Mountain states are adding more teachers than the rest of the country, according to a Stateline.org analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. North Dakota led the way in percentage increase in teaching positions between 2008 and 2010, followed by Montana. Florida added slightly more than 20,000 elementary and secondary education jobs during the three-year period, […]
For 15 years Florida has conducted an experiment in public education. The goal was to improve the entire education system by granting charter schools more leeway to innovate. Welcome to StateImpact Florida’s Charter Schools 101 series examining the effect those schools have had on students, teachers, parents and communities — and what comes next. One […]
Sarah Gonzalez‘ story about Broward County students earning extra credit for purchasing school supplies elicited strong reactions on the StateImpact Florida blog this week. Bombeck strongly disagreed with the extra credit, which is not a district policy: So now they’re teaching students how to buy grades. Very nice. I can see offering some small extra […]
Gov. Rick Scott wants to cap school district administrative expenses, according to a draft legislative priorities list obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. Scott also wants to grant parents the ability to use state dollars to pay for private school tuition, books or other education expenses, according to the Sentinel story. Scott would rely on allies […]
Florida’s largest school districts spent just half the federal stimulus money intended to improve low-income student performance on those programs, according to an investigation by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. Instead, districts spent more than $200 million of the $400 million of the money — known as Title I — on employee salaries and […]
Pasco County is considering a four-day school week next year to save about $3.5 million, the St. Petersburg Times reports. Bus drivers and cafeteria workers would lose one day of work a week. Teachers would no longer be paid for five lunch breaks each week. A 33-member task force will decide whether to recommend shortening […]
President Barack Obama’s jobs bill would pump $1.7 billion dollars into Florida to preserve teacher and first responder jobs, according to details released this week. Florida would also receive $1.3 billion to modernize and upgrade school facilities. The White House estimates the projects would support 16,600 jobs. Obama held a Rose Garden press conference to […]
Every school district in Florida is dealing with layoffs and budget cuts. But Broward County in South Florida is facing the largest budget deficit in the state—more than $140 million. And its forced teachers and students in the nation’s 6th largest school district to get creative about spending money. Students at South Broward High in […]
Got plans for Thanksgiving? If you live in Broward County you might need to reschedule. Broward County will close schools and furlough teachers on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week in addition to the traditional Wednesday through Friday holiday. Parents told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that they will have to scramble to arrange child care. […]
Seminole County could turn classroom thermostats all the way up and athletes may have to pay to wear their school’s uniform. The wife of a Polk County Tea Party congressman led a failed effort to raise money for college counselors whose positions were eliminated. Many students can no longer walk to catch the bus after […]
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