Florida

Putting Education Reform To The Test

Latest Posts

How Common Core Will Change The Way Schools Teach Reading

The switch to Common Core State Standards will put more emphasis on reading across disciplines, experts say. Education Week has some solid examples of how that will work, and how the new standards stress comprehension. They also will put more emphasis on writing: Reading instruction is no longer the sole province of the language arts […]

Nearly 29,000 Students Participated In Florida Summer Reading Program

We told you last June about the Summer Literacy Adventure. It was a reading challenge to keep kids interested in books during the summer break. First Lady Ann Scott visited students at summer camps and parks around the state encouraging them to read as many books as possible. Kids went online and pledged to read […]

Struggling Florida Students Will Have “ReadingPals”

An early literacy initiative called “ReadingPals” will have three years to flourish in Florida thanks to a $3-million grant. Local chapters of the United Way of Florida will use the money to train and deploy volunteer “ReadingPals.” The program is designed to increase the number of students reading at grade level by the end of […]

Harvard Researcher Says Third Graders Benefit From Retention And Extra Instruction

Florida’s policy of retaining third graders based on state standardized test scores has a positive long-term impact on those students, according to a new study from the Brookings Institute. Retention only works when the students who are held back are provided with extra instruction and the money to fund those programs, according to Harvard University […]

Students Learning English Get Extra Reading Help At Summer Camp

Juan Galvez is going into 4th grade. His parents are from Bolivia and Guatemala, and they only speak Spanish. When it comes to homework, Juan is usually on his own. “My mom helps me a little because she knows the math,” said Juan. “But with reading, I’m good. I do it by myself.” Students learning […]

“Significant Gains:” How A Tampa Middle School Earned Its ‘A’ Grade

Last year Mount Pleasant Standard Base Middle School’s grade dropped to an F from an A. Principal Yolanda Capers says the grade stung because she saw her students improving. “It’s devastating because…our students were still learning,” she says. “58 percent of our students made learning gains in reading. That’s a lot of learning gains. However […]

Florida Reading Programs Fight “The Summer Slide”

Florida students can exercise their reading skills over the summer through a free program at their public library. The goal is to mitigate the summer reading loss that leaves some students two years below grade level by the time they reach middle school. The program is helped by a collaborative effort among states to make […]

A Q&A With Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush

When former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks in other states about education, he points to policies he championed while in office. Bush recently spoke with StateImpact Florida about his role in the national education debate, why Republicans and Democrats can find common ground on education and what he’s learned . Q: Governor, how do you […]

Florida’s First Lady Kicks Off Summer Reading Challenge

Florida first lady Ann Scott likes to read. She’s trying to get more kids reading, too. Friday morning at the Tallahassee Museum, she helped kick off the 2012 Summer Literacy Adventure. The program is designed to get kids interested in reading and keep them motivated to read all year. Scott told an audience of museum […]

About StateImpact

StateImpact seeks to inform and engage local communities with broadcast and online news focused on how state government decisions affect your lives.
Learn More »

Economy
Education