U.S. Secret Service Report on School Violence

The United States Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) issued a report analyzing targeted school violence. This report expands upon twenty years of NTAC research in threat assessment and violence prevention. In line with this effort, NTAC conducted a study of 41 incidents of targeted school violence from 2008 to 2017. Read More Read the Report

Senate workforce bill expands to include all public schools

Aiming to align career education to the needs of employers, state Sen. Travis Hutson proposed legislation to direct job growth grant fund money to certain charter schools that specialized in career-technical graduation pathways.  His bill (SB 130) quickly attracted criticism from observers who wanted to know why only charter schools would benefit from the plan. Read More

FSBA Session Spotlight — November 4, 2019

The Legislature will hold a 4th week of Interim Committee Meetings this week.  The schedule is relatively light since none of the main education related committees or subcommittees will be meeting.  However, bills and topics of interest that will be considered this week include public safety, facilities, the Florida Kidcare Program, and public records.  The…

Bill again filed to require ‘supermajority’ to raise local taxes

A bill is back in the Florida House for 2020 that would require a supermajority vote for a local tax referendum.  HJR 477 would, if passed, allow a referendum to let voters decide whether to require a two-thirds majority for any municipality or subsidiary form of government to raise taxes. Read More

Florida pre-k issues leave lawmakers with long to-do list

On a recent day at Celebration Baptist Kinderschool, the 4-year-olds gathered with their legs crisscrossed on their multicolored carpet to listen to a book about bats.  “What’s that big word we learned?” the teacher asked, referencing a previous lesson about owls.  “Nocturnal!” the toddlers shouted back. Read More  

Florida’s armed teachers get liability coverage in policy reversal

Florida teachers who are armed on campus will now be covered under the state’s liability insurance, so long as they act within their duties outlined in state law.  The policy change was quietly made by department officials on August 17, representing a reversal after the department had specifically excluded armed teachers from its policy. Read…