Because most of the provisions in his bill were not appropriate for conforming legislation, Gaetz said, the Senate will have to try again next year. Still, some language regarding the tracking of voucher students did make it into the one-year implementing bill<\/a> that\u2019s to be debated when lawmakers return to the floor Friday.<\/p>\n Section 7 of the legislation would require the Department of Education to issue a request for information seeking providers who can create a \u201cstatewide data interoperability platform\u201d to administer the voucher system.<\/p>\n The platform would, among other things, need to include a way to securely exchange student data among all groups participating in the voucher program and have an automated process for identifying students and cross-checking their voucher payments to ensure they are proper. It would provide real-time notifications of any student who\u2019s registered to get voucher funding while also reported as attending a public school, and resolve those situations.<\/p>\n Senators said during regular session that not improving the voucher system would be legislative malpractice, and could jeopardize the school choice movement. Gaetz said they could not sway the House from the status quo, adding that he was not aware of any tradeoffs the Senate won in exchange for backing off its proposal.<\/p>\n Bottom line, he said, the Legislature must adopt a balanced budget to meet its constitutional mandate. And that means not always getting everything.<\/p>\n Read more about the pending legislative budget agreement in this story from the Tampa Bay Times<\/a>. Lawmakers are scheduled to debate and vote on the budget and related bills on Friday.<\/p>\n In related news, the House has added a last-minute earmark to the budget that would provide $2 million for an online platform to implement new federal tax credit scholarships<\/a>, Seeking Rents reports. The line item calls for a system that\u2019s provided by a Denver firm connected to Charles Koch\u2019s Stand Together network. \u2022 Lawmakers also proposed setting aside $79 million<\/a> to help school districts that face enrollment declines because of vouchers, Politico reports.<\/p>\n Hot topics Campus security: Neither the University of West Florida nor Pensacola State College plan to add campus guardians<\/a> to their staff, despite now being included in the program by law, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. Each already has a police department.<\/p>\n Free speech: A Duval County teacher continues to fight efforts to punish her over comments<\/a> about Charlie Kirk\u2019s death made on her personal Facebook page, Jacksonville Today reports. A school board member appears to be the person who instigated the complaint. \u2022 A University of Florida law student heads to federal court this week to challenge his expulsion over antisemitic posts<\/a> he made on social media, the USA Today Florida Network reports.<\/p>\n Job cuts: The Bay County school district is reorganizing operations<\/a> as it eliminates positions in anticipation of reduced funding, WJHG reports.<\/p>\n Last day: Pinellas County teacher Susan Adams is retiring after 46 years. She\u2019s the last original staff member<\/a> of Lake St. George Elementary, Bay News 9 reports.<\/p>\n Spelling bee: A dozen Florida students are seeking the win at the Scripps National Spelling Bee<\/a>, Spectrum 13 reports. The finals are Thursday.<\/p>\n Tax referendums: Broward County\u2019s tax collector says the school board is misleading the public<\/a> with its lawsuit against her office, WLRN reports. The board claims the tax collector inappropriately took $5 million from its referendum revenue as a commission fee.<\/p>\n UF president search: A Fort Lauderdale Democratic lawmaker is questioning the University of Florida\u2019s social media comments<\/a> regarding its president search, saying one post appeared to violate the school\u2019s neutrality policy, WUFT reports.<\/p>\n \u2018Woke\u2019 classes: The University of Florida is leading the nation in efforts to purge \u201cwoke\u201d courses<\/a> from its offerings, the Washington Post reports.<\/p>\n From the police blotter … A Citrus County man was arrested on accusations of threatening a school bus driver with a gun<\/a>, the Citrus County Chronicle reports.<\/p>\n In their own words \u201cWhile we may no longer have the same physical footprint we do now, I know that USF can maintain a meaningful presence in the Sarasota-Manatee with opportunities for our university to continue delivering world-class academic programming.\u201d \u2014 Will Weatherford, USF trustees chairperson, on the proposed transfer of the school\u2019s Sarasota-Manatee campus to New College (Tampa Bay Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of kids, they can paint, they can create, they can dance, what do you do after you have the talent. So, this program was created here to give kids the opportunity to learn how to take their talent and sustain themselves.\u201d \u2014 Ray Parris, founder of Money Movez, a financial literacy game used in some South Florida schools (WFOR<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cI feel happy for them and I feel like I will be like one of them when I get older.\u201d \u2014 Brynlee Carlleo, Indian River Elementary student, on a clap out for high school seniors who previously attended the elementary school (Daytona Beach News-Journal<\/a>)<\/p>\n Quick quiz The school year is coming to an end in Florida. Twenty districts will have their last day of classes on Friday. Which district closes out the latest, on June 4?<\/p>\n a) Broward<\/p>\n b) Miami-Dade<\/p>\n c) St. Lucie<\/p>\n Find the answer from USA Today Florida Network<\/a>.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss a story. 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