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New Florida Charter School Bill: CIS 16-01
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B-CIS 16-01 School Choice
This is a rework of prior bills to create the Florida Charter School Institute which is designed to reduce local district charter authorizing authority. In addition, it creates a high impact charter district and changes charter board requirements. This is a bill that revives state vs. district control concern over charter school authorization.
New Florida Bill: District Home Rule
Representative Taylor from Daytona Beach wants flexibility for public schools. His bill, 0829, would exempt districts from certain laws in Florida statutes Chapters 1000-1013 governing public schools. What is interesting is what is not exempted: assessment, school grading. students with disabilities, student health and safety, and various public records laws, personnel salary schedules and performance evaluations.
The purpose of the bill is to expand local control as currently authorized for charter schools to public schools in order to initiate innovation and implement financial efficiencies. So what is gained in this bill? It appears that facilities regulations would disappear and public schools would have flexibility in how they spend lottery money.
Will these changes help students? Maybe not. It could just be a way to legalize what is already happening with the class size regulations. Public schools could adjust class sizes as long as they met the average class size at the school level. This is the standard charters must meet. Once more it is all about the money, not the children.
LWV New Mexico Focuses on Strategies for Academic Success
by Meredith Machen, LWV New Mexico
Meredith Machen, President of the New Mexico League, has just won The New Mexican 10 Who Made a Difference award for 2015. She sends us their LWVNM positions and strategies to support public education.
This could not be more timely. Here in Florida, we are working on a similar statement. It is easier to criticize the many shortcomings of current education policy than it is to formulate workable strategies, but New Mexico has set a high standard. They address many current problems in constructive ways.
The LWV-Florida is compiling strategies from other state leagues as well. Send us yours.
Duval Schools Under Civil Rights Investigation
School choice is supposed to close the achievement gap, but it does not. According to the U.S. Department of Education, it does result in increased segregation. Racial and economic segregation in urban schools is nothing new. The investigation in Duval County is compiling data on teacher salaries, qualifications, principal assignments and principal evaluations. The complaint will review differences in resources and staff associated with low income schools in Duval’s north and west side areas.
The basic question is whether students who live in locales with concentrated poverty have equal access to a high quality education. At least there are serious questions being asked about improving equity. These are concerns in most districts.
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- League Members visit the office of Senator Marco Rubio
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- League Members wait to see Senator Bill Nelson
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- Education Team at the Department of Education
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