Florida House budget leaders look to cut spending, including in education

Florida’s public education system could see millions of dollars of funding reduced in the coming year, under scenarios put forth Tuesday by the state House Appropriations Committee.  Citing flat revenue this year, with anticipated declines in the coming two years, chairman Rep. Carlos Trujillo asked members to go through a budget cutting exercise aimed at…

FSBA #FridayFive – Week of January 2, 2017

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 Senate Starts Looking At Teacher Pay, School Funding, Recess And Testing

Senator David Simmons says teachers shouldn’t have to hold down second jobs:  “It breaks my heart when I see teachers having to work in the evening just to make ends meet and we’ve got to improve teacher compensation,” he says.  Simmons, an Altamont Springs Republican, is chairing his chamber’s K-12 Education Committee. And he says…

Budget chairman wants ‘serious look’ at testing

Sen. David Simmons, an Altamonte Springs Republican who chairs the Senate’s public-education budget subcommittee, said Wednesday he will make another push that could reduce the amount of standardized testing in Florida schools.  During the first meeting of the Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Simmons framed over-testing as something that crimps the state’s ability to spend…

Republican lawmakers have big plans for Florida’s unique process to revise Constitution

For the first time in 20 years, Florida embarks on a constitutionally mandated update of the state Constitution next year and, if Florida’s top Republican officials have their way, they will use the process to overturn the most controversial rulings of the state’s high court — on education spending, private school vouchers and political redistricting.…

Florida Lawmakers Look For Answers On Workers’ Comp

With businesses bracing for rate increases, Florida House members this week began grappling with the tricky political and legal challenge of revamping the workers’ compensation insurance system.  Staff members held briefings Tuesday and Wednesday to try to help lawmakers understand the complicated system, which is likely to be one of the highest-profile issues of the…