FSBA Friday Five – April 19, 2019
Because it is spring–great gardening books for kids What is explicit instruction and how does it help children learn? Simple strategies can help students re-frame challenges as opportunities for growth The State of Preschool (research) What types of technology are teachers using in the classroom and is it effective?
FSBA Session Spotlight — April 18, 2019
Today’s agenda includes just two committee meetings. Of particular interest, the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider its version of an omnibus education bill — SB 7070 — that expands public and private school choice programs and addresses a variety of other issues. An 85-page strike-all amendment has been filed to this controversial bill, so a […]
Senate panel temporarily pulls plug on school board term limit bill
A bill that would impose term limits on local school board members stalled in a Senate panel on Wednesday. Sen. Dennis Baxley’s bill (SJR 274) proposes a constitutional amendment on the question, requiring a statewide approval of 60% to be added to the state’s governing document. But the need for a statewide vote on a […]
School districts, charters, sheriffs. Who decides if teachers can be armed?
The Florida Senate didn’t have a formal vote on the bill that would allow classroom teachers to be armed on Wednesday, but they did adopt a major amendment that could settle one of the biggest lingering questions of the debate: who gets to decide if teachers in a school can be armed? Read More
School safety bill would arm teachers. But what else does it do?
Florida’s school safety bill has divided Republicans and Democrats over the issue of allowing classroom teachers to carry guns on campus. But as the bill heads for a vote by the full Senate, other provisions dealing with mental health, campus crime reporting and active shooter policies have broad bipartisan support. Despite what both parties view as […]
FSBA Session Summary — April 17, 2019
Today’s agenda includes both House and Senate floor sessions followed by a Senate committee meeting. Of particular interest, during the Senate Session, the Senate will consider its school safety bill (which has now been renamed “Implementation of Legislative Recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Public Safety Commission”) – on 2nd Reading. Several amendments have […]
School referendum funding bill heads to Florida House floor with some changes
The Florida House bill that would require school districts that have had successful voter referendums to share their additional funding with charter schools passed its final committee in the House on Tuesday, with a few significant changes. Its next stop is the House floor. Under this bill, House Bill 7123, districts whose voters approved a […]
FSBA Session Spotlight — April 16, 2019
As we begin the seventh week of the Legislative Session, please take a few minutes to watch our FSBA Week 6 Video Update featuring FSBA Executive Director Andrea Messina providing a recap of the main events during the sixth week of the Session. In addition, this is a good time to provide a quick update […]
Florida School Boards join state leaders in Tallahassee
Over 150 school board members from across the state recently convened in Tallahassee to participate in leadership development training, legislative briefings, and advocacy sessions to prepare for visits to the Capitol.To kick off the week, over 45 school board members elected in 2018 attended the second installment of New School Board Member Academy. They were […]
*VIDEO* FSBA Legislative Update Video – Week 6
*VIDEO* FSBA Legislative Update – Week 6 from Florida School Boards Assoc on Vimeo.
Justices to hear Parkland liability dispute
The Florida Supreme Court said Friday it will hear arguments in a dispute about how much the Broward County School Board could be forced to pay to parents and victims in last year’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Justices issued a unanimous order saying they will take up the case and will […]
FSBA Friday Five – April 12, 2019
5 Things You Should Know in Education News When Will K-12 Classrooms Scrap Those Age-Old, Rigid Desk-Chairs? CTE classes are popular but do they lead to jobs in the nations biggest industries? Educators are ready to innovate. Is your system? Teaching historical inquiry through media literacy and critical thinking Books that inspire kids to become […]
FSBA Session Spotlight — April 11, 2019
Today’s agenda includes House and Senate committee meetings and a House floor session. Of particular interest, the Senate will consider its school safety bill — SB 7030 – and the House will consider a PCB relating to taxation and tax relief. The House floor session provides 3rd Reading on several bills of interest that had […]
Bill in Florida House would require school districts to share local referendum money with charter schools
Florida school districts that successfully pushed for a special local property tax to better fund public education would have to share that money with charter schools, under a bill filed this week in the Legislature. The measure, proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee, would allow the state to withhold other sources of money […]
FSBA Session Spotlight — April 10, 2019
Today’s agenda includes both Senate committee meetings and House and Senate floor sessions. Bills of interest under consideration today include bills relating to term limits for school board members, parental rights, school choice, local referenda, career education, public records, and government accountability. Today’s schedule is posted below and will be updated to show the outcome on […]
Stoneman Douglas commission reviews how school districts are doing at keeping kids safe
embers of the state commission investigating the Parkland school shooting on Tuesday debated the pros and cons of rating school districts on how well they are implementing policies to keep children safe. The discussion was part of the commission’s first hearing in more than three months, which began with reports of progress in making schools […]
How do Florida’s standards stack up? The state wants your input
The Florida Department of Education has launched a new website aimed at gathering more detailed public views about the standards Gov. Ron DeSantis has demanded be revised. The site, which requires registration, details language arts and math standards by grade level. For each, it asks respondents whether they would like to eliminate, revise, move or […]
FSBA Session Spotlight — April 9, 2019
Before diving into the sixth week of the Legislative Session, please be sure to watch our FSBA Weekly Video Update featuring FSBA Executive Director Andrea Messina providing a recap of the main events during the fourth week of the Session. Today’s agenda includes consideration of the omnibus school choice bill — HB 7095 – in the […]
FSBA Friday Five – April 5, 2019
High school does NOT have to be boring How 3 black male educators took a 7th grader from discipline problem to poetry champ Cool things—ruler that combines metric and imperial measurements 10 tips to ensure your website is ADA compliant Today’s inspiration—80 year old janitor comes to work expecting to clean. Instead, 800 students sing […]