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December 3, 2012

Lawmakers Take Up School Choice And Other Education Priorities In Tallahassee

It’s committee week in Tallahassee. Florida lawmakers are arriving for their first batch of committee meetings since the election. Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford assigned members to committees and subcommittees, including seven panels relating to education. This week is largely about introductions and getting organized. Lawmakers will tackle preliminary work before […]

November 29, 2012

Hillsborough Parents Want Better Training for School Employees Working With Disabled

Since January three Hillsborough County students with disabilities have died during school-related events. Isabella Herrera, 7, died in January after she had trouble breathing on a school bus. Jesse Shillingford, 15, drowned at a back-to-school party hosted by a charter school. And Jennifer Caballero, 11, wandered away from a gym class — and five aides […]

November 8, 2012

Why Performance Funding Will Mean Tougher Admission Standards In Florida

What will a performance funding system for Florida’s post-secondary institutions look like? State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan defines it as “awarding money to institutions based on performance in key measures of student success.” The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) is meeting today at New College of Florida in Sarasota and discussing the idea. BOG […]

November 2, 2012

Task Force Recommends Property Tax Increase For School Funding

A task force established by the Florida Legislature last spring is charged with making recommendations for equitable funding of charters and other schools operated by a school district. The K-12 Public School Facility Task Force met yesterday to discuss facility funding legislation. Last month, the task force recommended that “the legislature identify a stable and […]

November 1, 2012

Florida Department of Education Budget Request Would Upgrade School Technology, Digital Learning

The Florida Department of Education is asking for a boost in funding for the 2013-2014 budget. The request amounts to an additional $668.6 million. Amy Hammock, education budget chief, said the state’s current education budget totals $20.3 billion, taking up 29 percent of the total state budget. That’s second only to spending on health and […]

October 31, 2012

Explaining Florida Amendment 3: Tougher State Spending Limits

Two changes which could affect school funding are among the eleven proposed constitutional amendments facing voters when they head to the polls Tuesday. One amendment would limit how much more the Florida Legislature can spend from one budget to the next. Another would limit how quickly the tax values of property can increase. We’ll look […]

October 26, 2012

Debit Cards Could Help Florida Teachers Purchase School Supplies

The governor who cut $1.3-billion in education funding during his first year in office – then put a billion back during the second year – now wants to give every teacher in Florida a debit card. That’s one element of Governor Rick Scott’s new education plan. The debit cards would enable teachers to stop spending […]

September 25, 2012

Explaining Florida’s Shift To Digital Textbooks

Kindles or other electronic devices will soon replace textbooks in classrooms. New requirements mean Florida students will use digital textbooks by 2015. Some districts have already started making the change. In Pasco County, where there’s a textbook shortage, the district opted to spend money on digital copies of books this school year. The problem is […]

September 19, 2012

Education Is Moving Up Gov. Rick Scott’s List of Priorities

Increasing the number of jobs in Florida has been Gov. Rick Scott’s priority since he was on the campaign trail. He told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday his focus now is on education. “If you look at where the state’s going long-term, if we have the best education system, we’re going to have the jobs,” […]

September 10, 2012

Gov. Rick Scott Sitting Down With Teachers And Parents To Talk Florida Schools

Gov. Rick Scott will set out on a “listening tour” of Florida schools this week. His plan is to get input from teachers, students and parents. Scott says he “wants to hear Florida’s education stakeholders voice their ideas on how to improve the education of our state’s children.” Scott has been accused of not listening […]