Florida Legislature approves vouchers for bullied students

Florida took steps Monday to set up the nation’s first ever private school voucher program for bullied students under a sweeping education bill that the state’s Legislature passed and sent to Gov. Rick Scott.The vote came the same day that legislators also sent to Scott a significant revamp of Florida’s universities and colleges that includes…

Florida Senate advances massive education bill with last-minute changes

The Florida Senate advanced HB 7055 on Friday, but it wasn’t the same education package that had passed through a committee earlier in the week.  A major amendment filed the evening before it went to the floor for a vote was the result of negotiations with House members, said sponsor Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. Those negotiations…

FSBA Session Spotlight — February 20, 2018

Today, Governor Scott convened several workshops – an education workshop, a mental health and child welfare workshop, and a law enforcement workshop — that met throughout the day to examine the elements to improve student safety and school security. FSBA was well represented in these discussions by Dr. Terry Nichols, Jackson County School Board Chair,…

FSBA Session Spotlight — February 19, 2018

Today, we begin the 7th week of the Legislative Session with only a few more weeks remaining before the scheduled adjournment on March 9.  As we start the week, please be sure to watch our Legislative Weekly video which features FSBA Executive Director Andrea Messina offering heartfelt comments on the horrible tragedy at Marjory Stoneman…

FSBA Session Spotlight — February 6-8, 2018

The FSBA Day in the Legislature Conference has been in full swing this week with more than 125 school board members and other attendees in Tallahassee to participate in legislative briefings and advocacy training, network with education leaders, and meet with legislators to discuss issues of interest to school districts. This has been a particularly…

Should Florida private schools that take state vouchers have degreed teachers?

After reading an Orlando Sentinel series on the issue, Florida lawmakers came to the conclusion that they needed to stiffen oversight laws affecting private schools that accept state tax-credit scholarships.  They looked at a variety of areas, ranging from school inspections to owner financial status. In drafting his legislation on the subject, Sen. David Simmons also…

Battle royale: Florida House gears up for what could be its biggest debate of the session

It’s a debate worth about $26.9 billion, and involves the most fundamental, nagging question surrounding Florida’s education system: What does Florida owe its students in public education?  And it begins today — at least this year’s rendition.  The Florida House’s omnibus education bill, HB 7055, is slated to be heard on the floor Wednesday afternoon — an event that…

FSBA Session Spotlight — January 31, 2017

Work on the state budget took center stage today and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees reviewed their respective budget proposals and related bills. The House made only a few changes to their main budget bill – none of which impacted Pre-K-12 Education Funding – but adopted a lengthy substitute bill for their main education…