John O'Connor is the Miami-based education reporter for StateImpact Florida. John previously covered politics, the budget and taxes for The (Columbia, S.C) State. He is a graduate of Allegheny College and the University of Maryland.
But the firm says there is a long history of bad press surrounding K12 because of the threat of “virtual schools to traditional teachers and powerful teachers unions.
“There’s a risk a few bad actors fell through the cracks,” Morgan Stanley analysts write of K12’s 3,500 teachers who work directly for K12 or at schools they manage.
Five Florida universities rank among the nation’s top 100 for social mobility of graduates, research and service, according to Washington Monthly magazine.
New College of Florida is the nation’s sixth-ranked liberal arts college, according to the magazine. Beacon College in Leesburg, which specializes in students with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning disabilities ranked 85th.
The University of Florida scored the highest rank among state schools at 21st. Florida International University was 53rd, Florida State University was 70th, Florida A&M University was 80th and the University of West Florida was 99th.
The question is whether K12 used uncertified teachers for some of its online classes in Seminole County, and if the company asked certified teachers to sign class rosters of students which they did not teach.
Former U.S. Education Secretary Bill Bennett founded K12, the nation's largest online education company. The Florida Department of Education is investigating whether the company used uncertified teachers to lead classes.
Editor’s note: Trevor Aaronson is with the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
Florida’s Department of Education has launched an investigation of K12, the nation’s largest online educator, over allegations the company uses uncertified teachers and asked employees to help cover up the practice.
K12 officials told certified teachers to sign class rosters that included students they hadn’t taught, according to documents that are part of the investigation.
In one case, a K12 manager instructed a certified teacher to sign a class roster of more than 100 students. She only recognized seven names on that list.
“I cannot sign off on students who are not my actual students,” K12 teacher Amy Capelle wrote to her supervisor. “It is not ethical to submit records to the district that are inaccurate.”
The documents suggest K12 may be using uncertified teachers in violation of state law.
In 2009, K12 asked Seminole County Public Schools if it could use uncertified teachers in some of its online classes. That uncertified teacher would be overseen by a so-called “teacher of record” — a certified teacher.
Seminole County Public Schools consulted with the Florida Department of Education and then denied the request, citing state law requiring certified teachers.
The company that turned YouTube into a tutoring service is coming to Florida’s private schools.
Step Up For Students, the non-profit that manages Florida’s tax credit scholarship program for low-income students, is partnering with Khan Academy to put its software in 10 Tampa Bay-area private schools.
It’s the first time the company has partnered with a private school network outside its home state of California.
The schools have agreed to use Khan software for at least one classroom in grades 4-8. The software is meant to supplement school curriculum and help students and parents target areas where more help is needed.
Tampa’s Gateway Christian Academy will show off the Khan Academy tools at an open house Thursday night. About one-third of Gateway Christian Academy students receive a tax credit scholarship.
Two Florida private schools were named National Blue Ribbon schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
Two Florida private school have been named National Blue Ribbon school by the U.S. Department of Education.
Holy Family Catholic School in Jacksonville and Westlake Christian School in Palm Harbor were among 219 public and 50 private schools given the award nationally. Florida public school winners will be named later.
The program recognizes high-performing schools, or those with a higher percentage of disadvantaged students who have boosted student test scores. It’s the first time the two Florida private schools have won the award.
After adding $1 billion to education funding this year, Florida has moved to the middle of the pack for state cuts to education since the start of the Great Recession in 2008.
However, Florida still spends $296 less per student — adjusted for inflation — than before the Great Recession began in 2008.
Florida lawmakers are not expected to face a budget shortfall this year, according to a new revenue projection, which means schools could avoid further cuts in the next state budget.
The screening of “Won’t Back Down” is sponsored by StudentsFirst, a national advocacy group which has pushed states — including Florida — to adopt parent trigger laws.
The parent trigger would allow a majority of parents at a chronically failing school to choose how to restructure the school. The options include firing some or all of the staff and principal, converting to a charter school or closing the school.
“Won’t Back Down” star Maggie Gyllenhaal as a parent trying to invoke a parent trigger-like law in Pittsburgh. Holly Hunter and Viola Davis also star in the film, which is scheduled for a September 28th release.
“As a mother, I know that I’d be willing to do whatever it takes to make sure my daughters get a great education,” said StudentsFirst founder Michelle Rhee in a statement. “This movie speaks to the importance of great teachers and sends a touching, powerful and important message that transcends party divisions: every child deserves a great education.” Continue Reading →
Gov. Rick Scott has released a back-to-school message in the form of a Republican Party of Florida-sponsored ad.
In the as Scott says “listening to parents and teachers is still the best education” and is one reason he pushed to increase education funding by $1 billion.
But the second part of the ad is likely to rile some educators.
“I’ve listened to the frustrations parents and teachers have with the FCAT,” he says in the video. “Next year we begin improving our testing system. No more teaching to the test.”
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