In this episode, Tuthill speaks with the chief executive officer and founder of GreatMinds, an organization focused on developing world class, content-rich curriculum for PK-12 students. A group of education leaders launched GreatMinds in 2007, and now 75% of its employees come from the teacher ranks. GreatMinds curricula aim to[Read More…]
Common Core
revisitED: Lessons from a school choice trailblazer
Civil rights activist Mary McLeod was a school choice pioneer, opening a private, faith-based school for African-American girls in Daytona in 1904. The state of Florida may honor her with a statue in the U.S. Capitol. (Image from Wikimedia Commons.) Editor’s note: This month, redefinED is revisiting the best examples[Read More…]
A modest proposal for Florida’s academic standards
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order recently to transition the state away from the current academic standards, which begs the question: What will replace them? I have a suggestion on that front, but first, some basics. Federal law requires states to have a set of academic standards and[Read More…]
DeSantis calls for new education standards
Jim Saunders / News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Pointing to feedback he received on the campaign trail, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said Florida will revamp education standards and eliminate “vestiges” of the politically unpopular Common Core standards. DeSantis’ announcement came five years after then-Gov. Rick Scott took aim[Read More…]
Mr. Gibbons’ Report Card: Shadow Factions, destroying public schools and self-styled progressives cheering a bigot
The Shadow Faction Dianne Douglas was elected as Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction largely on an anti-Common Core platform. Last week Douglas, a Republican, decided to start her war against Common Core by firing two State Board of Education employees. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (a fellow Republican who previously endorsed[Read More…]
Thousands kick off School Choice Week in Jacksonville
Nearly 2,000 students and parents packed Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre to start the largest-ever week-long celebration of school choice. National School Choice Week officially starts Jan. 25, but Friday’s rally was part of the first round of more than 11,000 planned events. The events aim for a celebratory tone, with music, dancing, celebrity[Read More…]
Jeb Bush to states that reject Common Core: Push standards “even higher”
States should not back away from higher expectations for their students in the face of a contentious debate over the education standards, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday. In a closely watched address that marked the start of the Foundation for Excellence in Education’s National Summit on Education Reform, Bush said[Read More…]
Duval superintendent: Florida charter school debate needs to evolve
While many Floridians were watching election returns roll in, the Duval County School Board rejected half a dozen charter applications Tuesday night. But on the recommendation of district staff, including Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, it also green-lighted two new charters, including a substantial expansion of KIPP’s presence in Jacksonville. Taken together,[Read More…]