Rep. Marlene O'Toole, R-The Villages, says not enough Bright Futures scholars are graduating, so lawmakers want to raise standards.
Elisa Huapilla is the first person in her family to attend college.
She didn’t know what to expect at Florida State University. A lottery-funded Bright Futures scholarship pays part of the tuition.
“The transition period can be very difficult,” she says. “I had nobody at home to call to tell me how college was supposed to be. And I relied a lot on friends and peers and people like university staff who were there to help me.”
The help meant Huapilla maintained her grades — and Bright Futures money. But a House bill could wipe the scholarships from students who have trouble adjusting.
A student named an Academic Scholar with a 3.5 GPA in high school would have to earn a 3.5 GPA in college to renew the award under the proposed change. Currently, Academic Scholars need a 3.0 to renew
Florida is using a mathematical formula to calculate how well teachers are doing their jobs. The grade it spits out will help determine how much a teacher gets paid and whether that teacher can keep his or her job.
But the formula is so complex even an advanced calculus teacher and former college math major can’t understand how it works.
CHARLES TRAINOR JR. / Miami Herald
Advanced calculus high school teacher, Orlando Sarduy, writes out the formula that will grade and help determine the pay of Florida teachers. Even for a college math major like him, the formula is too confusing to understand. He calls it a "mathematical experiment."
Coral Reef High School teacher Orlando Sarduy says just reading the formula is difficult for him.
StateImpact Florida and the Miami Herald partnered up to deconstruct the equation and try to figure out what’s going on here. We asked statisticians and policymakers how the formula works. The answer we got: No lay person, teacher or reporter can understand it. So just trust us.
“I would really challenge any sort of decision maker to look at [the formula] and explain it,” Sarduy said. “I understand just the basics, but this is really the technical nitty-gritty of what’s going on, and to me it looks the same as it would to a lay person, like ‘what’s going on here?” Continue Reading →
Florida has been holding back third graders who fail the state reading exam since 2003. Now Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico and Tennessee are trying to mirror Florida’s policy, according to The Wall Street Journal.
But is Florida’s policy a good one?
Jaryn Emhof, with the Foundation for Florida’s Future said third grade is the most important year for new readers.
“Because up to third grade you’re learning to read, but from fourth grade on you’re reading to learn.” So Emhof said students can continue to fall behind in all the other subjects if they are not good readers.
Since the law passed under Gov. Jeb Bush, fourth grade reading scores in Florida went from ranking second from the bottom nationally in 1999 to among the top ten today. But eight grade reading scores are still low.
“That’s an area Florida is still working on,” Emhof said. Continue Reading →
Florida lawmakers agree on one issue: Charter schools need more money for renovations, equipment and software.
But House lawmakers have rejected a proposal that school districts say would take money from their traditional public schools and give it to charter schools.
Committee chairman Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, said lawmakers need to find a funding solution for both types of schools.
“How do we treat all our public schools fairly? At this point I don’t see legislation that has completely satisfied that question.”
-Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna
“We have many policy issues that need to be discussed,” she said. “And that is how do we treat all our public schools fairly? At this point I don’t see legislation that has completely satisfied that question.”
The bill is the top priority of charter school advocacy groups this year, and supporters say they’re not giving up on it yet. Continue Reading →
Some Tampa Bay lawmakers are reacting with anger and defiance to a Senate proposal to cut 58 percent of state funding for the University of South Florida.
Those proposed cuts are more than twice as big as the proposed reductions for other universities, according to an analysis by USF.
Senate Finance Chairman J.D. Alexander of Lake Wales pushed for the cuts after USF President Judy Genshaft opposed him on independence for USF Polytechnic.
Senator Mike Fasano of New Port Richey didn’t mince words today in describing what he thinks of Alexander’s actions: Continue Reading →
Since the economy collapsed in 2008, Florida’s student population has become poorer each year — with almost all school districts in the state experiencing spikes in the number of kids who qualify for subsidized meals.
Children have become homeless at alarming numbers as well.
Homelessness among school-age children has soared from 30,878 in the 2006-07 school year to 56,680 in 2010-11. Homelessness for children of all ages, including those too young for public school, was 83,957 in 2010-11, up from 49,886 in 2006-07.
60 Minutes, CBS News
60 Minutes' Scott Pelley speaks with Arielle Metzger, 15, and her brother Austin, 13, in Seminole County, Florida. The two live with their father in this truck.
The adverse effects of the economic downturn are having a significant impact on Florida’s public school system, in whichover 56 percent of students enrolled in the 2010-2011 school year qualified for subsidized meals.
The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting analyzed data relating to poverty rates, homeless students and subsidized meals for all school districts before the financial crisis began up to and through the 2010-11 school year. The widespread increase in these three poverty indicators paints a picture of a state that has become much poorer after the Great Recession. Continue Reading →
Florida students may soon be able to pray at public schools.
School plays and football games could soon start with a student-led prayer or inspirational message, if a bill making its way through the legislature becomes law.
But some lawmakers are concerned about giving students an open forum at school events.
Supporters see the bill as a way to allow student-led prayers at school events. They say they want students to inspire classmates.
Rep. Charles Van Zant of Palatka said he doesn’t believe students will push religious views on classmates.
“This bill is not intended to advance or to endorse any religion or belief,” Van Zant said.
The University of South Florida is holding an emergency meeting today after a recommendation to disproportionately cut USF’s budget, compared to other state Universities.
Of the $400 million recommended to be cut from the entire state university system, $79 million would come from USF, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Another $25 million would be held in “contingency,” pending USF’s cooperation in immediately severing its branch campus in Lakeland. That move, pushed hard by Senate budget chairman JD Alexander, would require giving the new “Florida Polytechnic University” all USF Polytechnic’s money, property, foundation dollars and more with USF retaining all USF Poly’s faculty and staff. Absorbing all those people is expected to cost another $16 million to the university, said USF Provost Ralph Wilcox. Continue Reading →
Tres Whitlock, who tried to enroll in a charter school last fall. Whitlock was told the school could not provide the services he needed.
Earlier this week we wrote about a new study showing charter schools receive about 70 cents, per student, for every dollar district schools receive.
The report included a few policy changes that would help even out the funding. One change was to make charter schools the Local Education Authority — a legal term that equates to charter schools becoming their own school district.
Currently, charter schools are a subset of the county school district and charter school funding passes through the school district. The proposed change would allow charter schools to cut out the middle man and directly access state and federal funds.
President Barack Obama shakes hands after a White House event announcing No Child Left Behind waivers.
So you’ve just been granted a waiver by the U.S. Department of Education — congrats on being one of the lucky 10. You’re ready to take your first steps toward Leaving No Child Left Behind, well, behind!
But what does the waiver mean? How will it change things for Florida schools, students and parents?
Here’s what education leaders say to expect following today’s announcement.
1) Tougher standards — Florida has already raised Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test reading standards, and promised to include more student subgroups in its school and district grading system.
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