Florida spent $8,887 on each public school student in 2011, making it one of the lowest states in the nation for per-pupil spending. The totals from the U.S. Census Bureau – including federal revenue – were compiled before Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature cut about $1.3 billion from education funding. Since then, the state has […]
Gov. Rick Scott has signed a budget that’s very different than the one he’s been paying for since he authorized massive education cuts two years ago. Back then, pundits speculated Scott may have sealed his fate as a one term governor when he proposed a few billion dollars worth of cuts to education. Scott, for […]
Gov. Rick Scott spoke to reporters this afternoon about his decision to cut $368 million out of the $74.5 billion budget sent to him by the Florida Legislature. One of the items he cut would have boosted tuition at state colleges and universities by 3 percent. “In my case and my wife’s case, we didn’t […]
Gov. Rick Scott signed the 2013-14 state budget into law today. He also sent a letter to Secretary of State Ken Detzner explaining his decision to veto a tuition hike. “We are also holding the line on tuition by vetoing the Legislature’s recommended 3 percent tuition increase on our college and university students,” the governor […]
A mom of four from Mount Dora is doing her best to convince Florida lawmakers to slow down the Common Core train. Florida is scheduled to complete the transition to the new academic standards in time for the 2014-15 school year. Patricia Sullivan home schools her kids and is concerned about the changes home school […]
Just as it did last year, the Florida House has passed the parent trigger bill following much debate. The bill’s official title is Parent Empowerment in Education. It gives parents a say in what changes should be made to a chronically failing school. Turnaround options include closing the school, turning the school into a charter, […]
They came by the hundreds wearing bright yellow shirts emblazoned with School Choice Day across the front. Kids from around Florida waved signs outside the Capitol with messages scrawled in different colors: “Thank you for my scholarship.” “Parental choice matters.” “We need educational options.” The event drew lawmakers and other state leaders. Education Commissioner Tony Bennett took the podium […]
Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford is a big proponent of nontraditional education. Weatherford is pushing for an online state university in Florida, and he encourages families to consider different ways of learning besides district-run brick and mortar public schools. He’s a strong supporter of charter schools and the parent trigger bill, which enables parents to petition for […]
House Choice and Innovation subcommittee approved The Parent Empowerment in Education bill, better known as the parent trigger, Thursday. The bill (HB867) is making a return after passing the House last year but dying in the Senate on a tie vote the final day of the legislative session. Critics say the bill is designed to […]
Education took up a big chunk of the Fort Lauderdale town hall Monday hosted by WLRN and The Miami Herald. Topics ranged from college affordability to K-12 funding to teacher raises. Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Chief Mary Ellen Klas ran through some ideas lawmakers are considering. “Gov. Scott has proposed an initiative that would give […]
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