FSBA Friday Five – Week of February 20, 2017
Each week, Executive Director Andrea Messina selects 5 things you should know from the week’s ed news. Read. Share. Retweet. Access this week’s FSBA Friday Five HERE
Betsy DeVos Confirmed as Education Secretary; Pence Breaks Tie
The Senate confirmed Betsy DeVos on Tuesday as education secretary, approving the embattled nominee only with the help of a historic tiebreaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence. Read More
Senate committee approves Betsy DeVos in 12-11 party-line vote. Full Senate confirmation likely.
The DeVos nomination moved out of committee today on a 12-11 party vote and now goes to the full Senate, which is expected to confirm her as U.S education secretary. A billionaire school choice advocate from Michigan, DeVos requires a simple majority to win. Read More
Want to change Florida’s Constitution? Today is application deadline for revision board
Friday is the last day to apply to be a member of what may be one of the most influential groups assembled in Florida in two decades — the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission. The unique panel has the power to put proposals directly on the 2018 mid-term ballot to reform and update the state’s constitution,…
Court gives charter school partial win against PBC school board
A state appeals court on Wednesday rejected the Palm Beach County School Board’s claim that it alone should decide which charter schools open in the county, handing a partial victory to a charter that the school board has been fighting for two years to prevent from opening. But the court also ordered a state board…
Florida Supreme Court refuses to hear case on tax credit scholarships
The long legal fight against Florida’s corporate tax credit scholarship program appears to be over. The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to hear the Florida Education Association’s petition seeking standing to challenge the program. Read More
School Choice, Explained
Charter schools. Vouchers. Tax-credit scholarships. Education savings accounts. What are these things and how do they relate to school choice? Education Week reporter Arianna Prothero breaks down the different forms of public and private school choice. Read More
Class-size rules: Central Florida school districts meet requirements
Most local school districts kept their classes small enough this fall to meet Florida’s class-size rules, according to recently released data from the Florida Department of Education. Read full article
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.…
Newly crowned political stars likely to give charter schools big lift
From Washington to the state Capitol, political stars are aligning for a major drive to expand charter and voucher schools – a double-barreled push sparking fear among defenders of traditional schools. President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Michigan school choice advocate Betsy DeVos as new education secretary is viewed as a clear signal he is serious…