When it comes to the decisions that most directly affect the business of public education and what happens in classrooms, few people are as influential—and often as unacknowledged—as local school board members. Indeed, a new report from the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute suggests the makeup of local school boards can have a measurable effect on student…
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday named Orlando businesswoman Marva Johnson to the state Board of Education. Johnson, 44, is a corporate vice president for Bright House Networks LLC. Read full story
Foundation for Excellence in Education blogger Mike Thomas has responded to a post we wrote last week looking at the claims in a television ad running in Tampa. The ad references the state’s top 10 ranking in an Education Week survey, rising graduation rates and more students taking and passing Advanced Placement exams. Read full story
The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued its first report in almost 15 years examining civil rights data from public schools nationwide, says The Chronicle. The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) from the 2011-12 school year compiled data from all 97,000 of the nation’s public schools and its 16,500 school districts…
Forty-one states now have instructional requirements for arts education at all levels (elementary, middle, and high school), though only 17 states have policies regarding assessment in the subject, according to a new report by the Arts Education Partnership, a part of the Council of Chief State School Officers. The group released an updated version of its annual analysis…
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS In the House Judiciary Committee: HB 139 – Coaches / Organized Youth Sports by S. Jones – PASSED; PLACED ON CALENDAR ON 2ND READING Revises definition of term “athletic coach”; expands provisions relating to athletic coaches for independent sanctioning authorities to require such authorities to conduct specified background screening of certain coaches of…
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS [For those who are new to this process, a brief explanation of what is meant by 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Reading may be helpful in understanding how bills are handled in each chamber. In order for any legislation to be passed and enacted into law, the bill must be “Read” three times –…
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS In the Senate Education Committee: SB 138 – Meetings of District School Boards by Ring – PASSED Requiring district school boards to convene at least one regular meeting during the evening hours each quarter during the school year and to establish written criteria for convening such a meeting; providing that a district school…
TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP LEGISLATION Last Thursday afternoon, Senator Bill Galvano withdrew his bill – SB 1620 – that would have significantly expanded the Tax Credit Scholarship Program in terms of both student eligibility and overall cost. This move makes it extremely unlikely that the legislation will pass this year. Senator Galvano’s decision to withdraw the…
This Video Update features FSBA President Patty Hightower discussing events at our annual Day in the Legislature Conference. In addition, the video shows the presentation, by FSBA Legislative Committee Chair Becki Couch, of our 2013 Legislator of the Year Award to Senator Nancy Detert. Also, the video features Dr. Wayne Blanton providing an overview of…