FSBA Session Spotlight — March 8, 2017

At mid-day today, FSBA participated in a press conference announcing bi-partisan support for SB 964 relating to assessment and accountability.  The bill is sponsored by Senator Bill Montford and co-sponsored by Senators Tom Lee, Debbie Mayfield, Rene Garcia, Linda Stewart, and Audrey Gibson.  The legislation infuses common sense into our assessment and accountability system without…

Charter vs. public schools: Will state fund construction or is local tax hike coming?

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…

Senate Education Appropriations chairman recommends budget cuts after votes on recess, charter schools

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…