Local schools awarded ‘recognition’ dollars based on student test scores

Twenty-two local schools will get a piece of the $134.6 million pie that is school recognition dollars — an initiative that annually awards schools for achieving either an “A” or substantial progress on state-issued report cards. And while school officials will readily accept the newly minted checks, they also critique the program’s incentive methods, weighing…

Florida school recognition funds on their way, Department of Education says

Teachers and other school employees who have long anticipated a bonus from the state’s A-Plus plan shouldn’t have to wait much longer. The money should be delivered to school districts on Tuesday, according to the Florida Department of Education. School grade appeals have been reviewed, and the 2015 grades are now formalized. So the $134.6…

Florida Standards Assessments ‘never’ sole factor in promotion, state says

Parents of third graders across Florida have raised loud complaints lately that their school administrators and teachers have threatened their children with retention if they don’t pass the Florida Standards Assessment or an alternate test. District officials say they’re sticking to state law, which says: “To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score…

Is change ahead for Florida in battle over standardized testing?

When Polk residents ask School Board members why the School District is doing something, they often get the same answer: The state mandates it, or, the federal government mandates it. Protesters are vocal about their frustration with ever-increasing mandates that affect public education, especially when it comes to Florida’s standardized testing and accountability policies. Some…