Education bill: The House has amended the massive education bill, HB 7209, and sent it back to the Senate for a vote. It does not include a provision that aimed to prevent charter school operators from using public dollars to construct or improve buildings they own. “If there’s a 150-page[Read More…]
Tag: Rep. Erik Fresen
Florida schools roundup: Budgets, testing, pre-K, tornado days and more
K-12 budget: The Senate and House make no progress on resolving their differences on education spending. Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, presented a final version of the bill to the House, but the cochair of the education budget conference committee, Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, apparently wanted to continue negotiating. So Gaetz ended the talks,[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Charter schools, Pledge, funding and more
Charter school bills: A bill requiring school districts to share capital funding with charter schools is heading to the House floor. The bill also would penalize schools that spend more on construction than is allowed under state law. Politico Florida. Miami Herald. Sun-Sentinel. WFSU. The Florida League of Women Voters[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Trump, incompletes, personal learning and more
Teaching Trump: A presidential election year provides civics teachers with plenty of instructional material. This year, the rise of Donald Trump as a Republican front-runner is both a bonanza and a challenge. Tampa Bay Times. About that incomplete: When Florida school grades were issued Friday, 118 schools got “I” for[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Grades, Fresen, a one-room school and more
School grades: After months of delays, the Department of Education releases Florida school grades for 2014-2015. The grades are similar to the projections issued in December, and will become the baseline for comparison to future grades. Twenty-two of the state’s 67 districts received A grades. None received an F, and only two[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: School grades, testing, score reports and more
School grades: The Florida Department of Education could issue school grades as early as Tuesday. Many think their meaning will be tainted by the controversy over the Florida Standards Assessments tests, which are a major component of the grades. Tampa Bay Times. Alternative tests: Education experts are split on the[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Recess, transfers, capital spending and more
School recess: A bill requiring a daily 20-minute recess in every Florida elementary school goes before the House’s K-12 education committee today. The bill, pushed hard by parents’ groups, would also prohibit schools from withholding recess as punishment. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. A large number of parents will rally for recess at the[Read More…]
Florida special needs scholarship expansion headed to Gov. Rick Scott
A measure expanding Florida’s newest educational option for special needs students is now headed to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk. The Florida House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly approved SB 672, which would allow more families to access Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts and give the program a new name. The Gardiner[Read More…]