Baker Act Reporting Center: More than 36,000 children placed under act in 2017-2018

The University of South Florida’s Baker Act Reporting Center has released numbers from the 2017-2018 fiscal year that show cases of involuntary examinations under The Florida Mental Health Act (commonly known as ‘the Baker Act’) are on the rise.  The annual report shows that 205,781 people were placed under the Baker Act during the year. …

Florida launches school security database with student discipline, health, social media info

The Florida Department of Education rolled out its database of student information late Thursday that’s designed to enhance school security in the wake of last year’s shooting in Parkland.The data is primarily for groups of law enforcement, counselors and other school staff charged with evaluating threats made by students and deciding which ones may need…

State panel tightens ethics rules for Florida’s public officials

An effort to raise ethical standards for Florida politicians and public employees has passed a critical test.  More than 6 million voters approved a Florida Constitutional Amendment 12 last fall, in hopes of strengthening the state’s rules against public officials using their positions for public gain. The amendment got the most votes among the dozen…

FSBA Friday Five – August 2, 2019

Computational thinking is critical thinking and belongs in every subject How the choices we make can help children and the community as a whole become more resilient in the face of serious challenges Outschool called the Netflix of learning When will it stop? Cyberbullying continues to rise The perfect grilled cheese sandwich, explained by science

Which Florida teachers are ‘content experts’?

Lawmakers set new rules in the spring for who could qualify for a “Best and Brightest” teacher bonus this year.  One of the categories it created was a “recruitment” award. It would be paid to newly hired teachers deemed “content experts” in mathematics, science, computer science, reading or civics.  The Legislature left it to the…

Questions remain about Florida’s new school-based mental health effort

Florida is planning to reinvent school-based mental health awareness, but Florida International University (FIU) psychologists are raising questions about the plan’s implementation.  The goal is to help students identify the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses, how to get help for themselves and others and what to do or say to peers affected by a…

FL’s Pre-K program has high participation but may not always prepare kids for kindergarten

Of the 50 states, Florida’s prekindergarten program has the highest percent of 4-year-olds enrolled in the early learning programs. Only Washington D.C. has a higher percentage.  Nearly 175,000 little students attended in 2017-18 — 77 percent of Florida’s 4-year-olds. That’s according to a 2018 analysis called “The State of Preschool 2018.” Read More Read the…

FSBA Friday Five – July 26, 2019

A million word gap for children who aren’t read to at home More young people in foster care due to parental drug use Bullying continues to increase, especially online Ed Tech & Innovation/Technology Counts 2019 Report Cyberbullying—who is being affected and what to do if you or a loved one are a victim