A complicated and controversial measure to change how Florida’s 4,300 public schools get taxpayer money for construction and maintenance projects is limping through the Florida Senate, advancing even as lawmakers agree it needs a lot more work before it might become law. Senators behind the measure (SB 376) envision the final bill would have two…
Florida should inject “common sense” into its school testing system by scrapping some required state exams and providing “stressed out” teachers and students the relief they need, a bipartisan group of state senators said today. Read More
The School Board of Broward County became the first district in South Florida to pass a resolution that makes school grounds and education-related activities, such as sports tournaments or even prom, safe zones for immigrant students and their families. Read More
At the end of a 2-hour meeting dominated by discussion on charter school funding and mandatory recess, Senate PreK-12 Appropriations chairman David Simmons introduced one page of proposed cuts to public education. The $46.3 million list is “simply a starting point for our budget discussions,” which will occur over the next two weeks, Simmons told…
Nearly 9,000 young people were arrested last year in Florida instead of being issued a civil citation and released, even though they qualified for the lesser punishment. About half of all the juvenile offenders who qualified for civil citations statewide did not receive them, according to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and the use…
The 2017 Legislative Session opened today with much of the usual fanfare and speeches by Governor Scott, Senate President Joe Negron, and House Speaker Richard Corcoran. The day began with the Senate Session in which Senate President Joe Negron offered opening comments that highlighted several of the priorities that the Senate will pursue during the…
The Trump administration and congressional Republicans are in the midst of trying to figure out whether to tweak, or toss the Obama administration’s biggest domestic achievement, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—or Obamacare Read More
A three-judge panel has overturned Leon County judge Karen Gievers’ ruling that the Hernando County school district improperly retained some third-grade students who refused to take the Florida Standards Assessment language arts test. Read More
Students and teachers in Florida’s public schools would more explicitly have the right to say the Lord’s Prayer, pray to Allah or worship Satan under a highly polarizing measure that’s being fast-tracked through the Florida Senate as the 2017 session begins this week. Read More
As further groundwork to support your advocacy efforts during the Legislative Session, earlier today you should have received an email with links to two videos. One of the links connects to the first of several video updates that FSBA will be providing during the Session. Our 2017 Session Kickoff Video features FSBA Executive Director Andrea…