A bipartisan group of Florida lawmakers is back again with a proposal that has some influential supporters. They want every student who graduates high school to complete a course in financial literacy.
Via taxrebate.org.uk under a Creative Commons license.
A similar measure failed to pass last legislative session. To fare better this year it needs to overcome a key objection: Students may have a hard time finding room in their schedules for another graduation requirement.
Right now, Florida is in the process of implementing a two-year-old digital learning law that might offer some novel ways to overcome that obstacle, like a new course access system.
Supporters of a mandatory "money course" have marshaled research showing students would benefit from learning how to manage their finances, as well as testimonials from teachers who say it's difficult to fit personal-finance units into semester-long economics courses, as state law currently requires.
Newspapers around the state have endorsed the standalone course, as have business leaders and prominent elected officials like Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.
All of them make good points. This week, however, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel shed some light on the other side of the story:
Kathi Gundlach, president of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers association, said financial literacy classes should not be required.
“More and more classes are being mandated, and they’re usually unfunded,” she said. “We don’t have any money for books or to do it. Financial literacy is already included in the course work.”
The number of mandated courses is a valid concern. Students generally need 24 credits to finish high school, and for many of them, the state's core course requirements leave room for only eight electives. Each of those slots is precious if they want to take band or drama, learn computer programming, pursue the arts, learn a foreign language, pick up college credits through Advanced Placement, or earn industry certifications.
Ambitious students already find ways to take classes beyond the traditional six credits a year for four years of high school — online, over the summer, while they're in middle school. They're about to have more options at their disposal.
Tax credit scholarships. A growing option for families in Pinellas. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter schools. The proposed charter school at MacDill Air Force Base sparks a debate over charter school governance. Tampa Tribune. Polk State College aims to help high school dropouts with a new charter school. The Ledger.
School choice. The Pinellas County School District kicks off its application process this week for district school choice programs such as magnets and career academies. Tampa Bay Times.
Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School and other quality online providers are innovative, accountable and getting good results, writes FLVS President & CEO Julie Young in an op-ed for the Fort Myers News Press.
Testing. What's going to replace the FCAT? Education Commissioner Pam Stewart is expected to shed some light on that this week. Florida Current. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Common Core. Common Core critic Sandra Stotsky is right that Common Core won't prepare students for college majors in science engineering and math, writes FSU Physics Professor Paul Cottle, but saying it shouldn't be implemented because of that is "like saying that you shouldn’t purchase an automobile because it can’t fly." Bridge to Tomorrow. Common Core is among the top issues to watch in 2014. News Service of Florida (via The Buzz).
Tony Bennett. How the charter school grading story unfolded in Indiana. Indianapolis Monthly. (Hat tip: StateImpact Florida).
Teacher pay. The Pasco County School District gets criticized by state auditors, again, for failing to establish differential pay for teachers and administrators. Gradebook. (more…)
