All of the major candidates for governor are pushing for the change in the state Constitution that dictates how large school classrooms can be, which could let some classes increase slightly in size.

Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow for a more lenient way of counting students to give schools flexibility on meeting class-size requirements touted the positions of the gubernatorial candidates in a release Wednesday, saying the candidates were putting policy over politics by unanimously supporting the proposed change in the law.

The Florida Department of Education is asking for more than $3 million in damages from contractor NCS Pearson over a delay in reporting the results of the state's standardized exam, the FCAT.

I fully realize that assessing these damages does not completely make up for the significant inconveniences being felt by students and their families, teachers and school administrators, but it does show very clearly that we are holding Pearson accountable for their failure to uphold the terms of the contract, state Education Commissioner Eric Smith said in a release Thursday.

Florida public university students will pay on average an additional $532 in tuition and fees for the upcoming school year that begins in the fall, the university system's board of governors determined Friday.

The university governing board approved a 15 percent tuition increase for the 11 universities Friday, bringing Florida's public university tuition more in line with the national average. The Legislature had already approved an 8 percent tuition increase, but the board tacked on an additional 7 percent at the request of the individual universities.

Florida anti-abortion activists were making last minute pleas to Gov. Charlie Crist asking him to sign legislation that would require women seeking an abortion to first have an ultrasound and in many cases hear the doctor describe the sonogram.

An explosion on a BP oil rig last month that has resulted in the biggest oil spill in recent history has spurred at least eight lawsuits in federal court from Panhandle residents whose livelihoods could be upended by the spill.

Commercial fishermen, real estate executives, beach front property owners and restaurateurs have all filed suit against BP, in addition to rig owner TransOcean and contractor Haliburton Energy Services.

Florida politicians may have had one foot out the door the past few weeks ready to hit the campaign trail, but they were also pushing their own legislative agendas to use as political currency in the coming months.

Gov. Charlie Crist wanted a Seminole Gaming compact. Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink wanted pension reform. Attorney General Bill McCollum asked for fee caps for lawyers. And Sen. Paula Dockery hoped for an open records bill.

A panel appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist started Wednesday morning to refurbish the state's bid for a chunk of the federal Race to the Top grant, which could bring the state $700 million in funding for education.

Florida came in fourth in the first round of competition for a piece of the $4.35 billion grant that the Obama administration is doling out to states who can create a bold change in education. Florida was widely expected to win in the first round, but only Delaware and Tennessee were awarded money.

More than 10,000 phone calls. More than 15,000 e-mails and letters. They mostly tell Gov. Charlie Crist the same thing veto SB 6.

Since Republican lawmakers first proposed legislation in early March that would link teacher pay to student performance on standardized exams, teachers have gone on the offensive -- writing, calling, showing up at legislative meetings, all telling lawmakers that a test can't measure their effectiveness in the classroom.

A once controversial school prayer bill won unanimous support from a House panel after a tweak to the legislation severely blunted its reach.

This bill is now a protection of school speech, said Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, a co-sponsor of the legislation.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers approved a massive expansion of a corporate-funded school voucher program, providing a mechanism for the program to continually expand and put more money toward private school tuition.