Redirection of funds rejected: Incoming legislative leaders reject Gov. Rick Scott's call to allow school districts to use $58 million in unspent funds for school security. Scott proposed uncommitted money from the armed guardian fund be divided up among the state's districts to hire more officers or use on other security measures. But House Speaker-elect Jose Oliva, R-Hialeah, and incoming Senate President-elect Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, both say the money should stay in the armed guardian fund, and that the program needs time to grow. Many school districts favored school resource officers over arming school employees or security guards, and didn't apply for the guardian funds. Associated Press.
Top court gets Amendment 8: An appeal of a judge's decision this week to remove proposed constitutional Amendment 8 from the November ballot will skip the appeals process and be heard by the Florida Supreme Court. The state had appealed the decision to the First District Court of Appeal, which immediately passed it on to the top court because "involves a question of great public importance and requires immediate resolution." The court has asked the state to file its arguments by Monday. Amendment 8 would allow the state to create an entity that could authorize charter and public schools outside the jurisdiction of local school boards. It would also set term limits for school board members and require civics education. Monday, a Leon County judge ruled the proposal "fails to inform voters of the chief purpose and effect of this proposal.” Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. Florida Phoenix. News Service of Florida. (more…)
Governor's education budget: Gov. Rick Scott's $87.4 billion budget proposal includes a request to increase per student spending by $200, to $7,497, boost the state's voluntary pre-kindergarten program by $12 million, add $23 million for Bright Futures scholarships, and give $18 million to help teachers buy classroom supplies. Scott would pay for the increases by keeping property tax rates the same and allowing increasing property values to drive up revenue. The proposal now goes to the Legislature for consideration. News Service of Florida. Gradebook. Associated Press. Florida Politics. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. Florida Times-Union.
H.B. 7069 challenge: Nine Florida schools boards contend that the new education law, H.B. 7069, violates the law by dealing with more than one subject, and are asking the state Supreme Court to void it. Two other lawsuits have been filed against the law by school districts, but this one focuses solely on the single-subject issue and is asking for immediate action. “Waiting for a trial-court determination and its subsequent appellate review will allow irreversible damage to the function of the public education system to occur throughout the state of Florida,” the lawsuit states. The nine school boards are from Alachua, Bay, Broward, Hamilton, Lee, Polk, St. Lucie, Volusia and Wakulla counties. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. The Collier County School Board votes to join at least 13 other districts in suing the state over the education bill because it requires public school districts to share property tax revenues with charter schools. Naples Daily News.
ESSA plans: Florida's accountability plan for complying with the Every Student Succeeds Act is weak in the category of encouraging schools to focus on all students, not just low performers, according to an evaluation by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative think tank. Florida was one of 13 states considered weak in this area. The state was given an evaluation of strong in the other two areas weighed: in the clarity of the ratings to parents, educators and the public, and in the fairness of the rating system for all schools, including ones with high levels of poverty. The 74.
