Florida School Boards Association
Decades after corporal punishment was banned in South Florida’s public schools, educators in the Clewiston area and 23 other Florida counties still paddle their students, and black children are much more likely than other students to be hit. Physical discipline in public schools has been on the decline for years in Florida, with the number…
DetailsStephanie Sheridan uncapped her dry-erase marker and started scribbling on the tabletop in the middle of her classroom. She then called over a few fourth-graders to demonstrate their skills. The criteria: whether they had done well on an online quiz taken at home, after watching a short lesson on YouTube. “She makes a video for…
DetailsParents and school officials in Leon County welcome the news of changes to standardized testing in Florida and say eliminating the English language arts test for 11th-graders is a step in the right direction. Gov. Rick Scott said last week he would issue an executive order suspending the exam following recommendations from Commissioner of Education…
DetailsState lawmakers, Cabinet members, judges, school board members, county commissioners, sheriffs and property appraisers may not be able to join the traditional state pension plan if they are newly elected after July 2016. That proposal is far from a reality but it is a distinct possibility as the House moves forward on a study aimed…
DetailsEducation Commissioner Pam Stewart has recommended eliminating a high school exam, making another optional and asking state lawmakers and local school districts to cut back on the amount of testing. Stewart’s recommendations are the conclusion of a statewide review of standardized testing requested by Gov. Rick Scott. “There is, without a doubt, an excess of…
DetailsFlorida school districts have until Tuesday to certify their readiness for the state’s spring computerized testing. Bay County superintendent Bill Husfelt says his schools aren’t ready. “We are not ready for the onslaught of the existing tests let alone new tests that we have not seen, have not had adequate time to prepare for and…
DetailsAt dinner tables across Florida, parents and their elementary school children are trying to solve a math problem: What’s going on with my kid’s homework? Florida is one of dozens of states that has switched to new math standards based on Common Core. The standards outline what students should know in every grade. Experts say…
DetailsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott today announced the 2015 Black History Month student and teacher contests winners. The winners will be honored tonight during the Black History Month reception at the Governor’s mansion. The reception celebrates the contributions African-American community leaders, educators and students make to Florida’s communities, culture…
Detailsov. Rick Scott said today that Florida schools spend too much time on testing and that the Florida Legislature should fix that this year. Scott said a testing investigation he asked the Florida Department of Education to conduct should provide a “template” for changes. The governor, speaking at a Tallahassee education conference hosted by former…
DetailsAs Jeb Bush edges closer to a presidential run, no issue may better define him than his efforts to improve education in Florida and the nation. To detractors, including the teachers’ unions, Bush undermined public education by promoting issues using vouchers to send students to private schools, expanding charter schools and emphasizing rigid testing and…
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