Florida’s children rank 40th in the nation when it comes to their health, education and economic well-being, new data suggests, and close to a million of them are living in poverty — a number that dipped slightly from a year earlier. The report, released today by Florida Kids Count, part of a nationwide project of…
Seeking to keep higher-education costs low and help more students graduate on time, Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday will outline an ambitious legislative agenda to cap student fees, eliminate sales taxes on textbook purchases and extend the Bright Futures scholarships to summer classes. Read More
A growing number of Florida teachers has qualified for the controversial Best and Brightest bonus that’s based, in part, on their college entry exam scores. Districts deemed 7,188 educators as eligible for the state-funded award, which boosts the pay of teachers who earned a “highly effective” evaluation rating and also scored in the top 20…
Two years have passed since Florida lawmakers acknowledged, under mounting pressure from parents and teachers, that public school children might be overtested. The Legislature took steps to limit testing hours and eliminate some exams, amid criticism over a botched spring computerized assessment cycle. Read More
The controversial “Best and Brightest” bonus program for Florida teachers could be headed for changes in the upcoming legislative session, though the dimensions of those revisions are still murky. Read More
5 Things You Should Know. Start 2017 off right. FSBA’s #FridayFive brings you education news that you shouldn’t miss. Read. Learn. Share. Quality County 2017 Report and Rankings Principal Autonomy program likely to get more specifics attached Know someone who should be on the Florida State Board of Education? What to expect in Congress this…
Florida ranked 29th and earned a grade of C on an annual report on education quality in the United States released today. The report ranked and graded all 50 states. The Sunshine State’s showing was slightly better this year than last — when it was ranked as 30th in the nation– but put it about where its…
The seven-person Florida Board of Education heads toward its Jan. 17 meeting with two open seats and no announced time line from the Governor’s Office to fill them. Board member John Padget, a Keys businessman and onetime Monroe superintendent, was forced to step down in December after having served two full terms. He cannot be…
Happy New Year! As we enter 2017 together, I will be looking for articles and short videos that will help us grow as leaders. If you come across an article that you would like to share, please send it to me so I can post it for you. I thought the following article would be…
Senators next week will hear a bill allowing guns in classrooms, airports and government meetings. Gun advocates in Florida didn’t take a break over the holiday weekend. Florida Open Carry Inc. began rallying its troops New Year’s Eve with a mass email in support of “the most important pro-Second Amendment rights bill of the 2017 legislative…