Every Student Succeeds Act: Summary of Final Regulations

Accountability, Advocacy, Assessments, ELL Students, ESSA, Exceptional Students, In the News, Legislation, National

High-quality assessments are essential to effectively educating students, measuring progress, and promoting equity. Done well and thoughtfully, they provide critical information for educators, families, the public, and students themselves and create the basis for improving outcomes for all learners. Done poorly, in excess, or without clear purpose, however, they take valuable time away from teaching…

Florida Lawmakers Look For Answers On Workers’ Comp

Advocacy, Health, In the News, Legislation, Legislators, Personnel, Teachers

With businesses bracing for rate increases, Florida House members this week began grappling with the tricky political and legal challenge of revamping the workers’ compensation insurance system.  Staff members held briefings Tuesday and Wednesday to try to help lawmakers understand the complicated system, which is likely to be one of the highest-profile issues of the…

House freshmen get educated on how state budgetary ‘sausage’ is made

Accountability, Advocacy, Budget, Funding, In the News, Legislation, Legislators

Florida House freshmen attended an introductory course to writing a state budget Tuesday. They learned that the process gives them sweeping authority, but within the limits of fiscal reality.  At present, Florida government is running a $3 billion reserve within a total budget of around $83.5 billion.  But if spending continues at existing levels, that…

Newly crowned political stars likely to give charter schools big lift

Advocacy, Charter Schools, Elections, Florida Schools, In the News, Legislators, National, School Choice, Voucher

From Washington to the state Capitol, political stars are aligning for a major drive to expand charter and voucher schools – a double-barreled push sparking fear among defenders of traditional schools.  President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Michigan school choice advocate Betsy DeVos as new education secretary is viewed as a clear signal he is serious…

Key senators to push for less testing, more support for public schools in 2017 session

Advocacy, Assessments, Budget, In the News, Legislation, Legislators, Teachers

Florida education funding could face tight times in the coming legislative session, with revenue low and competition for resources high.  But key state senators told the state’s school board members this week that they remained staunch supporters of public schools, and they would work to direct as much money as possible into the system, while…