TALLAHASSEE — A bill that would allow parents more freedom to choose where their children go to school overwhelmingly was approved Tuesday by a House panel, even as some critics and educators worried the legislation is moving too quickly. The measure (HB 1145), sponsored by Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, was approved by the House…
ALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) – A bill making its way through the Florida Legislature aims to lessen the restrictions currently put on student athletes who transfer schools. The “Extracurricular Activities Bill” (SB 1480) would make it easier for high school athletes to continue in their sport once they transfer schools. “If a student transfers…
Florida may allow third grade students to advance to the fourth grade, even if they perform poorly on statewide standardized tests. Read full article
This special report, “The Chief Academic Officer’s Evolving Role: Powering Big-Picture Learning Goals,” examines the challenges CAOs are facing in school districts across the country and how they are working to improve academics in the age of common standards and digital teaching and learning. It features findings from an exclusive survey of district leaders. Read…
A conservative Florida senator with a flair for headline-grabbing proposals could generate lots of support in the anti-testing sector with his latest recommendation. Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, has filed an amendment to the Senate’s major testing reform bill (SB 616) that goes to its final committee stop on Thursday, with availability Wednesday. His objective: To end…
With two weeks of computerized writing tests in the rearview mirror, Florida’s superintendents are taking a closer look at what went wrong — and what it means. They’re more concerned than ever that the results will be tainted. In a draft document circulating through district offices, the Florida Association for District School Superintendents raises six…
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS In the House Local Government Affairs Subcommittee: HB 63 – Public-Private Partnerships by Steube — PASSED Deletes Public-Private Partnership Guidelines Task Force; revises provisions regarding responsible public entities & unsolicited proposals submitted for qualified projects; revises provisions regarding comprehensive agreements entered into between responsible public entities & private entities; deletes provisions relating to notice to…
In the House Government Operations Subcommittee: HB 585 – Holidays & Observances / Sir Lancelot Jones by Raschein — PASSED Designates second Monday in October of each year as “Sir Lancelot Jones Day”; authorizes Governor to issue proclamations commemorating occasion; encourages public officials, schools, private organizations, & citizens to commemorate occasion. HB 599 – Exemption…
Finland’s classrooms are very different from America’s — far more permissive, with less of an emphasis on academics. There are no standardized tests until high school, and children get 15 minutes of recess in between lessons — more than an hour of recess a day. “Play is important,” one Finnish teacher told the Smithsonian magazine. “We value play.” Yet Finnish kids always get…
TALLAHASSEE — Kameela Russell’s daughter acted out at her neighborhood school, Madie Ives Elementary in northeast Miami-Dade. But she excelled after transferring to the top-ranked Lakeside Elementary in Broward County. Most parents would not have been able to move their child to a public school in another county. Russell could because she was a teacher…