Tuesday's Daily Pulse

› NASA updates commercial crew plans [Florida Today]
NASA plans to begin soliciting proposals around Feb. 7 for a new round of funding to help develop commercial vehicles expected to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station later this decade, the agency said.

› Organizer Understands Plight of Migrant Worker [Lakeland Ledger]
Nilda Soto ended up in Polk County looking for a way out of the coffee bean fields of Puerto Rico and eventually found a career with the Polk County School District helping to better the lives of migrant farm workers.

› Broward faces unpopular choices to cut class sizes [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Facing a $66.1 million fine for overloaded classes, the Broward School Board will discuss Monday strategies for reducing class sizes that could include unpopular choices, such as co-teaching and putting more than one grade in a classroom. The cash-strapped district also could pay teachers for picking up an extra class.

› Startups seeking funds find advice at entrepreneur summit [Florida Today]
Brevard County inventors and entrepreneurs still find that investors are cautious, but the improving national economy could help free up capital. "Maybe because of being stung by the downturn of economic events, they've been more reluctant to support good companies," said Max Salinas of Space Age Garden, one of four presenters at Monday's entrepreneur summit convened by U.S. Rep. Bill Posey.

› Critics say 'parent trigger' bill favors charters over public schools [Miami Herald]
Florida parents are taking sides over a controversial piece of legislation known as the parent trigger. The buzzed-about bill would let a majority of parents at low-performing public schools demand dramatic changes at the school, or even have it converted into a publicly financed, privately managed charter school. Similar laws have already passed in California and Texas, sparking debate and controversy along the way.

› Port St. John power plant employment near peak [Florida Today]
Construction employment will peak soon at the $1.1 billion power plant being built in Port St. John. In a presentation to Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce members, Florida Power & Light Co. director of construction Dave Santilli said about 650 people will be working to build the plant by April, up from the current 520.