It’s okay for Florida superintendents to propose hiring their relatives

In many, if not most, Florida counties, the local school district is the largest employer.  That gives the superintendent of schools plenty of power when it comes to hiring and firing. But what happens if one of the superintendent’s relatives needs a job? Read More Read the Ethics Commission Opinion

Is Civics Education Lacking in Florida Schools? DeSantis and Corcoran Say Yes

The State Board of Education is pushing for more accountability in how schools teach classes included in Florida statues including civics, the Holocaust and the history and heritage of African Americans, Hispanics and women.  This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran cheered the board for its efforts to have schools focus more…

FSBA Friday Five – September 27, 2019

Principal Pipelines:  A feasible, affordable, and effective way for districts to improve schools Culture matters—Massachusetts school’s culture credited for 100% college acceptance rate Culture matters 2—Teachers paint uplifting art on bathroom stalls for kids who need it most The mobile phone debate—should cell phones be allowed in classrooms? 2020 State of Mental Health in America…

Florida lawmakers will weigh teacher salaries, bonuses

Gov. Ron DeSantis has been tight-lipped about the details of his teacher-compensation plan for the upcoming legislative session, but this week he suggested doing away with a controversial bonus program.Yet a number of Republican lawmakers and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran say they want to keep bonuses in teacher-pay discussions during the 2020 session. Read More

SECOND DRAFT of Standards Now Available, Florida Department of Education

Date: Fri, Sep 20, 2019 at 10:32 AM Subject: Second draft of standards available To: <STANDARDS-REVIEW-L@lserv.fldoe.org> Dear Education Stakeholders, We are pleased to announce the next steps for crafting Florida’s new educational standards in English language arts and mathematics, pursuant to Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 19-32, which seeks to ensure Florida has the best academic…

FSBA Friday Five – September 20, 2019

Parents turn to each other and the internet to navigate the “crazy complicated” world of special education Parents are wondering how much tech in every classroom is helping and are pushing back In case you missed it this week Innovation–ND school district adopts personalized learning and moves away from standardized tests and towards project work…

Prekindergarten, early education get limelight from House committee

The Florida House made clear Tuesday that prekindergarten and early education will receive heavy attention in the coming legislative session, as the state aims to better prepare its children for kindergarten and beyond.  “This is where it starts. It starts with early learning,” Education Committee chairwoman Rep. Jennifer Sullivan said to introduce her panel’s two-hour…