Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued 2021-E0-01: WAIVING STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE FLORIDA EDUCATION CODE, AS SPECIFIED
HEREIN, PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 20-52, MADE NECESSARY BY THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. The order suspends portions of section 1008.22(7), F.S., to modify spring 2021 testing windows and extend the release of assessment results to dates later than statutorily required . Districts can also request additional flexibility in writing (read full order here: 2021-EO-01 DOE Testing)
In addition, the Senate Select Committee on Pandemic Preparedness & Response met to hear a presentation from the Department of Education. The presentation included CARES Act funding and DOE and school district pandemic response efforts. You can view the recording of today’s committee meeting HERE .
- Of note, during questions, Senators Pizzo and Ausley posed questions to Alex Kelly, DOE Chief of Staff, about progress monitoring, accountability, and federal waivers. If you would like to watch that line of questioning, once the recording is available jump to (approx) 1:16 of the committee meeting.
Looking ahead
Tomorrow the Senate Education Committee will kick off at 9am, House Early Learning & Elementary Education will hear HB 529 Moments of Silence in Public Schools (Fine) at 10am, and the Education & Employment Committee will meet to discuss Florida’s Workforce System at 4pm. HB 7 Civil Liability Damages Related to Covid-19 will also continue moving through the process at 4pm in House Judiciary.
