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

Is Civics Education Lacking in Florida Schools? DeSantis and Corcoran Say Yes

The State Board of Education is pushing for more accountability in how schools teach classes included in Florida statues including civics, the Holocaust and the history and heritage of African Americans, Hispanics and women.  This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran cheered the board for its efforts to have schools focus more…

SECOND DRAFT of Standards Now Available, Florida Department of Education

Date: Fri, Sep 20, 2019 at 10:32 AM Subject: Second draft of standards available To: <STANDARDS-REVIEW-L@lserv.fldoe.org> Dear Education Stakeholders, We are pleased to announce the next steps for crafting Florida’s new educational standards in English language arts and mathematics, pursuant to Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 19-32, which seeks to ensure Florida has the best academic…

Florida Department of Education targets prekindergarten improvements

Florida education department officials are taking steps to bolster the state-funded Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program and turn it into the “truly really desired option” for early education, just two months after Gov. Ron DeSantis decried low readiness levels of children emerging from the system. Read More

School grades send ripple effect through state

Real estate agents, teachers’ spouses, homebuilders and parents joined educators this week in perusing the school grades released by the Florida Department of Education.  The annual grading of schools sends ripple effects throughout the state, impacting home values, teacher bonuses, the value of land and where parents opt to send their children to school. Read…