Education fault lines separate Florida House, Senate

A fight over education policy is brewing at the Capitol. It pits supporters of traditional public schools against advocates for more school choice. With new leaders in place, the Florida House and Senate will be the battleground for the contest over the state's educational future. Each chamber will have its own distinct ideas about how Florida spends $20.3 billion on schools. [Source: Tallahassee Democrat]

See also:
» Familiar faces will lead Senate education committees
» FSBA adds career education expansion to its legislative priorities
» Senate President Galvano says universities should decide on building namings

Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas named Florida's superintendent of the year for 2019

Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas was selected as Florida’s 2019 Superintendent of the Year. Thomas received the honor from the Florida Association of District School Superintendents at the organization's joint meeting with the Florida School Boards Association in Tampa on Wednesday. See the announcement here and read more from the Pensacola News Journal and NorthEscambia.com.

Supreme Court adds judge for ‘high quality’ education case

In a somewhat-unusual move, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady has appointed a lower-court judge to help the Supreme Court decide a closely watched education case. Justice Ricky Polston on Nov. 5 recused himself from the case, three days before justices heard oral arguments. Canady on Monday temporarily assigned Edward LaRose, chief judge of the 2nd District Court of Appeal, to serve on the case. [Source: Florida Politics]

Max Planck Florida to open high school with Florida Atlantic University

The brightest STEM high school students can now work side-by-side with preeminent scientists at one of the world’s leading neuroscience research institutions. The Florida Atlantic University Max Planck Academy on the John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter stands to redefine approaches to STEM (science-technology-engineering and math) education, not just in South Florida, but nationwide: Read the announcement here.

Who should be USF's next president? 'It's going to take a multifaceted individual.'

After 18 years under a leader as energetic and celebrated as Judy Genshaft, it's difficult to imagine what the University of South Florida might look like headed by someone else. In fact, the idea of cloning the outgoing president ahead of her coming retirement next summer has become a running joke among many who wonder about the fate of the university once she's gone. [Source: TBO.com]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› UF entrepreneurship program aims to attack poverty [Gainseville Sun]
When Charlotte Terry-Mendez started her cleaning business in Gainesville close to seven years ago, she wasn’t sure how much to charge customers. Terry-Mendez learned the value of her business while going through The Gainesville Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program.

› Florida A&M counts on funding for student center; expects to close on residence hall loan [Tallahassee Democrat]
The $40 million, three-story, 73,000-square-foot Center for Access and Student Success under construction north of Gaither Gymnasium aims to bring student services under one location rather than being scattered across campus.

› Florida Southern’s residential real estate holdings in Lakeland raise tensions [Lakeland Ledger]
Although Florida Southern is spreading its footprint, in reality the college for decades has owned many properties — most of them houses — outside its campus boundaries. And for just as long, the college has contended with some suspicion and resentment from people living in adjacent neighborhoods.

› UCF cybersecurity lab funded by $1.5 million grant from Lockheed Martin [Orlando Sentinel]
The University of Central Florida will develop a cybersecurity laboratory for students after receiving a $1.5 million grant from Lockheed Martin to build it. The lab will help prepare the school’s 350 students in cyber-related programs for careers in aerospace and other tech fields.