When Polk residents ask School Board members why the School District is doing something, they often get the same answer: The state mandates it, or, the federal government mandates it.
Protesters are vocal about their frustration with ever-increasing mandates that affect public education, especially when it comes to Florida’s standardized testing and accountability policies.
Some people, including policymakers and interest groups such as former Gov. Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education, stand firmly by the system. The State Board of Education recently discussed trying to make the state test even tougher to pass.