Governor's budget: Gov. Ron DeSantis is proposing a $91.3 billion budget that includes $21.7 billion for the K-12 public school funding formula, with a spending boost of $224 per student. DeSantis wants to allocate $582.8 million for the Bright Futures scholarship program for high-achieving students and use state funds to replace cuts in local school property taxes. He's asking for $500 million for the Best and Brightest teacher bonuses program, and wants to scrap the use of teachers' college entrance exams as a factor in determining bonuses. He's also asking for $99 million for school safety grants for hardening buildings and wants to carry forward the $57 million in unspent money for school guardians from last year. House and Senate committees will review the request as they prepare a final spending plan. News Service of Florida. Associated Press. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald. GateHouse. Politico Florida.
Common Core caution: Much of the reaction to Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision to eliminate the use of Common Core standards in Florida schools has been positive. But the issue isn't as simple as just signing an order, and some educators say it could be years before the state fully eliminates the Common Core standards. "Now you have curriculum materials that will be not aligned, probably, to the new standards,” says Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning. “How do teachers teach? ... I think we need to be very, very cautious and careful about how we go about doing this.” WTSP. WTVT. WJAX. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. WLRN.
Scholarship oversight: Florida's school scholarship programs serve about 140,000 students and redirect almost $1 billion a year to private schools, but state regulation of those schools is so weak that many employ teachers who aren't college graduates, falsify safety records but continue to stay in business, and fail to educate students without suffering the consequences public schools face, according to a newspaper’s investigation. The number of students using tax credit, Gardiner or McKay scholarships has more than tripled in the past decade. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the tax credit and Gardiner scholarship programs. Orlando Sentinel.
Testing the tests: The Florida Department of Education hires a company to evaluate whether the SAT and ACT tests can replace the state's 10th-grade language arts Florida Standards Assessments and algebra I end-of-course exams. The Legislature required the review as part of the new education law, H.B. 7069. The assessment is expected to be finished in time for Education Commissioner Pam Stewart to make a recommendation on the substitution by Jan. 1. Meanwhile, Stewart says the department won't decide on whether to delay the spring assessments testing window until after the hurricane season is over. Gradebook.
Charters schools: For the first time, the 50 or so charter schools in Palm Beach County were banned from this year's "Showcase of Schools," an event to show parents some of the most popular programs offered in county schools. School Superintendent Robert Avossa says the charter movement is "about spurring competition. So if that’s the case, why would you invite the competition to your event?” The incident is the latest in the escalating fight between district officials and charter schools. Palm Beach Post. The Florida Commission on Ethics rules that charter schools are not public agencies, but instead are more similar to business entities. Politico Florida.
