Editor’s note: This post was authored by Sarah Butrymowicz with The Hechinger Report. Lee-Anne Spalding’s Elementary School Social Studies class at the University of Central Florida had spread out over the room in small groups. One group of sophomore college students huddled over a set of poetry books, picking out ones they liked. Others gathered […]
Gov. Rick Scott hasn’t given any indication that he’s ready to sign the $74.5 billion budget the Florida Legislature sent him early this month. He’s expected to veto some line items, including a 3 percent tuition hike for universities and a similar increase for state colleges. “I’m reviewing the budget, and I haven’t decided when to finish […]
Charlie Crist isn’t officially a Democratic candidate for governor — yet. But the former Republican governor spoke to Hillsborough County Democrats Saturday night. He addressed two issues during his brief speech: The hug — his 2009 embrace of President Barack Obama in Fort Myers — and education. Crist made it clear both K-12 and higher […]
Now that the Florida Legislature has wrapped up its regular session, pundits are weighing in on how education fared. Lawmakers added a billion dollars back into the education budget, which totals about $20 billion. But compromises were made. Some of the big issues were addressed Friday during the Florida Roundup on WLRN 91.3FM in Miami. […]
Gov. Rick Scott hopes teachers remember his efforts to get them more money, now that the Florida Legislature has adjourned. Scott embarked on a Teacher Pay Raise Pep Rally Tour today as part of National Teacher Appreciation Week. Scott requested $480 million for raises. He got the full amount, but it won’t be doled out […]
Teachers might not have to wait another year for a raise after all. Leaders in the Florida Legislature are working on a fix to the education budget that provides $480 million in raises for teachers and other school personnel. But according to the budget, that money won’t be in paychecks until June 2014. Lawmakers say a […]
Lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott reached a compromise on $480 million in raises for teachers and other school workers. The raises are part of a $74 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Districts will have flexibility in how the money is awarded based on local collective bargaining agreements. The Governor’s Office […]
The Florida Education Association and National Education Association filed a federal lawsuit today challenging the constitutionality of Florida’s teacher evaluation system. The system was created under a law passed in 2011 known as Senate Bill 736. State law requires school districts base at least 40 percent of a teacher’s evaluation on student Florida Comprehensive Assessment […]
The Florida House has released its proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Speaker Will Weatherford says education was prioritized over everything else. “The big winner is education,” Weatherford said. “We invested over a billion dollars into our K-12 education system from last year.” He said that amounts to a 6.2 percent increase […]
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 […]
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