The recent Education Week report that ranked Florida public schools No. 4 in the nation in academic achievement was well-deserved recognition for this state’s underappreciated schools. It arrived in the thick of an election season where public education has been front-burner. And, given the less-than-glowing reputation of Florida’s education system,[Read More…]
Tag: education reporting
FL parents speaking up for special needs scholarship accounts
The Florida teachers union got a lot of ink this week after it filed suit against SB 850, the bill that created a new scholarship accounts program for students with special needs. No surprise there. But a good bit of the coverage also featured something often missing in stories about[Read More…]
How about a crusade for teacher equity?
I’m kind of glad the ruckus over the parent trigger is over for now. I continue to believe that despite how mercurial it was, there are far more issues that can unite parents, the press and policymakers, if only we can wall off the static and talk. Perhaps this is[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: conversion charter, Common Core, Tony Bennett & more
Charter schools. An arts magnet in Manatee considers converting to a charter school because of the district’s ongoing financial woes. Bradenton Herald. Common Core. Hillsborough school board members voice all kinds of concerns about Common Core. Tampa Bay Times. Tony Bennett. StateImpact Florida gives ink to anonymous, garden variety critics.[Read More…]
Let’s try a little less finger pointing
Having spent the better part of a quarter-century writing editorials and commentaries for a major metropolitan newspaper, I have wagged my finger with the best of them and spied more than my share of blood on the hands of shameless lawmakers. So I read New York Times columnist David Brooks[Read More…]
Seeing a little progress in a New York Times lead
Two years ago, we launched redefinED in an attempt to help opinion leaders, the public and the mainstream media understand how public education is being transformed and redefined. So the following lead in yesterday’s New York Times was, even if by mere coincidence, gratifying to read: “A growing number of[Read More…]
Local NAACP president defends Sen. Rubio’s scholarship bill
Editor’s note: The Rev. Manuel Sykes is pastor of Bethel Community Baptist Church and president of the St. Petersburg NAACP, an active chapter on Florida’s west coast. In this commentary, he responds to a recent Tampa Bay Times column that criticized a federal tax credit scholarship bill offered by U.S. Sen. Marco[Read More…]
Florida roundup: Common Core, teacher evaluations, school spending & more
Common Core. More signs that an implementation delay is in the works. StateImpact Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press. School spending. South Florida Sun Sentinel: “The Broward school district overpaid a security firm by $129,000, according an internal audit that found the district grossly mismanaged the contract, paid unnecessary overtime and late[Read More…]