Voucher expansion: The Florida House Education Committee files a bill that would expand the use of state money to pay for scholarships so students can attend private schools. In the House's version of a bill to cut the list of 14,000 students waiting for a tax credit scholarship, about 28,000 Florida students would be eligible for the Family Empowerment Scholarship. That's twice as many as the Senate's bill proposes. The House bill would also allow a families of four with incomes up to $77,250 to be eligible, which is about $10,000 higher than the threshold in the Senate's version. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the tax credit scholarship program. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. redefinED.
Arming teachers: A new poll shows a majority of Floridians oppose the arming of teachers and other employees at schools. The Quinnipiac University survey discloses that 57 percent of Floridians oppose arming teachers and 40 percent approve. About 58 percent say stricter laws would do more to reduce gun violence in schools, while 32 percent say arming teachers would. Sun Sentinel. Florida Politics. (more…)
DOE departures: Commissioner Pam Stewart isn't the only top Department of Education official who is leaving soon. Linda Champion, the department's deputy commissioner of finance, and K-12 chancellor Hershel Lyons have also announced their impending retirements. Today, the Florida Board of Education will consider Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis' proposed appointment of Richard Corcoran as Stewart's replacement. Gradebook.
Borrowing for education: Leaders in the Florida Senate say they will consider borrowing money through bonding to pay for school infrastructure needs. Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, says the state has a lot of capacity to borrow, up to $2.6 billion through the Public Education Capital Outlay program, and may need to do so because of infrastructure needs, a slowing economy and hurricane recovery costs. News Service of Florida. (more…)
