They are so gosh darned good to us, I don’t know how we stand it. From the moment they arrive in Tallahassee, our state legislators insist on sending back unnecessary gifts. Fancy-sounding laws we neither asked for, nor need. It’s too much. Really. Please, stop. Take this new schools bill (HB 1145) the House passed…
Florida faces a confidence crisis in its annual testing program. Last week, for the second time in two months, the computerized system crashed, the result of avoidable vendor errors. The upshot has been heightened challenges to Florida’s 15-year-old accountability model. Parents and education advocates question whether the state pushed online testing before its time. They…
This Video Update features FSBA Interim Executive Director Bill Graham discussing a bill that has passed the legislature — SB 7024 – relating to a distribution of interest income to school districts that had assets deposited in the state’s investment pool when it was frozen in 2007. Mr. Graham also discusses the status of charter…
Private schools in Florida are becoming vastly more dependent on state voucher programs that pay all or part of tuition for students with disabilities or from low-income families, an Orlando Sentinel analysis has found. The families of nearly 100,000 Florida students received vouchers worth about $544 million this year as the Legislature has steadily…
In the House SESSION: Bills on 2nd Reading: HB 383 – Private Property Rights by Edwards – READ 2ND TIME; AMENDED; PLACED ON 3RD READING FOR 4/24/15 Authorizes governmental entity to treat written claim as pending litigation for certain purposes; provides that certain settlement agreements reached between owner & governmental entity apply irrespective of when…
The Miami-Dade School District is taking advantage of a new state law and eliminating more than 300 final tests — also known as end-of-course exams. The law rescinds a requirement that districts give students a final exam in all subjects that don’t already have a required state exam. “Today’s announcement should come as welcomed news to everyone…
Miami-Dade County Public Schools has eliminated nearly all of the 300 District-Developed End-of-Course (DDEOC) assessments that were originally scheduled for Spring 2015. The move follows the passage of HB7069, a law that provides flexibility for districts to determine how to measure student progress, eliminating the state mandate for district-designated, end-of-course exams to be given in…
In the House SESSION: HB 7137 – Student Extracurricular Activities by Education – READ 3RD TIME; PASSED THE HOUSE Providing for periodic review of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s performance of its duties; providing requirements regarding fees and admission prices; revising provisions regarding eligibility, transfer, and recruiting; providing procedures for resolving student eligibility disputes;…
TALLAHASSEE — Blaming the federal government for Florida’s financial woes, Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday said he was prepared to call Florida lawmakers back for a special session to complete the budget — and even encourage them to pass a bare-bones budget if necessary. Scott also suggested one of his top priorities was in jeopardy:…
SANFORD, Fla. – School board members with Seminole County schools have directed the superintendent to have staff draft language for a waiver they wish to send to the Florida Department of Education seeking to use other national standardized tests. The tests, such as the PSAT and SAT, are 98 percent in line with Common Core…