The student authors who reported and wrote about conflicting home and school rules.
Editor’s note: We’re launching a new series for the next month, asking students to tell us what life is like in Florida schools.
The students are part of Breakthrough Miami, which runs programs in the summer and during the school year for students in elementary, middle and high schools.
We asked students to tell us what was on their minds. The answer? Rules, cliques, school lunches and other aspects of school life. They’ll also tell us what they think of online classes and whether teachers are teaching to the test.
This post was reported and written by elementary students Joshua Partridge (10), Saed Cameron (11), Emma Blanco (10), Joshua Johnson (11), Ashanti Kinchen (10) and Teley Laporte (11) – Students participating in the summer school program, Breakthrough Miami.
It’s a common problem that students everywhere face: Your parent or guardian tells you to defend yourself if confronted at school, while your principal tells you that hitting back equals suspension.
Fewer Florida schools earned an A this year after state officials raised standards.
Fewer Florida schools earned an ‘A’ on the state’s annual report card, while more schools saw their grades drop to ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘F,’ according to state Department of Education data released this morning.
Last year 58 percent of Florida elementary and middle schools earned a ‘A’ grade. This year the percentage fell to 43 percent. That’s 368 fewer schools earning a ‘A.’
At the other end of the spectrum, an additional 14 schools earned an ‘F’ — a total of 47.
The percentage of schools earning ‘B,’ ‘C,’ and ‘D’ grade also increased, with the number of ‘D’ schools doubling.
The survey also found 30 percent of Florida 8th graders read five or fewer pages in class or for homework each day. And more than two-thirds of Florida 8th graders said they had not been taught about engineering and technology.
The report argues that curriculum at U.S. schools is not strenuous enough and that work loads are too light compared to other nations.
“Teaching is not easy work, and most teachers work very hard every day at their
practice,” the study’s authors write. “But it’s clear that too many students are not being engaged in class.
“These students don’t understand their teachers, and they don’t feel like they are always learning.”
We told you recently about Florida Poly Vision, Inc. The group was formed to provide vocal and financial support for Florida’s 12th public university, Florida Polytechnic.
“Florida Polytechnic has become a reality because of an ongoing and necessary vision for independence,” said Cliff Otto, co-chair for Florida Poly Vision. “We are proud to be introducing our latest education and support tool to keep our community and statewide supporters informed of our latest efforts and any developing news.”
Gracie Fowler dropping her son, Jackson, and daughter, Havilah, off at karate lessons. She wants Florida to expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to ensure coverage for her kids and herself, but doesn't think it should come at the expense of schools.
Gracie Fowler earns $11 an hour at an Orlando title company. It’s just enough that sometimes she earns too much for her two kids to qualify for Medicaid.
That’s what happened for two months earlier this year.
“Luckily they didn’t get sick but that was like the only couple of months where they didn’t have a little ear infection or they didn’t need to be tested for strep,” she says. “If they would have needed to go to the doctor then it would have been an emergency room visit. ”
Fowler, 35, recently got insurance through her job. But she’s worried she or her children, Jackson, 8, and Havilah, 6, could lose health coverage again. Sometimes it depends on whether Jackson and Havilah’s father pays child support.
And if Florida expands Medicaid to cover more adults, she’d be eligible — and that could save her $120 a month.
“That’s heavy-duty to me. My phone bill is $50,” she says, one of many tough budget choices she makes in her household. “I’m scared. I’m a single mom. This rides on me. These children are with me 99 percent of the time.”
But Gov. Rick Scott is worried about a heavy-duty bill for expanding Medicaid.
Gov. Rick Scott says Florida students may be taking too many tests. But Scott says assessments are important to measuring school quality.
Gov. Rick Scott says Florida students might be tested too much, and is talking to teachers and education officials about what changes should be made to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
Scott’s made the comments Friday at a newspaper editor meeting, the Associated Press reported.
Testing is important to measure quality, Scott said, but the state must find balance. From the story:
“Parents and taxpayers expect measurement. We’ve got to measure, we’ve to find out who the best schools are,” Scott said. “We have to have a good measurement system but we have to make sure we don’t have too much of it.”
He said among the FCAT, federal testing and end-of-course exams, students might be tested too much. He said he is talking to officials and teachers about what changes should be made.
“In the end, I think it’s going to change a lot,” he said.
A lot of kids in Jacksonville and around Florida are getting access to meals that include fruits or vegetables.
The Jacksonville Children’s Commission is among the groups making sure kids eat lunch. Food is doled out at 172 locations around the city, including 14 public libraries.
StateImpact seeks to inform and engage local communities with broadcast and online news focused on how state government decisions affect your lives. Learn More »
