Influence

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Education is big business. These are stories about the politicians, businesses, lobbyists and other leaders seeking to impact education decisions.

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November 14, 2013

Why Florida Farmers And Schools Are Planning Meals Together

Shortly after becoming Agriculture Commissioner, Adam Putnam asked lawmakers to move the state’s school lunch program to his agency. Lawmakers approved the change in 2011. Putnam stopped by WUSF’s studios this week for an interview with Florida Matters. Host Carson Cooper asked Putnam what has changed since his agency took over school food programs. Q: […]

November 13, 2013

Criser: Common Core Is Good For Business And Florida’s Economy

Marshall Criser III is the finalist to lead the Florida university system. He’s also an AT&T Florida executive and an open advocate for the Common Core State Standards. Florida is one of 45 states which have adopted the math, English and literacy standards, which outline what students should know at the end of each grade. […]

November 12, 2013

Criser Is The Finalist To Lead Florida University System

He was always the favorite, and now Marshall Criser III is the finalist to become the next Florida university system chancellor. Criser was one of four finalists interviewed by the search committee Tuesday. The panel unanimously chose Criser. Criser is the president of AT&T of Florida and has a long history in state higher education. […]

November 8, 2013

What Florida’s Graduation Rates Say About Opportunity In Our State

Florida doesn’t offer as much opportunity to its young people as other states do. That’s according to new research from Opportunity Nation. The bipartisan organization compiles an index of community characteristics to measure how people’s zip codes affect their quality of life. The index includes things like access to early learning, violent crime rates and […]

November 6, 2013

StudentsFirst Florida Adds New Staff, Including Former Gov. Scott Spokesman

Lane Wright, a former spokesman for Gov. Rick Scott, is now working for the Florida arm of national education advocacy group StudentsFirst. Wright is one of a handful of personnel moves the group announced Wednesday, including hiring a state outreach director and field coordinators for Tampa and Orlando, and Miami. StudentsFirst was founded by former […]

November 5, 2013

Speakers Defend Jacksonville School Named For KKK’s First Grand Wizard

A petition to change the name of Jacksonville’s Nathan B. Forrest High School—whose namesake was the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan—has reached more than 160,000 names. Earlier this week, there was murmuring that Forrest’s School Advisory Council would address the name change at its November meeting. It would be the first step […]

October 30, 2013

Sound Off: Deadline Is Tomorrow For Comments On Florida’s K-12 Standards

If you’ve got concerns about Florida’s K-12 math, English and literacy standards — or a suggestion about how to improve them — you’ve got until tomorrow to submit them to the Florida Department of Education. The agency is gathering feedback at the request of Gov. Rick Scott. So far the agency has received more than […]

October 21, 2013

The Commonwealth of Common Core: What Florida Can Learn From Kentucky

One of the big complaints critics have of Florida’s new math, English and literacy standards — known as Common Core — is that the standards haven’t been field tested to make sure they work. While not a field test, Kentucky has been using the standards since 2011. Lawmakers had told state education officials to come […]

October 18, 2013

Common Core Critics: This Is Not A Negotiation

If there’s a single point to take away from this week’s Common Core forums held around the state, it was made by David Knop in Davie. Knop is a father of two who doesn’t like the changes he’s seen in his kids schooling. “We’re not here to find out what it (Common Core) is about,” […]

October 16, 2013

Supporters, Opponents Of Florida’s Common Education Standards Have Their Say In Tampa

Lory Baxley said she drove two hours to discuss her complaints about Common Core standards after checking out her son’s math assignments. Baxley’s son earned top scores on the FCAT, but now he’s worried if he’ll pass fourth grade. She blamed Common Core. “About four weeks into the first grading period I noticed a difference […]

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