Florida’s Senate President says the state’s teacher evaluation system is confusing and should be reworked so teacher ratings more closely match those of the schools they work in. Senate President Don Gaetz, a former school board member and elected superintendent, says schools should no longer evaluate some teachers based on test scores of students they […]
If Don Gaetz gives you a task, he will make sure you get it done. That’s how Cindy Frakes remembers Gaetz, whom she worked with in the Okaloosa County schools. Gaetz was the superintendent then, in the early 2000s. Frakes was, and still is, a member of the school board. Gaetz kept a list, Frakes […]
Senate President Don Gaetz is a former school board member and district superintendent, so he knows a thing or two about big changes in school policy. Florida lawmakers, Education Commissioner Tony Bennett and outside experts have all raised questions about whether Florida and other states will meet a fall 2014 deadline for new education standards […]
Supporters say the charter school bill that has a good chance of passing Florida’s Republican controlled Legislature this year will better regulate charters and expand choices for parents. One thing the bill won’t do is require the same evaluations for charter school teachers as traditional public school teachers. Charter schools which do not participate in […]
The parent trigger bill is back, and Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford thinks it has a good chance of passing this year. He even tweeted about it shortly after the bill was filed. “It’s great public policy. It empowers families. It empowers parents, gives them the choices that they need,” Weatherford told StateImpact Florida. “It engages […]
The leadership of the Florida House and Senate officially changes hands this week when Rep. Will Weatherford and Sen. Don Gaetz are sworn in as leaders of their respective chambers. Both Republican legislators have already been coordinating their committees and working on rules for the next legislative session. Rep. Weatherford falls in line with Gov. […]
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