More than 97 percent of Florida teachers earned one of the top two evaluation scores — “highly effective” or “effective” — according to preliminary statewide data released Wednesday. The percentage of teachers earning the top rating increased for the second year in a row. More than 42 percent of teachers were rated “highly effective.” That’s […]

“Opt Out” groups are pushing back against what they say is too much standardized testing in Florida. The tests are changing as the state transitions to Florida Standards – an offshoot of the Common Core standards being implemented around the country. Two-dozen groups have been formed at the district level to help parents learn the procedure for opting their students […]

In September, Alachua County kindergarten teacher Susan Bowles refused to give a state reading test. She told the parents of her students it was an act of civil disobedience. The Florida Department of Education later suspended the exam for this year. Florida requires that most students are tested every year. Those results help determine which […]

Maybe a charter school in New York City has discovered “The Answer” to Florida’s K-12 education challenges? If so, the school has done so by setting aside Florida’s focus on keeping class sizes small and by instead adopting a strategy that our state has so far ignored – recruiting star teachers with high salaries and […]

Broward County school and union leaders want to make changes to test-based teacher evaluations and the county’s high school schedule. Superintendent Robert Runcie announced two task forces will study the issues and recommend changes. One goal is to come up with a teacher evaluation system that is less about punishing teachers who earn low scores […]

The legal and public relations battle over Florida’s private school scholarship programs continues, with the statewide teacher’s union revising its lawsuit and a school choice group producing a new television ad supporting the programs. Wednesday, the Florida Education Association amended its complaint challenging a new school choice law. The new complaint adds South Florida parents […]

The Florida PTA is asking state leaders to consider delaying school grading to give students and schools time to adjust to new math and language arts standards and online tests. This is the first year every grade is using Florida’s Common Core-based standards and students will take the new Florida Standards Assessment early in 2015. […]

State university leaders want to add $45 million in needs-based financial aid to help make up for changes to the Bright Futures scholarship program. Those new, higher qualifications will eliminate more than $250 million a year in college aid by 2018. The State University System Board of Governors will discuss the proposal today. UPDATE: The […]

A key Senate lawmaker may put less emphasis on test scores to determine which students qualify for state financial aid for college — possibly including Bright Futures. Instead, scholarships  and grants would depend more on taking tougher classes in high school. Senator John Legg, R-Trinity, said he and other lawmakers have heard complaints and concerns […]

Miami-Dade superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Florida leaders should rethink the scope and purpose of education testing and give schools more time to prepare for new math and language arts standards. Carvalho’s proposal was published online and emailed to reporters. Carvalho has also been tweeting excerpts since Monday. Carvalho draws a hard line at eliminating testing, […]