By Jim Saunders News Service of Florida The Florida Education Association teachers union has filed a potential class-action lawsuit alleging that the state’s controversial “Best and Brightest” bonus program discriminates against older teachers and minorities. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Tallahassee, names as defendants the Florida Department[Read More…]
Teacher Quality
A virtual solution to a rural teacher shortage?
Florida’s third-smallest school district has a math problem, in the words of its local newspaper. Two of its three math teachers have settled in larger cities. The third is leaving for a nearby rural community. The Apalachicola Times reports the Franklin County school district is scrambling to recruit replacements. A[Read More…]
Do some certification requirements drive talented teachers away?
The lawmakers eyeing Florida’s teacher certification system follow straightforward logic: If talented people have to take a battery of education-specific courses before they can go into the classroom, they might take their skills elsewhere. In other words, course requirements might unnecessarily crimp the state’s pipeline of quality teachers. And creating[Read More…]
Florida roundup: Charter schools, teacher certification and more
Charter schools. A troubled management company under indictment says it’s a victim of “misinformation.” Gradebook. District staff back a Manatee charter school’s bid to expand into the middle grades. Bradenton Herald. A Palm Beach charter school is ordered to repay $37,000 it steered to its founder. Palm Beach Post. Teacher[Read More…]
Florida lawmakers eye teacher certification rules
FORT LAUDERDALE – Two key Florida lawmakers say they’re looking to “blow up” the state’s teacher certification regime, giving school administrators greater authority to hire instructors who don’t follow traditional paths to careers in the classroom. Speaking at a gathering of district and charter school leaders last week in South[Read More…]
Florida schools roundup: Fewer tests, top teacher finalist, choice and more
Testing cutbacks: Hillsborough County elementary students will have fewer tests next school year, and principals and teachers will have more say on what tests are given and when, and how to use the results. Parents and teachers have long complained about the district’s “formative tests,” which measure what children know early in the[Read More…]
Creating new, good schools makes closing bad ones easier
Richard Whitmire, a prominent chronicler of the charter school movement, has been beating the drum on quality lately. He argues the cause would be helped by shutting down more under-performing schools. There are about 6,400 charter schools out there. Of those, roughly 1,000 score in the bottom 15 percent of the schools[Read More…]
Charter school changes added to public school choice bill in Florida House
Parents would have more ability to choose among public schools for their children, charter schools would face more scrutiny before opening, and some principals at traditional schools could enjoy more charter-like freedoms under a combined school choice package set for a final vote Friday in the Florida House. The charter changes and principal[Read More…]