Pinellas works fast to replace dozens of teachers leaving
troubled schools.
The story: As of last week, more than 80 teachers had
requested a transfer or were told that they couldn’t return to 5 local
elementary schools. Many potential candidates for replacement teachers attended
an interview event for those schools. Some teachers were drawn to the schools
by the challenge and a chance to improve the results of struggling schools.
Turnover in struggling schools is very high, so district leaders are trying to
attract more experienced teachers.
The problem: Mike Gandolfo, president of the Pinellas
Classroom Teachers Association called the teacher transfer process a “hatchet
job” in which some teachers were forced out after initially being told they
could stay. He also stated that “fear and frustration” were the reasons most of
the teachers left, so he is doubtful of how the schools will effectively fill
those positions. Also, some teachers with fewer years of experience will have
to make the extra effort in working longer days, participating in extra
training, and teaching summer school just like the older teachers, but with
significantly less pay.
Who has the problem: These problems could exists possibly
for the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association as the process of finding
replacement teachers has been described as hectic. Also, the younger, less
experienced teachers receive less incentive to dedicate more hours into their
work, thus having less time to do other things.
The PTC rejects a temporary plan that would let Hillsborough
County regulate Uber and Lyft.
The story: In Hillsborough County, ridesharing is still
illegal. The Public Transportation Commission board rejected a temporary
agreement that would allow the county to regulate ridesharing. Taxi and
limousine companies called for the removal of Victor Crist from the PTC
chairman position. However, Victor Crist defended his leadership by stating
that he “wasn’t their puppet.” The companies argue that rideshare drivers
should be subject to the same regulations and regulatory costs that they have to
follow. Some of the points that have not yet been resolved include
fingerprint-based background checks.
The problem: First I should define what “ridesharing” is. A
quick reference to an online dictionary states that ridesharing is “an
arrangement in which a passenger travels in a private vehicle driven by its
owner, for free or for a fee, especially as arranged by means of a website or
app.” The PTC seems to be ineffective in establishing regulations for
ridesharing companies. The board seems to be caught between taxi and limousine
companies and ridesharing companies. Victor Crist suggested that he wants to
change the governing structure of the PTC.
Who has the problem: The PTC acts as a regulatory
intermediary between the two different types of transportation services. The
negotiations seem to have gone nowhere. The fact that the rideshare regulation
issue is unresolved affects the PTC, taxi and limousine operators, ridesharing
companies, and potential ridesharing users in Hillsborough County.
3 Charter School Closures Look Likely
The story: District officials of the Pinellas County School
Board made the case to issue 90-day notices to terminate the charter agreements
of Windsor Preparatory Academy, East Windsor Middle Academy, and Newpoint
Pinellas Academy. The schools operate under management contracts with Newpoint
Education Partners. That company, along with three others, was indicted for
charges of grand theft, money laundering, and aggravated white-collar crime.
Also, the district is seeking to terminate the charter of Florida Virtual
Academy in Pinellas. The four schools combined enroll about 1,000 students and
receive $6 million in public money.
The problem: There are several problems with the schools.
According to previous audits, the deficits of the three Newpoint schools total
about $1.3 million. After several site visits, the schools lacked gifted
services and Spanish classes that were promised by the schools’ charters with
the district. There was also a lack of curriculum and materials for students at
Windsor Prep and East Windsor.
Who has the problem: While the schools have these problems,
the students and their families are affected by the problems the most. The
article summarizes this pretty well in its concluding sentence: “Chris Wenzel,
vice chairman for the board overseeing the three Newpoint schools and a parent
of a third grader at Windsor Prep, said parents will have no options comparable
to Windsor should the school close.”
Mayor Buckhorn touts growth and diversity and acknowledges
violence and mass transit issues.
The story: Mayor Bob Buckhorn themed his annual state of the
city report on the phrase “We built this,” but recently said the city has
challenges ahead to address from climate change-driven flooding and the need
for better transit. By emphasizing diversity and local culture, the city of
Tampa has attracted some well-known companies, which leads to increased employment
and an increased presence of talent. Mayor Buckhorn stated that “The Tampa renaissance
is real.” Investment capital into urban core projects is now or soon will be
utilized. While Tampa is successful in those aspects, the city faces many of
the same problems as other large cities. He mentioned the acknowledgement of
violent crime and the issues of mass transit.
The problem: Like other large cities, as Tampa grows, there
is also a presence of violent crimes and transportation issues.
Who has the problem: Some residents of Tampa face this problem
in some way or another. For example, most who take public transportation would
probably agree with the issues on mass transit.
TBX protesters walk in the shadow of I-275 and on
neighborhood streets.
The story: 75 protesters gathered for an afternoon march to
protest the Tampa Bay Express highway expansion. Most of them don’t have homes
or businesses that could be swept away by the expansion. But, they don’t view
TBX as a solution for the city or as a way to fight off traffic congestion. Instead,
they would rather see billions in funding go toward a transit system. Florida
Department of Transportation officials say TBX will reduce travel time and
offer congestion-free and reliable trips. Some protesters wore white masks over
their mouths to draw attention to Hillsborough county’s air quality, which they
said is poor from the area’s excessive reliance on automobiles. One protester
believes that the TBX will only encourage urban sprawl.
The problem: TBX protesters state that the superhighway will
worsen air quality in Hillsborough County, encourage urban sprawl, and could
decrease investments in transit systems.
Who has the problem: The TBX protesters and the owners of
the 140 homes and 30 businesses that the Department of Transportation will be
required to buy in order to make way for the highway expansion, which is about
five years off depending on how soon the department gets the money it needs in
financing.
Roy, I was interested in your opportunities that you found online. Specifically, I did not know that Uber was band in Hillsborough. Many of these problems, such as the pollution in Tampa, I simply didn’t know of. Next time, I would make sure that the opportunities were the highlight rather than that of the articles.
ReplyDeleteRoy, I thought the articles that you chose were very interesting, especially the one about ridesharing. Many of these articles, however, refer to legal policies that can't be changed. It might be hard to find opportunities for these types of problems.
ReplyDeleteRoy, both you and another student chose Pinellas county to report on this week. Furthermore, I thought it was so strange that Hillsborough county has now outlawed any type of Uber or Uber-like system. It is an extremely helpful service and it does not seem like their reason for outlawing it is a valid enough reason. Great article choices!
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