Students who transfer to the University of South Florida can still earn a degree at their former school. USF and four Tampa Bay colleges signed a “reverse transfer” agreement Monday. That means when a student completes a class a USF, the credits can count toward an associate’s degree at Hillsborough Community College, Pasco-Hernando Community College, […]
The Governor’s Office is touting the rise in STEM-related job openings in Florida over the last year. Gov. Rick Scott is using the numbers to continue his push for more STEM degrees (science, technology, engineering, math). His office announced this week that job openings in science and tech fields have increased by nearly 14 percent […]
Students and Florida taxpayers pay a price for remedial education in several ways From 2004 to 2011, Florida’s remedial education costs for both students and schools ballooned from $118 million to $168 million. At the same time, state college funding has declined $544 million since 2007, causing tuition increases and creating a greater need for […]
Gov. Rick Scott unveiled his education plan this morning. Many of the details had already been reported, but the overall plan focuses on making sure high school graduates are ready for college or a career. Among the highlights: Preparing teachers and schools for the switch to Common Core standards, considered tougher than those currently in […]
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,” […]
Our story on Florida schools starting the year with hundreds of teacher vacancies is helping one high school fill teaching positions that have been empty for weeks. DeSoto County High School has been struggling to find foreign language teachers. Our story aired nationally on NPR, and the school’s principal says she has since received  about 10 […]
Need help deciding on a college? A new web tool from the Florida Department of Education enables students and parents to wade through the options. The Smart College Choices web portal lays out graduation rates, employment statistics and earnings data for graduates of Florida’s 28 public institutions. Users can see how much money graduates in […]
Earlier this week we told you about an effort among university presidents asking the federal government to make it easier for foreign high-tech graduates to get a U.S. work visa. The effort has big-name backing from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch. The goal is to reduce an expected […]
Florida’s economy isn’t back to pre-recession peak levels, but it’s growing. That’s what the Blue Ribbon Task Force on State Higher Education Reform heard Monday as the panel looks for ways to reform the State University System. Panel members want to know what the job market will look like in the coming years and which […]
Stephen Goldstein, writing in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, opens up both barrels on Gov. Rick Scott’s plan to overhaul the state’s higher education system. Scott has appointed a panel, but Goldstein says the recommendations are already written: Sell out state universities and turn them into glorified vocational institutions. The real solutions are simple, he writes:
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