Rick Scott campaigns for governor at The Villages on October 1, 2010.
Gov. Rick Scott has changed his stance on education in a few ways this year:
He met the teachers’ union president for dinner and promised ongoing meetings.
He returned a billion dollars to education funding.
He said education is his new priority, since it will ultimately lead to job growth.
Seth McKee, Associate Professor of Political Science at USF-St. Petersburg, says it’s all about the election.
“He’s not popular,” McKee said. “I’ve never seen him reach over the mid 40’s in a poll. He tends to hang out in the high 30’s in terms of public approval.”
He wiped out $1.3 billion in state education funding, then came out strongly in favor of alternatives to traditional public schooling, like for-profit charter schools.
McKee says Scott had no choice but to make changes.
The plan calls for higher passing scores among Asian and white students, while setting higher expectations for improvement among black and Hispanic students.
In response, Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement saying in part: Continue Reading →
Scott believes that if Florida produces more STEM graduates, companies will be lured to the state and more high paying jobs will be created.
Now, UF’s College of Education has been awarded a $2 million, two-year grant from the state to create research-based, professional development support for new science and math teachers in middle and high schools.
The university has established a program called Florida STEM-Teacher Induction and Professional Support, also known as the Florida STEM-TIPS Center.
Through this project, teachers will be provided with mentoring, training, and other support during their first two years on the job.
Schools around Florida have activities planned to promote new, healthier menus.
Federal requirements were put into place this year as part of the National School Lunch Program. Fruits and vegetables must be offered every day to students eating school lunch.
Jackie Moalli, Outreach Manager with the Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said the schools will partner with professional sports teams next week to get kids making better choices.
The State Board of Education had a day-long meeting in Orlando Tuesday.
Here are the highlights:
The Board approved a plan by the Florida Department of Education to ask lawmakers for $15.2 billion in spending next fiscal year. That’s a 4.4 percent increase over the current year.
The Board figures the state’s transition to digital textbooks over the next few years will cost $441 million.Vice Chairman Roberto Martinez likes the idea of giving districts the freedom to choose whatever materials they think will work best in the classroom. “I think we’re at that stage where we can give them that kind of freedom to accomplish the outcomes that we want,” Martinez said.
There’s still no decision as to whether the state will appeal a judge’s decision in a tuition lawsuit. U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore found that Florida’s practice of charging out-of-state tuition to Florida residents whose parents are undocumented is unconstitutional. The Board is awaiting the judge’s final ruling.
The Board discussed a lawsuit that claims the state is unconstitutionally reneging on its responsibility to provide students with a high quality education. The plaintiffs in Citizens for Strong Schools v. Haridopolos say schools are unsafe and underfunded. Martinez called their efforts “an exercise in futility.” The case is awaiting trial in Leon County.
A plan adopted by the Board would expand school choice options and double enrollment in charter schools over the next six years. Options include private school vouchers.
2013 Legislative priorities for the Board: K-12 Accountability, Workforce Readiness, School Choice, Common Core State Standards Transition, Teacher Preparation Program Accountability.
The Board meets again November 5th and 6th in Boca Raton.
The Florida Board of Education will meet in a closed session this evening in Orlando.
They’ll talk about what to do now that a judge has ruled against Florida’s practice of charging out-of-state tuition to students who were born in America but whose parents are undocumented.
Unlike other states, Florida colleges and universities consider the citizenship of a student’s parents.
Five students sued the state, and U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore agreed that the practice is unconstitutional. He granted the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment
The state hasn’t decided whether to appeal. It’s waiting for Moore’s final decision.
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