Education goals: The head of the Senate’s K-12 appropriations subcommittee wants to raise teacher pay by changing the state’s teacher bonus plan, cut standardized testing and keep offering longer school days to the state’s lowest-performing schools. State Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, outlined his 2017 legislative session goals during the subcommittee’s first meeting. Politico Florida. News Service of… Read more »
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Fla. Senators want to know budget impact of school choice lawsuit
If Florida’s statewide teachers union were to win in a lawsuit challenging the state’s tax credit scholarship program, how would that affect public schools? That’s a question key state senators say they intend to answer. During the first meeting of the Senate’s education appropriations panel to prepare for the 2017 legislative session, Sen. Darryl Rouson,… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Recess, early education, district rankings and more
Daily recess: Elementary school students in the Orange County School District will be given 20 minutes of recess daily. The school board approved the measure, although it also allows teachers some discretion in how recess is scheduled. Orlando Sentinel. Early education: Most of Florida’s children eligible for the Head Start program aren’t enrolled because there isn’t enough… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Amendments, longer days, early education and more
Amendments and education: State law requires a review and update of the constitution every 20 years. Republican lawmakers intend to use the opportunity to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision that the school voucher program was unconstitutional and repeal the Blaine Amendment, which forbids state funds from going to religious institutions. The review will be conducted by the… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Enrollment down, spending, teacher prep and more
School enrollment: State economists predict that public schools enrollment in Florida will be 2.82 million next year, down slightly from the July forecast of 2.83 million. They say that will help with the state’s budget problems, but they still expect lawmakers to have to deal with a $450 million shortfall. Last year’s gap was covered by the Legislature from… Read more »
The next Nevada? These are the states to watch for education savings accounts
Nevada’s universal education savings accounts were the most far-reaching educational choice program ever created, but they suffered a setback earlier this year when the state Supreme Court ruled the funding mechanism unconstitutional. November elections swept pro-school choice Republicans from power. Potential legislative fixes a likely bargaining chip between Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Brian Sandoval, meaning it’s… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Workers comp, reading bill, top foundations and more
Workers comp: Florida lawmakers worry that a 14.5 percent increase in workers compensation rates will cost state school districts tens of millions of dollars in what is already looking to be a very tight budget year. “You could foresee some type of legislation filed this session, but the fact remains, as we are sitting here today,… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Computer coding, questionable loans and more
Coding as a language: For the third straight year, a bill has been introduced in the Legislature that would allow computer coding to fulfill two credits of foreign language requirements in high schools. The bill, filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, would not require high schools to offer computer coding classes, but would require… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Top superintendent, school choice and more
Top superintendent: The Orange County School District’s Barbara Jenkins is named the state’s superintendent of the year at the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and Florida School Board Association conference. Jenkins became superintendent of the Orange school district in 2012. The district won the 2014 Broad Prize for Urban Education and the Governor’s Sterling Award in… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Recess bill, teacher bonuses, seat belts and more
Recess bill filed: A bill has again been filed in the Legislature to require daily recess in Florida’s elementary schools. Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, filed SB 78, which would require 20 minutes of “supervised, safe and unstructured free-play recess” every day for K-5 students. A similar bill died in the Senate last year. Miami Herald. Florida Politics. A… Read more »
