Florida School Boards Association
The violent arrest of a South Carolina high school student in class last month has triggered new scrutiny of the nation’s school resource officers, whose numbers have increased in recent decades alongside concerns about school safety and mass shootings. There are now more than 43,000 school resource officers and other sworn police officers, and an…
The lines have been clearly drawn in Florida’s approach to setting the “cut” scores for the Florida Standards Assessments five achievement levels. Some State Board of Education members have called for connecting the scores to NAEP proficiency levels, a position forcefully promoted by state business interests and former Gov. Jeb Bush’s education foundation. Education Commissioner…
Florida is a state that juts out into the water and is home to 14 ports — but still the maritime industry is a mystery to most teens. Now, a rapidly aging workforce in one of the state’s major economic engines is behind a push to reach a younger generation and teach them about sea-going…
With senators in his own party voicing skepticism, Republican Gov. Rick Scott’s budget director has sent a letter to executive branch agencies, making the case for $1 billion in tax cuts in the next legislative session in addition to a new $250 million fund to attract jobs and a multitude of high-dollar demands by the…
TALLAHASSEE – Just because the Legislature has been in town doesn’t mean they’re getting much done. With the annual legislative session set to begin in early January, state lawmakers have spent four of the last seven weeks in Tallahassee for committee hearings, the first critical step in passing legislation and writing a state budget. Yet…
We have been waiting for a member of the media to ask the Democratic and Republican candidates. Finally it happened, though not on national television. Journalist Roland Martin in South Carolina asked Hillary Clinton about her views on charter schools. Her answer suggests that she realizes the issues surrounding private management of public dollars. “The original…
TALLAHASSEE — Any other day at the Capitol, a special redistricting session crashing and burning would be the dominate development in state government, but Thursday’s conclusion to a three-year battle for Senate president overshadowed what was yet another tough day for legislative leaders. Shortly before the Senate voted on a proposed redraw of the its…
TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Setting up another contentious budget battle, Florida Gov. Rick Scott was expected Thursday to call for $1 billion in tax cuts, most of it targeted at businesses. Scott is recommending the hefty amount despite signs that the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature will resist going along with such a large tax cut package. Scott,…
‘Maintenance of effort’ a facet of law from start’ Ever since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law in 1965, education funding advocates have relied on a highly technical provision they see as a safeguard for ensuring money earmarked for the nation’s most disadvantaged students is used as originally…
Florida’s school districts would face fundamental changes in the way they operate under a newly filed bill by a Pinellas County lawmaker. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, has joined Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Fort Myers, to propose a constitutional amendment ending the requirement that all counties have independent school districts. If approved, the measure would result…