Roll Call: Race-Based Academic Goals; Gov. Scott Calls For Investigation; Keeping The Back Gate Open

Florida’s new goals for minority students make national news, in Friday’s education headlines.

Florida schools’ race-based plan draws criticism – “Amy Wilkins of The Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group for low-income and minority students, said Florida officials could have described the interim plan in a ‘less inflammatory way.’ But she said it’s wrong to criticize the plan, which her group designed. ‘It is realistic, but it is also a stretch for most schools,’ she said. “ USA Today

Florida to measure student goals by race – “‘To expect less from one demographic and more from another is just a little off-base,’ said Juan Lopez, magnet coordinator at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Riviera Beach. JFK Middle has a black student population of about 88 percent. ‘Our kids, although they come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, they still have the ability to learn,’ Lopez said. ‘To dumb down the expectations for one group, that seems a little unfair.’” The Palm Beach Post

Governor Scott wants investigation of Florida college spending, including Edison State College – Gov. Rick Scott is asking for a review of state college spending after an audit turned up issues at Florida State College of Jacksonville. The Fort Myers News-Press

Controversy resolved in Brookridge; students will continue using back gate – The Hernando County school district will install electronic card reader to allow 50 students to continue using the back gate of their community to walk to school. The Tampa Bay Times