Education board proposes status quo spending on teacher bonuses

Florida Department of Education officials’ latest budget proposal does not include any additional funding for a controversial teacher bonus program, which is currently facing a legal challenge.Instead, state education officials on Wednesday called on the Florida Legislature to keep funding the “Best and Brightest” teacher and principal bonus program at $284.5 million, the same amount…

Legislators ask 50-plus firms to explain how they use the ‘vast amount of data’ they collect on students

A year ago, the FBI issued a warning that the rapid expansion of education technology in America’s schools and the collection of student data could “present unique exploitation opportunities for criminals.” Now, U.S. lawmakers are demanding that more than 50 education technology companies and data collectors explain what information they collect and how it is…

New tax estimates point to ‘winded’ economy

Heading into a critical election year, Florida legislators may have to tighten spending because of a combination of a slowing economy and reverberations of financial decisions.  State economists on Wednesday drew up new estimates that predict the state will take in about $867 million less in revenue over two years than earlier anticipated. Read More

Education Board Considers Streamlined Misconduct Rules, Mandatory Substance-Abuse Courses

The State Board of Education is poised to consider new rules next week, including a requirement that all public schools begin teaching students each year about youth substance abuse. Schools would also be mandated to report the professional qualifications of people teaching the classes, according to the rule.   The reporting proposal would require school superintendents…

Florida is now monitoring students’ social media behavior

As kids head back to school across Florida in the coming weeks, the state has a new tool designed to help school districts identify, assess and provide intervention services to students whose behavior may pose a threat to themselves of others.The Florida Schools Safety Portal (FSSP) was unveiled by the state Department of Education on…

Getting tough: Florida’s education chief Richard Corcoran tells school districts to fall in line

Mental health. Career planning. Personal finances.  The list of topics that Florida lawmakers have required school districts to cover in classrooms continued to grow this year — some with little advance notice or funding to support them.  The mental health mandate, for instance, came from the State Board of Education less than a month before…

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…