The big story: School districts across the Tampa Bay region have experienced booming growth, prompting them to build new schools and repeatedly redraw attendance boundaries for students.
Not Pinellas County.
Pinellas has seen its enrollment decline for more than a decade. Several of its schools sit at or below half their capacity.
So imagine the school board’s surprise to be asked to consider a rezoning for a new apartment complex rising in Largo. It would be the first such action in 14 years. Read more here.
Hot topics
After the hurricanes: The Pinellas County school board tentatively agreed to a plan for hurricane makeup days that won’t affect families’ vacation plans. • Broward County school board members set hurricane makeup days for students, WTVJ reports. • The principal of Fort Myers Beach Elementary in Lee County discusses what it’s been like to relocate her entire school because of storm damage for the second time in two years, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. • Bay County officials continue to debate the fate of two schools destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018, WMBB reports.
Dress code: A Bay County school district advisory committee is recommending dress code revisions that would require collared shirts that may have no more than two unfastened buttons, WMBB reports.
Elections: A candidate for Gulf County school board has withdrawn from the race after the death of her son, the Gulf County Star reports.
Higher ed economics: A new study suggests a 10% increase in enrollment at Florida’s public universities could generate an $8 billion economic output increase for the state, Florida Politics reports.
New schools: Okaloosa’s first school for Black students, long unused, will be demolished and replaced by a new private K-8 school run by the church that owns the site, WJHG reports.
Pay raises: Tallahassee State College has ratified 4% raises for faculty, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
Superintendents: Indian River County superintendent David Moore received a 22% pay raise as the school board aimed to keep him around, TC Palm reports. • Columbia County superintendent Lex Carswell attended his final school board meeting before his retirement, WCJB reports.
Taxes: Alachua County voters will decide whether to extend the school district’s local-option property tax, which supports additional student services, WCJB reports.
University expansion: Vanderbilt University won approval to create a graduate campus in West Palm Beach, the Palm Beach Post reports.
From the police blotter … A Leon County high school student was arrested on accusations of bringing a loaded gun to school, WCTV reports. • Law enforcement is investigating the choking death at school of a Collier County child, WTFX reports.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
Before you go … Old Crow Medicine Show has a message for you during election season. Vote.
