From the Florida Roundup column at redefinEd:

Scholarship expansion

The Florida House has approved changes in its bill to expand the enrollment cap for the Family Empowerment Scholarship and align some of its income eligibility provisions with the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship. About 126,000 economically disadvantaged students are enrolled in private K-12 schools under the two programs this year. The bill, which is nearly the same as the Senate version, S.B. 1220, is ready for a vote by the full House. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer both scholarship programs.

Pregame prayers

The Florida House is expected to consider an education bill that has been expanded to give schools the option of having a 30-second prayer broadcast over a public address system before such events as football games. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, is a response to a court fight between the state and a Christian school over the Florida High School Athletic Association’s refusal to allow the school to broadcast a prayer before the 2016 high school state championship football game. A district court ruled in favor of the state, but an appeals court overturned it and sent the case back to the lower court, where it is pending. The bill also includes the creation of a statewide “do-not-hire” list of former school employees who have been fired for sexual misconduct, and changes in dual-enrollment rules and teacher training.

Back-to-school tax holiday

The House gave final approval on Friday to a tax-cut package bill that includes a back-to-school tax holiday Aug. 7-9 on clothing, school supplies and some computer equipment. The Senate has a standalone 10-day back-to-school tax holiday bill that is awaiting a final vote.