Lawmakers are facing an end-of-the-year traffic jam with legislation piling up and a tight schedule that leaves them little wiggle room. Leadership is juggling a backlog of must-pass bills and nominations as well as eleventh-hour requests from rank-and-file members as legislators try to cram as much as possible into the final days of the work […]
Nelson Concedes, Scott Wins Florida Senate Race
Three-term Senator Bill Nelson is conceding defeat to Republican Governor Rick Scott in the race for U.S. Senate. All of Florida’s 67 counties submitted final vote tallies to Tallahassee at noon on Sunday. Read More
Recounts loom larger, legal action begins as margins tighten in key Florida races
As the Senate race between Gov. Rick Scott and Sen. Bill Nelson appears headed to a statewide recount, both candidates are mobilizing teams of lawyers and legal skirmishes are well underway. Thursday dawned with Scott leading Nelson by just more than one-fourth of a percentage point. The candidates for agriculture commissioner are much closer, divided […]
Nelson, Rubio press FEMA to improve hurricane response
Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio are not happy with FEMA, saying the agency needs to do a better job helping Florida residents displaced by Hurricane Irma find rental housing. They say people are also waiting up to four hours on the phone to speak with someone at FEMA. Read More
Florida announces plan to help hurricane-stricken counties conduct general election
Hurricane Michael left behind a path of major destruction and death when it slammed into the Florida Panhandle near Mexico Beach just over a week ago. The Category 4 hurricane wiped out communities and disrupted the lives of residents in the Florida Panhandle. With the November election less than three weeks away, the storm has […]
Betsy DeVos Releases ESSA Guide for Parents
Parents: Can’t make heads or tails of the Every Student Succeeds Act? The U.S. Department of Education has put together a cheat sheet for you. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos unveiled the “parents’ guide” at a roundtable in Mississippi, with parents, students, and educators, as part of her four-state “Rethink School” tour. Read More
U.S. Department of Education Announces 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today recognized 349 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Read More
Spending Bill Boosting Education Funding Clears Congress, Heads to Trump
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is very close to knowing how much money her department has to spend in the next fiscal year. On Wednesday, the House approved a spending package that includes fiscal 2019 funding for the U.S. Department of Education. The legislation, which the Senate passed last week, includes several increases for […]
Florida wins approval for its federal accountability plan
Florida has finally gotten its federal education accountability plan accepted. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sent Florida commissioner Pam Stewart a formal letter acknowledging the approval on Wednesday. Florida had been the only state in the nation not to have an approved plan. It went through five revisions — including one submitted on Monday — before DeVos […]
Senate Passes Spending Bill to Increase Funding for Several Education Programs
The Senate has approved a spending package that contains funding increases for prominent education programs focusing on disadvantaged students and special education, among several others. Read More