Days after closing the window on public input for Florida’s effort to implement new federal education accountability rules, state education commissioner Pam Stewart has sent her own views to U.S. Education Secretary John King. In her seven-page letter, Stewart touts Florida’s existing system, and reminds the secretary that the federal government cannot force states to…
The new federal K-12 education law contains the strongest requirements to date that states gather and weigh the opinions of principals, parents, and others as they create new education plans. But whether states are practicing this kind of “meaningful consultation”—and particularly whether they are tapping the expertise of their principals — depends very much on…
As the Commissioner of Education for Florida, I appreciate the flexibility afforded states by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to establish a workable, student-centric system of statewide accountability focused on increasing student achievement. The accountability mechanisms established under ESSA are comprehensive and considered. Read full commentary
IT’S and Jeananne Folaros, Ole Miss Class of 1974, is doing what she hasn’t done at that time of day in 42 years: She’s reading a book simply for pleasure — “The Nightingale.” It’s the story of teenage sisters in France in 1940 facing the coming German occupation and trying to survive, which might be…
Facing tighter budget restrictions this year, the state Legislature reduced the back-to-school tax free holiday to three days and ruled that the credit this year will not apply to computers or clothing items costing more than $60. Read full article
Despite a topsy-turvy year in the world financial markets, Florida’s $142 billion pension fund managed to show a gain for the seventh straight year. Ash Williams, executive director of the State Board of Administration, which manages the fund, told Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet on Tuesday that the fund ended the state fiscal year…
Reversing a five-year trend, Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday unanimously agreed to borrow $285 million over the next few years to build and maintain facilities for state universities, colleges, and public schools. Read full article
With No Child Left Behind in the rear view mirror and waivers a thing of the past, states are embarking on a new era of school accountability under the new education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act. And as they get to work using their newfound flexibility to create a more personalized system of checks…
Large or small, every school board should hold an orientation for new board members because it benefits the organization, including the scope of people it serves. All boards have a unique set of dynamics and expectations. An effective new board member orientation will be carried out by key individuals using a specific structure. Regardless…
Roughly a month ago, we reported on how the Every Student Succeeds Act puts a new emphasis on students in foster care by requiring that states report disaggregated data about their academic performance. But after the release of the draft ESSA accountability rules last month, a dispute is emerging over another issue related to foster…