This week’s special legislative session on education and economic-development funding seemed Tuesday to be on the verge of collapse before it even began, with Senate and House leaders trading barbs and facing a tight deadline. Read More
The first substantive meeting of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission showed clear rifts among members of the panel responsible for putting proposed constitutional changes on the 2018 ballot. Meeting in Orlando, the commission Tuesday split on a vote about rules that will govern the panel’s work in the coming months. Read More
When lawmakers open a special session Wednesday afternoon, they’ll be under a tight, three-day time limit to increase education spending and create a new economic development program for the governor. The deal was inked behind closed doors last week by Gov. Rick Scott, House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron in an effort…
Advocates of traditional public education welcomed Gov. Rick Scott’s demand on Friday that lawmakers redo the K-12 education budget for next year and boost it with $215 million in additional spending. But school superintendents, teachers union leaders and others cautioned that those added dollars won’t be good enough if Scott intends to also sign House…
Gov. Rick Scott on Friday slashed the entire $11 billion public school budget and eliminated $409 million in local projects from the Legislature’s $83 billion spending plan, setting the stage for a special session next week to increase funding to schools. Read More
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a new state budget into law Friday evening, but not before he vetoed nearly $12 billion. The governor vetoed money for public schools as part of a budget deal he worked out with legislators. Legislators will hold a special session next week, where they are expected to increase the amount…
In response to the requests and advocacy of school board members, superintendents, district staff, parents, and students, Governor Scott has announced that he intends to veto the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) portion of the state budget because he finds it to be inadequate to meet the needs of students and their families. A Special…
Two months after the formation of the Constitution Revision Commission, the rules governing the 37-member panel remain in turmoil as a power struggle between the chairman and the rest of the commission has emerged. Read More
The clock starts today for Gov. Rick Scott who has 15 days to decide whether to sign an $82.4 billion state budget — and just how much of it he wants to veto. Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, on Wednesday is sending the budget bill (SB 2500) to Scott, who faces a June 15 deadline to act on…
The Palm Beach County school board is taking its battle over charter school approval to the Florida Supreme Court. Board members have taken a hard line against charter schools they feel are not innovative — but the state intervened and overturned the board’s rejection of a school that did not meet those standards. Read More