The flow of students from Puerto Rico has slowed in recent weeks, but mainland schools continue to take in new evacuees five months after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. In parts of the country with large Puerto Rican communities, districts are still hiring bilingual staff, monitoring students closely for signs of trauma, reconfiguring classrooms, tinkering…
This is the 6th week of the Legislative Session. As we move into the final weeks of the Session, the pace will pick up in the effort to move bills through the committee process and to continue the budget process. As a status report on the budget, both chambers have passed their respective budget bills…
Sophia Lam is not ashamed to admit it. She’s approaching her high school graduation, with college loans, tax payments, credit cards and more in the offing. Yet she’s not sure how to deal with that financial reality. “We’re preparing for the start of life and being an adult,” said Lam, a Brandon High School senior.…
Florida’s House and Senate both passed competing budgets on Thursday that, while not far apart on the money, are philosophically opposed about how to pay for schools, hospitals and affordable housing. The House passed its $87.2 billion budget on a vote of 85-27 after a highly-charged partisan debate that foreshadowed bigger election-year battles ahead, mostly…
The FSBA Day in the Legislature Conference has been in full swing this week with more than 125 school board members and other attendees in Tallahassee to participate in legislative briefings and advocacy training, network with education leaders, and meet with legislators to discuss issues of interest to school districts. This has been a particularly…
The House and Senate on Wednesday advanced separate versions of an $87 billion-plus state budget, with the two chambers taking different courses on health-care spending and a plan to link education policy to the budget process. After initial debate on the bills, the Senate is poised to pass its $87.3 billion bill (SB 2500) on…
After reading an Orlando Sentinel series on the issue, Florida lawmakers came to the conclusion that they needed to stiffen oversight laws affecting private schools that accept state tax-credit scholarships. They looked at a variety of areas, ranging from school inspections to owner financial status. In drafting his legislation on the subject, Sen. David Simmons also…
It’s a debate worth about $26.9 billion, and involves the most fundamental, nagging question surrounding Florida’s education system: What does Florida owe its students in public education? And it begins today — at least this year’s rendition. The Florida House’s omnibus education bill, HB 7055, is slated to be heard on the floor Wednesday afternoon — an event that…
After considering more than 100 proposals in committees, the Florida Constitution Revision Commission is ready to move into its next phase, starting with a public hearing today in Fort Lauderdale.The scheduled six-hour hearing, which starts at 1 p.m. at Nova Southeastern University, is the first of five public hearings that will be held across the…
Today is the beginning of the 5th week – and the half-way mark — of the Legislative Session. Please be sure to watch our Legislative Weekly video featuring FSBA Executive Director Andrea Messina providing a recap of bills considered last week and a preview of some of the issues coming up. There were no legislative…