Proposal aims to alter Florida school districts

Florida’s school districts would face fundamental changes in the way they operate under a newly filed bill by a Pinellas County lawmaker. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, has joined Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Fort Myers, to propose a constitutional amendment ending the requirement that all counties have independent school districts. If approved, the measure would result…

More than half of Florida school districts lack social media policies for teachers

A majority of Florida’s school districts have no policy on the use of social media by teachers and other employees, increasing the potential for misuse and inappropriate teacher-student relationships online, according to an analysis conducted by a University of Florida educational leadership scholar. Doctoral candidate Jesse Gates found that only 32 of the state’s 68…

CFEF Education Works: It’s Complicated! A Collaborative Model for Citizen Communication on New Student Scores & School Grades

Webinar, Tuesday, November 3, 2015 3-4pm Learn about a grassroots coalition model and receive a communication tool-kit for local community partners to help citizens understand what’s happening with school grades during this time of transition to higher education standards for Florida’s schools. Presenters include individuals from the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, JAX Chamber, and the…

Majority Say They Are Willing to Pay Higher Taxes for Better Schools, Both in Florida and Nationally, New Poll Reveals

Frustrated with a variety of issues in public education, nearly 60 percent of the respondents to a Saint Leo University Polling Institute survey conducted nationally and in Florida say they are willing to “pay somewhat more in taxes to better fund public schools in my community.” In the national survey of 1,005 adults conducted between…