Now anyone in Florida can challenge what’s taught in schools

A new Florida law would let anyone in the state challenge, and possibly change, what kids are learning in school.Any Florida resident can raise concerns about teaching material they find unfit for public school classrooms, according to legislation that went into effect Saturday. The bill was introduced in February by Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Naples, and…

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Charter schools could get $96M in capital aid from Florida school districts next year

Florida’s 650 charter schools could see as much as an extra $96.3 million coming their way in 2017-18, thanks to a controversial provision in a sweeping education bill Gov. Rick Scott signed into law that forces school districts to hand over some of their local tax dollars.  An aspect of HB 7069 that most concerned…

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In The Weeds: Florida Lawmakers Provide Medical Marijuana Guidance For The Workplace

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a medical marijuana bill into law on Friday that provides guidelines on the implementation of the state’s Constitutional Amendment regarding medical marijuana. The good news for employers: the bill provides additional guidance on the amendment’s application in the workplace. The bad news for employers: the bill will almost certainly invite…

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Commentary: ‘Failing’ schools? Charter schools get F’s three times as often in Florida

For years, Florida politicians have trashed public schools, describing them as “failures.”  Traditional public schools get it wrong, they say.  Charter schools get it right, they say.  We need to take money away from “failing” traditional schools and give more of it to charter schools, they say. Yet when school grades were released this past…

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In The Weeds: Florida Lawmakers Provide Medical Marijuana Guidance For The Workplace

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a medical marijuana bill into law on Friday that provides guidelines on the implementation of the state’s Constitutional Amendment regarding medical marijuana. The good news for employers: the bill provides additional guidance on the amendment’s application in the workplace. The bad news for employers: the bill will almost certainly invite…

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Florida Council of 100 Releases PreK-3 Recommendations 

The Florida Council of 100 has released The Horizons 2040 Project: PreK-3 recommendations.  These recommendations come as part of a long-term vision for education in Florida, and they will be followed in months and years to come with additional recommendations at Grades 4-8 and 9-12. Prior to the public release, the Council met with the…

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School grades rise following rollout of Common Core-aligned tests

Florida’s school grades, which are based partially on test scores, are improving after three years of students taking exams based on the state’s version of the Common Core standards.The percentage of schools statewide earning the top two grades on the Jeb Bush-era A-to-F rating system jumped from 46 percent in 2015-16 to 57 percent in…

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The Supreme Court sided with Trinity Lutheran Church. Here’s why that matters.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on a high-profile case involving a church’s day-care playground surfaces will likely be used in church-state battles in the future, experts believe. The decision, released on Monday, involving a church in Missouri was seen as a victory for many advocates and a blow to those who wanted to see a high wall of separation…

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