responded by putting millions of taxpayer funds into a school voucher program, to help bridge the gap.…
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From the classroom to the board room: One Pasco County educator's experience
Megan Harding began the 2018-19 academic year as a classroom teacher in her Pasco County, Florida, elementary school. Within four months, she had won a seat on the local School Board. After having touted herself as best for the job because she understood what goes on in schools, Harding next had…
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Changing mascots, revisited: Hillsborough schools leaders reconsider plans to drop Native American stereotypes
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What does it take to earn a 10.58 GPA? An interview with Newsome HS valedictorian Katherine Metheny
In Florida, a high school student's official grade-point average cannot exceed 4.0. Not so in Hillsborough County, the state's third-largest district and the eighth biggest in the nation. Its students can earn an extra 0.04 points for each district-approved honors course in which they receive a C...
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Teachers with guns: Why does Bay County embrace Florida's armed guardian program?
Several Florida school district leaders lined up to reject the idea of letting classroom teachers carry guns in schools as part of a guardian program even before Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law. Bay County superintendent Bill Husfelt was not among them. Husfelt welcomed the initial...
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Changing mascots: Hillsborough schools to drop Native American stereotypes
After 18 months of review and debate, the Hillsborough County school district — the eighth largest system in the nation — has decided to do away with the Indians, Chiefs and Warriors as mascots at elementary and middle schools, while easing away from the names and connected traditions at its high...
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Vouchers, teachers with guns and other Florida education legislative highlights
With leaders’ attention on issues like immigration and health care, 2019 looked like it might not provide too many education-related fireworks for a change. But just as in years past, the subject matter elicited some of the most heated and passionate debates of the session, with some of the...
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Overcoming obstacles to graduate high school on time
Jackson Francis failed his junior year classes at his high school in Pasco County, Florida. His dad was diagnosed with cancer, and the news "changed my whole who I am." He got moody and emotional, didn't pay attention in class or complete any work. "I literally stopped caring," he recalls. Then...
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Parental rights in Florida: Should they be stronger?
Many conservatives in Florida contend that parents should have a greater say in the education and care of their children. Schools have a role to play, they say, but should not be allowed to substitute their judgment for that of parents — even when children attempt to assert their own rights to...
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A reading riddle for Hillsborough County schools
Thousands of students in Hillsborough County schools — the nation's eighth largest district — struggle to read at grade level, despite years of effort and millions of dollars directed at helping them. Why isn't the system seeing improvement? After talking with dozens of students, teachers and…
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Why should Florida have school board term limits? With Nick Tomboulides of US Term Limits
Florida lawmakers face term limits. Now they’re trying to impose limits on school board members, as well. An effort by the Constitution Revision Commission to place the idea on the 2018 ballot failed. So the Legislature is working to get the idea on the 2020 ballot, instead. If approved, the...
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What's up with Florida education legislation? A look, halfway through session.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Who's listening to Florida's teacher union? With FEA president Fed Ingram
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Does Florida's education system need to be reconstructed?
Florida's education policy makers have their eyes focused on pushing their school choice agenda farther than it has gone before. But not everyone is on board — including some of the conservatives who hail from the same side of the political divide. Former Martin County School Board member Tina...
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A Democratic approach to Florida education, with Rep. Anna Eskamani
In the Florida Legislature, education issues have been some of the most high profile, impactful and controversial measures to move through the halls, year after year. Yet the voices of opposition to the leadership plans frequently get sidelined, regardless of party. That leaves it to a new wave…
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In search of great teaching in Florida
Several Florida school leaders have said that while they have many excellent teachers, they're not always providing the best teaching possible. Concerns have arisen that they're lessons are below grade level, or perhaps they're not getting students engaged enough with the material. Impact Florida...
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Jeb Bush on Florida school choice, vouchers and education reform
Twenty years ago, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush proposed the state's first school voucher program. His efforts were stymied by the courts. In the years since, state lawmakers have slowly pushed Florida in the direction Bush was headed with his Opportunity Scholarships. This year, Gov. Ron DeSantis and…
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Is private education public when taxpayers fund it? An expert's view
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to spend state tax money to help families send their children to private schools. In the past, the state's courts have ruled vouchers unconstitutional, driving the creation of a tax-credit scholarship program instead. As that scholarship program has blossomed to…
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A debate about arming teachers, on the anniversary of the Parkland shooting
A year after 17 people were murdered by an armed intruder inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., a debate rages over whether allowing teachers to carry guns in their classrooms would serve as a useful deterrent to future attacks. We discuss the issue with MSD teacher Sarah…
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Gov. Ron DeSantis and his "major" Florida education announcements
In a few short weeks in office, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has set the education world abuzz with a series of proposals to change the state's approach to schooling. He wants to overhaul the standards, saying they rely too closely on the Common Core. He's called for eliminating the waiting lists…
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Fixing Florida's school security system: An expert's view
Florida lawmakers worked fast to adopt enhanced school safety and security requirements in 2018, after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland. Perhaps they moved too quickly, though. Kenneth Trump, president of the Ohio-based National School Safety and Security Services,...
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Why Parkland parent Andrew Pollack wants to be on Florida's Board of Education
Andrew Pollack is on a mission. After his daughter Meadow was killed while attending Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he set a goal of finding ways to ensure such a tragedy never again happens. Before leaving office, then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed Pollack to the Florida Board of Education…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Gradebook takes you inside the world of Florida education issues with reporter discussions and newsmaker interviews on the hottest topics of the week. Florida has been a national leader in education initiatives for more than two decades, and our team brings you closer to the action.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Tampa Bay Times
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Gradebook have?
Gradebook currently has 149 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Gradebook about?
Gradebook takes you inside the world of Florida education issues with reporter discussions and newsmaker interviews on the hottest topics of the week. Florida has been a national leader in education initiatives for more than two decades, and our team brings you closer to the action. Hosted on...
How often does Gradebook release new episodes?
Gradebook publishes regularly with 149 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Gradebook?
You can listen to Gradebook on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Gradebook?
Gradebook is created and hosted by Tampa Bay Times.
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