Roll Call: Defending FCAT; Brevard Ditches Extra Courses; Lakewood Abandons Charter Conversion

State leaders’ public relations campaign on behalf of FCAT, in Wednesday’s education headlines.

Scott sought to limit fallout from low FCAT scores – Gov. Rick Scott and his staff tried to control the public relations damage from poor writing test results, according to emails. The News Service of Florida

Florida’s education chief holds forum in Tampa on FCAT – Education commission Gerard Robinson will hold a forum in Tampa, an effort to stem growing unhappiness with the state standardized test. The Tampa Bay Times

Stricter Brevard Public Schools graduation requirements fall to tight times – Brevard County’s school board has scrapped a plan to require students take extra science and social studies courses in order to graduate. Florida Today

In wake of Armwood football scandal, school district vows improvements – Hillsborough schools superintendent says the district is designing ways to better check the addresses of students. The Tampa Bay Times

Lakeland High Suspends Efforts to Become Charter School – Lakeland High School will not convert to a charter this year because teacher and parent ballots were not counted at the same time. The Lakeland Ledger