Florida asks judge to toss lawsuit over teacher bonuses

The Florida Department of Education asked a Tallahassee judge to toss a lawsuit that seeks to have the state pay money to teachers that school districts deducted from bonuses. The lawsuit, filed last month, accused state officials of improperly instructing school districts to deduct employer taxes from teacher bonus awards granted under the “Best and Brightest” program. More from the Daytona Beach News-Journal and CBS Miami.

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» Opinion: Florida's teacher shortage is easily preventable

Student debt is transforming the American family

From the late nineteen-eighties to the present, college tuition has increased at a rate four times that of inflation, and eight times that of household income. It has been estimated that forty-five million people in the United States hold educational debt totaling roughly $1.5 trillion—more than what Americans owe on their credit cards and auto loans combined. [Source: The New Yorker]

Calling all students to the Mars 2020 'Name the Rover' contest

NASA has launched a national contest for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students to name the Mars 2020 rover, the newest robotic scientist to be sent to Mars. Scheduled to launch aboard a rocket in July 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and touch down on Mars in February 2021, the to-be-named rover weighs more than 2,300 pounds (1,000 kilograms) and will search for astrobiological signs of past microbial life, characterize the planet’s climate and geology, collect samples for future return to Earth, and pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet. [Source: Florida Trend]

Opinion: College board picks fine temp, needs clear long-term vision

If naming a temporary president of Miami Dade College was far from the best outcome of a contentious process to replace Eduardo Padrón on his retirement last week, it was the best that could be salvaged under the circumstances. And if they had to pick a temporary president rather than follow agreed-upon procedures to name a president, the college was left in the very capable hands of a man who has every qualification to serve – and has done so before. [Source: Miami Today]

Turnaround schools would need state approval to change principals under new proposal

For several years now, Florida Board of Education members have expected — demanded, in fact — principal changes at the state’s most struggling schools. The board has insisted on leadership shifts as a condition of approving improvement plans, and has held superintendents’ feet to the fire if those moves haven’t come swiftly enough. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› FSU Graduate School projected to see record enrollment [Florida Trend]
The Graduate School at Florida State University has experienced significant growth in recent years — projecting a record increase in enrollment for the start of the academic year. “People are recognizing what a great institution this is and looking into our programs,” said Mark Riley, dean of the Graduate School. “They are hearing that they can do some amazing work with world-class faculty who are doing brilliant research and who care about their students’ success.”

› College fair connects students to higher education [Gainesville Sun]
Korin Bradley, Carleton Brooks and Brent Clark, all senior football players at Eastside High School, stood at the University of South Florida’s table getting information about USF at the second annual Alachua County College Day Fair. The trio were among more than 400 high school seniors from seven high schools in Alachua County, as well as others from schools in surrounding counties, who attended the event, which is part of the Florida College Tour.

› Still no talks over Pasco teacher pay proposal [Tampa Bay Times]
Pasco County schools superintendent Kurt Browning says he’s growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of action on his proposal to boost teacher pay over the next two years. “They won’t come to the table,” Browning said, referring to the United School Employees of Pasco bargaining team. “How can I have a conversation with myself?”

› U.S. Coast Guard to honor college search and rescue team [Florida Trend]
The U.S. Coast Guard St. Petersburg Sector Commander will present the Meritorious Public Service Award to the Eckerd College Search and Rescue (EC-SAR) team during an on-campus ceremony at 5 p.m., Monday, September 9, at the Eckerd College Waterfront Complex, 4200 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg FL 33711.