“In 1996, Florida began a grand experiment in education reform. Charter schools were placed in a statewide Petri dish. Critics warned that the public/private hybrids would siphon off funding and spell the end of traditional public schools. And now, some state lawmakers foolishly plan to hand charter schools the hose. The Senate Education Committee has endorsed a bill requiring local school districts to share with charter schools a portion of the $1.9 billion in construction and maintenance money collected through local taxes. Money that charter schools could use to defray leases or to buy buildings that -- rather than reverting to the public -- private operators get to keep if the school is not renewed or goes belly up. … For-profit charter management companies could take the money and build schools and lease them to the charter schools. Should the school fold, taxpayers are out the money -- and the building. Unacceptable.”
-- Orlando Sentinel editorial.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-charter-schools-funding-021112-20120210,0,7431759.story
Poverty, homelessness rising sharply among Florida students
Since the economy collapsed in 2008, Florida’s student population has become poorer each year -- with almost all school districts in the state experiencing spikes in the number of kids who qualify for subsidized meals. Children have become homeless at alarming numbers as well. Homelessness among school-age children has soared from 30,878 in the 2006-07 school year to 56,680 in 2010-11. Homelessness for children of all ages, including those too young for public school, was 83,957 in 2010-11, up from 49,886 in 2006-07. The adverse effects of the economic downturn are having a significant impact on Florida’s public school system, in which more than 56 percent of students enrolled in the 2010-2011 school year qualified for subsidized meals. The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting analyzed data relating to poverty rates, homeless students and subsidized meals for all school districts before the financial crisis began up to and through the 2010-11 school year. The widespread increase in these three poverty indicators paints a picture of a state that has become much poorer after the Great Recession. Advocates for the homeless say external factors driven by poverty -- such as lack of housing, low wages, foreclosure and unemployment -- place Florida and its public school system at a critical juncture. Children living in poverty are more likely to have behavioral problems, complete fewer years of education, and, as they grow up, tend to experience more years of unemployment, according to poverty experts and research by the American Psychological Association. “I think that we are growing a Third World in our own back yard,” said Ellen Bassuk, founder and president of the National Center on Family Homelessness, an advocacy and research organization in Needham, Mass. “We look at developing countries, but we don’t look at our own country.”
http://fcir.org/2012/02/12/poverty-homelessness-rising-sharply-among-florida-students/
Online education no substitute for the real thing
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/online-education-no-substitute-for-the-real-thing/1214920
Fewer dollars flowing into statewide school repairs fund
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/09/2638677/fewer-dollars-flowing-into-statewide.html
Teacher evaluation change fuels race for union job (Jean Clements, Leo Haggerty and Joe Thomas quoted)
http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/feb/13/memeto1-teacher-evaluation-change-fuels-race-for-u-ar-358132/
Bill would give parents power with failing schools (Dianne Falvo quoted)
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/feb/12/proposed-bills-would-allow-parents-to-propose-to/
NCLB waiver: Good for Florida? (Vicki Rodriguez quoted)
http://www.wpbf.com/video/30421759/detail.html
Okaloosa School Board to vote on STEMM Center (Karen Peek quoted)
http://www.thedestinlog.com/news/board-47363-nwfdn-school-center.html
Lake union president calls for end to lunch duty for teachers (B Grassel quoted)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-no-lunch-duty-20120211,0,1863756.story
It's not the test's fault (LCEA mentioned)
http://www.dailycommercial.com/Voices/Editorials/021112saturdayedit-RAN-2-12
Palm Beach School Board may bypass superintendent finalists and pick Gent (CTA mentioned)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/fl-super-interviews-palm-20120208,0,2123689.story
Volusia School Board to consider adjusting student dress code (VTO and VESA mentioned)
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/west-volusia/2012/02/13/volusia-school-board-to-consider-adjusting-student-dress-code.html
Pasco parents raise concerns over four-day school week
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/parents-raise-concerns-over-four-day-school-week/1214903
Pasco schools are worried about class sizes
Schools sniffing around for new tax revenue
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/11/2636898/schools-sniffing-around-for-new.html
Faculty seek halt to USF-Poly plan
USF Poly bill could mean loss of accreditation
It’s Scott vs. state officials in effort to raise tuition rates
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/schools/its-gov-rick-scott-vs-state-officials-in-2170316.html
Bill to allow student fee increase catches senators off guard
http://floridaindependent.com/68817/bill-to-allow-student-fee-increase-catches-senators-off-guard
Former Strayer University owner gives back to students through foundation
Legislature faces host of issues in final month of work
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/fl-session-halfway-point-20120213,0,3694299.story
http://htpolitics.com/2012/02/10/florida-legislature-at-the-halfway-mark/
http://findout.typepad.com/the_fine_print/2012/02/halftime-of-the-2012-session-bills-are-dying.html
Dockery says private Florida prisons no cheaper than public ones
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2012/02/dockery_says_private_florida_p.html
Prison, school moves to change the rules
Senate releases $70.8 billion budget
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=26525757
Lawmakers' budget maneuvers often aren't transparent
Legislature is leaving poor Floridians without a safety net, critics say
Bondi asks justices to review redistricting
http://www.weartv.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.fl/38ba6683-www.weartv.com.shtml
New district boundaries need work
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/new-district-boundaries-need-work/1214952
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/editorials/new-lines-old-attitudes-2168164.html
Democrats, independents tilt Miami’s congressional districts
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/09/2635547/democrats-independents-tilt-miamis.html
Redistricting maps will spur big changes in Central Florida
Leon supervisor of elections says new elections law will cost county $112,000 more
http://floridaindependent.com/68926/ion-sancho-elections-law-leon-county
Tallahassee tax cuts put squeeze on cities
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/11/2636918/tallahassee-tax-cuts-put-squeeze.html
Feds reject part of state's request for Medicaid change
http://www.newsserviceflorida.com/cgi/as_web.exe?rev2012+D+1592603
NRA got sweet deal on billboards from company at center of grand jury probe
Gaetz (the elder) criticized for hanging remark
http://ap.news-journalonline.com/dynamic/stories/F/FL_XGR_HANGING_REMARK_FLOL-?SITE=FLDAY&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/gaetz-47359--.html
http://htpolitics.com/2012/02/10/gaetz-apologizes-for-hanging-remarka/
Florida lawmakers tread carefully with deregulation of professions this time
Keep Florida Forever alive
http://www.pnj.com/article/20120211/OPINION/202110302/Feb-11-Editorial-Keep-Florida-Forever-alive
Fasano popular with constituents, but not with fellow Republicans
Rising House speaker ascends leadership ladder quickly
http://htpolitics.com/2012/02/12/rising-house-speaker-ascends-leadership-ladder-quickly/
Siplin doesn't fall in line
Obama budget bets other concerns will trump the deficit
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/us/politics/obamas-budget-to-focus-on-cutting-deficit-and-adding-jobs.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/us/politics/obama-budgets-dueling-priorities-stimulus-and-deficit.html
Debunking the “entitlement society” myth
http://www.offthechartsblog.org/debunking-the-entitlement-society-myth/
The truth about corporate taxes
http://www.bradenton.com/2012/02/10/3863354/the-truth-about-corporate-taxes.html
Occupy Movement regroups, preparing for its next phase
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/occupy-movement-regroups-laying-plans-for-the-next-phase.html
Take Back Our Schools, Our Florida, Our State |
|
![]() |
|
Click here to find out how you can help |