Senate’s education agenda: Senate President Joe Negron’s agenda includes more school choice for K-12 and more money for the state’s universities. The Republican from Stuart also affirms his support for school testing and accountability. WUSF. Graduation rates: South Florida schools’ graduation rates have been rising steadily for five years, and[Read More…]
Tag: Dwight Bullard
Florida overhauls charter school facilities funding rules
Florida will start funding charter school facilities based on the characteristics of the students they serve. And under new rules approved today by the state Board of Education, charters will have to clear a higher academic bar to qualify. A new state law requires the state to distribute more capital funding[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Charter schools, testing, uniforms and more
Legislation. State Sen. John Legg’s colleagues say he’s the “designated hitter” on education issues. Tampa Bay Times. Legg, state Sen. Dwight Bullard and others talk education on Florida This Week. Charter schools. Cape Coral city officials worry about building upkeep for their network of municipal charter schools. North Fort Myers Neighbor.[Read More…]
Why not let parents decide if charter schools are ‘innovative?’
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel recently reported, the Palm Beach County school board is considering new rules for charter schools. Some appear to make sense. The proposed changes, discussed at a workshop Wednesday, include conducting more thorough background checks on charter school applicants and requiring new charter schools to offer an innovative curriculum[Read More…]
Senate panel approves expansion of Florida special needs scholarships
A Florida Senate panel on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation making tweaks to the state’s second-in-the-nation program that provides scholarship accounts for students with special needs. Key changes in SB 602 would make Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts, which were signed into law eight months ago, available to more children with conditions on[Read More…]
FL Senate proposes new path on school choice accounts for disabled students
The Florida Senate has proposed taking a new path on legislation that would create individual accounts for special-needs students. Under a rewrite approved this morning by the Education Appropriations panel, the legislation would create “enhancements” of the existing services for children with disabilities. Earlier versions of the bill would have[Read More…]
FL lawmakers ask tough questions about Common Core tied tests
From the News Service of Florida: Education Commissioner Pam Stewart faced tough questions from senators Wednesday as she outlined how the state would move forward on tweaks to its current schools standards and select a new test for students. Speaking to the Senate Education Committee, Stewart tried to tamp down[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: parent trigger, private tutors, drug testing & more
Parent trigger. Citing anonymous sources, Sunshine State News says Gov. Rick Scott helped kill parent trigger. Five GOP senators tell The Buzz he had nothing to do with it. Arne Duncan sorta kinda maybe a wee little bit endorses the concept of parent trigger, notes This Week In Education. Parents[Read More…]