UPDATE: Governor Issues EO-01 DOE Testing, Accountability Discussed During Senate Committee (February 15)

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued 2021-E0-01: WAIVING STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE FLORIDA EDUCATION CODE, AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 20-52, MADE NECESSARY BY THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.  The order suspends portions of section 1008.22(7), F.S., to modify spring 2021 testing windows and extend the release of assessment…

FSBA Session Spotlight – December 9, 2019

The Legislature will hold a sixth, and final, round of Interim Committee Meetings this week to lay more groundwork for the 2020 Legislative Session that will convene on January 14, 2020.  Several committees/subcommittees will consider bills addressing topics of interest including, among others, health and safety, curriculum, personnel issues, and school choice options.  In addition,…

FSBA Session Spotlight — Governor DeSantis’ Budget Recommendation

State law requires the governor to release his/her state budget recommendations at least 30 days before the opening of the legislative session.  Governor DeSantis unveiled his state budget recommendation on Monday with time to spare.  It is important to keep in mind that the governor’s budget recommendation is exactly that:  a recommendation.  It is the…

FSBA Session Spotlight — November 12, 2019

The Legislature will hold a 5th week of Interim Committee Meetings this week.  Several bills of interest will be under consideration, including bills relating to funding, health and safety, public records, and ethics.  In addition, the State Board of Education will be meeting on Friday in Brunnell, Florida.  The agenda includes review district turnaround option…

FSBA Session Spotlight — October 14, 2019

The Legislature will hold a second round of Interim Committee Meetings this week. Education related Committees and Subcommittees will receive overviews on educator professional development, the state system of school improvement, teacher compensation, and the FDOE’s Legislative Budget Request (LBR).  Other Committees will consider a few bills of interest, including bills relating to public records,…

Fifth time in 24 years. Why Florida is changing school standards, again

Florida education commissioner Richard Corcoran didn’t hide his enthusiasm during a “listening session” Thursday in Gainesville, where a crowd showed up to discuss proposed changes to the state’s education standards.  “We’re going to end up with the world’s best standards,” he said. “We’re going to end up with an education that’s going to transform our…

Florida’s Common Core standards: No need for ‘any great change,’ educators tell state

Florida’s Common Core academic standards are demanding but also are helping students make gains while the state’s proposed replacements are weaker, vaguer and represent a “step backwards” for public education, educators told state leaders at a “Florida Standards Listening Tour” event. Read More

Florida schools learn how much A-Plus money they’ll get

Hundreds of Florida schools learned late Friday how large a piece of the state’s $131.5 million recognition fund they’d get this year, if any.  The news came shortly after the Department of Education finished processing 2018-19 school grade appeals, finalizing the list of which campuses would be eligible for the $100 per student award. Read…