A screenshot of the Florida Virtual Academy website. The schools are affiliated with K12, Inc. the Florida Department of Education is investigating whether the company used improperly certified teachers in Seminole County.
Editor’s note: Trevor Aaronson is a reporter with the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
Thousands of Florida students already are taking classes from Virginia-based K12, Inc, the nation’s largest online education company.
Students in traditional schools, in charter schools and who are homeschooled can already take K12 classes in 42 county school districts.
Now, the company is trying to set up charter schools across the state. But these aren’t your traditional charter schools — they’re online schools where students never set foot in a building.
School officials across Florida are asking, “Why?”
“I’m not sure what need it would fill,” said Judi Zanetti, chairwoman of the Marion County School board.
K12 says online charters are just one more way to customize education for students. The schools allow students to learn at their own pace and take classes on their schedule.
But school district officials and researchers worry the K12 may be trying to avoid scrutiny from local educators.
Lee County Public Schools hold the 2nd annual STEM-tastic event for students and parents.
We’re learning more about the six Florida school districts that will get a share of more than $66 million from the U.S. Department of Education.
The grants are from the 2012 Teacher Incentive Fund. The money will cover increased salaries and training for educators in high-poverty schools — 35 districts chosen from across the country.
Florida Deputy Chancellor for Educator Quality Kathy Hebda said in a press release, “We know that successful schools start with talented educators and leaders. I congratulate these districts for being recognized as leaders in this important work, and I am excited to see their plans put into practice.”
Florida Rep. Michael Bileca (R-Miami) proposed this idea, which became known as the “parent-trigger” legislation, during the last legislative session.
But the Parent Empowerment bill failed in a dramatic way on a 20-to-20 tie vote after hours of public testimony at the last budget committee meeting.
State Sen. Anitere Flores (R-Miami) was at a screening of the film in Miami. The film is fictional. But Flores says it helps highlight why parents and students in low economic areas need more school choices.
“Its easier for us to make choices because we have economic possibilities and other things to be able to send our children to different schools,” she said. Continue Reading →
Viola Davis stars as a teacher in "Won't Back Down," which opens Friday.
The big education movie “Won’t Back Down” is opening this week.
The movie tells the fictional tale of a Pittsburgh parent and school teacher fighting to turn around their failing school.
The movie is based on parent trigger legislation being considered around the country, including Florida. Supporters hope that “Won’t Back Down” can focus a spotlight on the issue, just as “Waiting For Superman” did on charter schools.
Both movies were produced by the same company, Walden Media.
A Florida Department of Education task force will meet this afternoon to talk about a new proposal to change state law for district and charter school facilities funding.
Under the proposal, districts would be required to provide facilities funding to charter schools based on the number of students enrolled. Funding would be compulsory, ending the current practice of choosing facilities funding by need.
School districts would have the option of raising local property taxes an additional .15 mills to pay for charter school facilities. Districts can currently levy 1.5 mills on taxpayers for school facilities.
Staying true to his word, Gov. Rick Scott will sit down again this afternoon with Florida Education Association President Andy Ford.
They’ll meet in the Governor’s Office at the Capitol to talk education policy.
“This needs to be the beginning of a long series of meetings that examines the direction we’re going with public schools and the education of our children in this state,” FEA spokesman Mark Pudlow said.
“For more than a decade, there have been massive and constant changes to our neighborhood public schools – largely without the input of teachers, parents or administrators. What has been done to our public schools can’t be fixed in a single meeting.”
This meeting follows a dinner earlier this month at the Governor’s Mansion. Scott hosted Ford and a handful of other education leaders as part of his week-long “listening tour” of Florida school districts.
After the dinner, Ford said he was surprised to realize that he and the governor “don’t disagree that much” on general principles. He said, “Who can argue with the fact that every kid ought to have a great education?”
President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney both appeared at NBC News’ Education Nation event in New York City today.
Here’s video of the two interviews. Obama sat down with Savannah Guthrie in a pre-recorded interview while Romney was interviewed by Brian Williams and took audience questions.
The law firm, Faruqi and Faruqi, cites a StateImpact Florida/Florida Center for Investigative Reporting report about Florida investigating the company for possible using improperly certified teachers. According to emails and other documents, K12 officials asked teachers to sign rosters which included students they had not taught.
Two Florida school districts, Brevard and Volusia, are surveying parents to check which teachers taught their children.
Volusia schools spokesman Nancy Wait said the district has verified 13 K12 teachers were certified in the courses they taught, but has yet to hear back from some parents.
The problem is that many students don’t have easy access to the internet.
Districts have a few years to work out the kinks. But they also argue the push to add updated technology — including digital textbooks — is an unpaid bill from the Legislature which will cost at least $1 billion.
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