Plans to expand education options for people with disabilities passed the Senate Wednesday with a unanimous vote. The measures are a priority for Senate President Andy Gardiner, who was moved to tears at the bill’s passage. Senator Don Gaetz of Destin’s plans would provide more scholarships and pave the way to college for people with…
Sen. Don Gaetz doesn’t like the sound of no. On Monday the Senate Government Oversight and Accountability Committee voted down his anti-corruption bill. So on Tuesday, the Niceville Republican inserted all of the bill’s provisions into another bill. Then he persuaded the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee to approve the proposal on a 7 -3 vote.…
TALLAHASSEE — Senate pre-kindergarten to 12th grade education committee chair John Legg plans to allow a vote on the controversial “best and brightest” teacher bonus program, but he has “reservations” about the legislation. The Lutz Republican hosted a workshop Wednesday on the program, which makes teachers who scored in the 80th percentile or above on…
The country’s most ambitious school choice program has been put on hold and potentially stopped permanently after a Nevada judge ordered the state to halt its implementation, just weeks before it was set to begin. In 2015, Brian Sandoval signed the ambitious law that allows any parent with a child who spent at least 100…
TODAY’S HAPPENINGS [NOTE: The bills listed below are linked to the each bill’s website where you can find information about the bill including the bill sponsor, committees of reference, and staff analysis. The committees/subcommittees are linked to each committee’s website where you can find information about the committee including the committee’s leadership, membership and staff,…
We’re back! Today, we resume our FSBA Daily Updates to report on activities each day during the 2016 Legislative Session. These updates are sent to school board members, superintendents, and district staff members as well as hundreds of state and local government officials, parent and citizen advocates, and others who have asked to be included…
Republican Sen. Don Gaetz wants to the Office of Vocational Rehab to do better when it comes to placing people with disabilities in jobs. Monday the Senate’s Higher Education Committee approved a bill requiring vocational rehabilitation to develop a performance improvement plan and submit an annual report card to the Governor and legislature. “Most of…
TALLAHASSEE — National and state advocates are pushing new legislation that would require suicide prevention training for public school teachers after a similar law was repealed as part of Gov. Rick Scott’s 2011 budget cuts. This week, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition plan to hold a vigil at…
TALLAHASSEE — In the past five years, the Florida Legislature has taken $1 billion away from teacher salaries, early education programs and other educational programs to shore up a leaky school construction and maintenance fund. They’re poised to take millions more away this year because the main source for school construction money — a 2.5 percent…
TALLAHASSEE — Charter schools continue to blossom in popularity and in number throughout Florida, but the controversy surrounding them isn’t dissipating in 2016 — especially as “school choice” continues to dominate education policy coming out of the state Capitol. As Republican lawmakers consider plans to make it easier for charter schools to form and also…