Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jac VerSteegJanuary 11, 2015

Florida’s national ranking by Education Week has dropped precipitously, to No. 28. In 2013, Florida was ranked No. 6. When Florida’s public education system rose to No. 6, politicians raced to crow and claim credit. The ranking proved, they said, that Florida’s encouragement of charter and voucher schools and the state’s accountability system were working. […]

Jac VerSteegJanuary 4, 2015

Candidates mouthed the words “education” a lot in 2014, but it was not a decisive election issue. Still, against the odds, 2015 might be the year the Florida Department of Education makes a sincere effort to make its testing policies reasonable. There has been legitimate concern that Rick Scott, safe in his second term and […]

Jac VerSteegJanuary 4, 2015

Candidates mouthed the words “education” a lot in 2014, but it was not a decisive election issue. Still, against the odds, 2015 might be the year the Florida Department of Education makes a sincere effort to make its testing policies reasonable. There has been legitimate concern that Rick Scott, safe in his second term and […]

Phil AmmannDecember 28, 2014

After declaring he is “actively exploring” a White House run, Jeb Bush surged to lead the pack Republican 2016 presidential contenders, says to a new CNN/ORC poll. In a nationwide survey, the former Florida governor took 23% of Republicans, putting him 10 points ahead of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was second with 13%. Physician Ben […]

Associated PressDecember 17, 2014

With his announcement of plans to “actively explore” running for president, former Florida Gov. Jeb. Bush is now — in the minds of many Republican donors and other party leaders — an early front-runner for the GOP’s next presidential nomination. In Favor: 1. The Bush Name As the brother and son of former Republican presidents, […]

Associated PressDecember 17, 2014

With his announcement of plans to “actively explore” running for president, former Florida Gov. Jeb. Bush is now — in the minds of many Republican donors and other party leaders — an early front-runner for the GOP’s next presidential nomination. In Favor: 1. The Bush Name As the brother and son of former Republican presidents, […]

Martin DyckmanDecember 15, 2014

If Jeb Bush runs for president, as he most likely will, one of his signature issues, education, will get him hammered from both sides. The Republican Party’s tea bag wing is unforgiving – so far – over his embrace of the Common Core standards even though the federal government has had almost nothing to do with them. […]

Jac VerSteegDecember 15, 2014

If Florida lawmakers are such “school choice” advocates, they should give public schools the same choices enjoyed by the private voucher schools. The voucher schools never were required to give students the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test and won’t be required to administer the tests involved in Florida’s switch to a testing system based on Common […]

Julie DelegalSeptember 3, 2014

Synecdoche means using one part of something to speak for the whole. When it comes to school-privatization rhetoric, voucher proponents have mastered the art of synecdoche. They find an individual — a successful, accomplished voucher student — and tell a glowing story that is meant to represent all private school voucher students, indeed, the entire […]

Marc YachtAugust 31, 2014

Lee County must be commended for the courage to “just say no” to high-stakes testing. Last week, the Lee County School Board voted to end all state-required testing in the county’s public schools. They have had enough with the Common Core agenda pushed by computer corporations and the Gates Foundation. It is rare that liberals […]

Tag: common core

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: The 'They changed the formula' education excuse

2015 might bring high-stakes testing reform to Florida

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: 2015 might bring high-stakes testing reform to Florida

Jeb Bush surges ahead of GOP pack in new CNN poll

Why Jeb Bush is – and isn't – the GOP front-runner

Why Jeb Bush is – and isn’t – the GOP front-runner

Martin Dyckman: Jeb might have an education problem in 2016

Jac VerSteeg: Let public schools choose to give voucher-school tests

Julie Delegal: The simple cure for voucher-school lawsuits

Marc Yacht: We ruin public schools by withholding money, imposing demands