Text of the Bill and a Brief Summary
- SB 166 (full text) fulfills one of FEA’s legislative priorities by allowing teachers to earn mutliyear contract,
- Creates a 10-year teaching certificate.
- Removes some high-stakes consequences from standardized testing that currently keep students from graduating, and
- Removes the requirement that student performance (including VAM) be the sole determiner in staffing turnaround schools and for qualifying for pay incentives.
- There is currently not a House companion bill.
What’s Next
SB 166
SB 166 has passed the Senate unanimously and is waiting to be heard in the House.
Talking Points
- Every county in Florida has the same goal for all students to gain the skills they need to thrive now and into adulthood. Each county also has very different needs. By repealing some statewide mandates, SB 166 makes it easier for teachers and school communities to do what is best in their local context.
- Allowing teachers who have demonstrated expertise to earn a 10-year teaching certificate will help to retain teachers and relieve them of the burdensome process of renewing their certificate every 5 years.
- No student should be denied a high school diploma simply because of a single test score. This bill is a step in the right direction by no longer requiring students to pass the Algebra I EOC in order to receive their diploma. Students are still held to the same high standards for course completion, but are no longer at the mercy of a single test.
