Gov. Rick Scott’s announcement that education is his priority moving forward got the attention of the Florida Education Association (FEA).
FEA President Andy Ford had dinner with Scott last week and is talking about why he thinks the governor is now so focused on improving education in Florida.
Q: How did your dinner with Gov. Scott come about?
A: The governor reached out. His chief of staff called and asked for a meeting and wanted to do it Friday at the mansion.
He wanted a few local leaders with me, so there were a total of six of us from FEA plus the interim commissioner (Education Commissioner Pam Stewart) and Mrs. Scott.
Governor Scott meets with teachers at Southwest Miami High.
Increasing the number of jobs in Florida has been Gov. Rick Scott’s priority since he was on the campaign trail.
He told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday his focus now is on education.
“If you look at where the state’s going long-term, if we have the best education system, we’re going to have the jobs,” Scott said.
“We will figure it out. Americans, Floridians, we are going to build an economy that works. But it’s clearly tied to continuing to get a better education.”
When asked whether education is now a higher priority to him than job creation, Scott responded, “I don’t think you can pick one or the other.”
The Governor and First Lady on listening tour at Ocoee Middle School.
Gov. Rick Scott says he wants to reduce the burden on teachers by cutting down on paperwork and unnecessary regulations.
During Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Scott said he wants teachers spending as much time as possible teaching.
He’s convening a group of five superintendents to recommend ways to cut the red tape.
“We’re asking everybody to come to us with their ideas on what can we do to allow teachers to spend more time in the classroom, less time just working on reports and on testing,” Scott said.
The five superintendents will represent large and small districts.
“We’re going to ask them to give us a thirty-day report of state requirements that can be eliminated,” Scott said. “What are we doing that just is not helping get our kids ready for college or a career?”
But the program is tied to Digital Domain Media Group, a company that just filed for bankruptcy protection and shut down its primary facilities in nearby Port St. Lucie.
In January, the state’s program moved from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The move was the required by the Healthy Schools for Healthy Lives Act, passed by the Florida Legislature last year to consolidate the state’s school nutrition programs under one department.
Teacher unions say the move amounts to a 3-percent pay cut and the Florida Education Association (FEA) challenged the law.
Last spring, a Leon County Circuit judge agreed with the FEA that the law was unconstitutional because it changed the contracts of current employees and took away their collective bargaining rights.
Education advocates and community groups sent a letter to Gov. Rick Scott today asking him to consider search criteria offered by people other than state board members.
The coalition, led by Fund Education Now, says the Board of Education has adopted none of the suggestions offered by groups and individuals over the last month.
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