Local Florida districts offer specifics to counter lawmaker school construction cost claims

On Monday, the Florida superintendents association issued a statement accusing the House Education Appropriations subcommittee of using inaccurate information to paint school districts as poor stewards of taxpayer dollars when it comes to school construction costs. It’s one thing to say it. It’s another to back up the statement. And on Tuesday, districts began releasing…

Florida superintendents fear threat to capital outlay tax revenue

Florida superintendents are going on defense to protect their locally generated tax revenue that’s dedicated to school maintenance, construction and other capital projects. The district leaders, who have met the past three days in Tallahassee, are growing increasingly concerned that state lawmakers will target the tax as a source of regular revenue for charter schools.…

FSBA #FridayFive – Week of Jan. 25, 2016

1.  US DOE warns states of test opt-outs:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/28/u-s-education-department-threatens-to-sanction-states-over-test-opt-outs/ 2.  Potential governance change to Florida school districts: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article56148045.html 3.  SAT redesigned: http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/22/463635963/a-history-of-the-sat-in-four-questions 4.  OneNote add-ons could be game changers:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/2016/01/25/learning-tools-for-microsoft-onenote-may-be-one-of-the-most-disruptive-education-technologies-yet/#795f3d375352 5.  Hand writing aids learning:  http://www.businessinsider.com.au/handwriting-helps-you-learn-2014-12

With HIV cases climbing, Florida Democrats push for responsible sex education in public schools

With Florida leading the nation in new HIV infections, Democratic lawmakers say now more than ever the Legislature should do away with what’s commonly referred to as “abstinence-only” sex education in the state’s 4,300 public schools. Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, and Rep. Reggie Fullwood, D-Jacksonville, are the leading sponsors of what they’ve dubbed the “Florida Healthy Adolescence Act” (SB…

Statewide poll by advocacy group shows support for charter schools in Florida

A new statewide poll commissioned by the Florida Charter School Alliance finds significant support for charter schools — including support for a statewide authorizer, one of the alliance’s top legislative priorities this year that school districts fear would take away local authority over public education. The Herald/Times was given a copy of the poll results ahead of their…