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Staff ReportsJune 26, 2018

The Florida Education Association (FEA) is asking state lawmakers to take a pledge — to make them “at least” average. The statewide teachers union held a press call Tuesday about boosting their pay, saying that “Florida’s public school teachers and education staff professionals sit near the bottom of the national barrel when it comes to pay, […]

Drew WilsonMay 4, 2018

Public education will only improve when people buy in, Step Up for Students President Doug Tuthill said Thursday at the Florida Chamber of Commerce Summit on Prosperity & Economic Opportunity. “I’m going to start with the good news: public education today is in the best shape that it’s ever been in,” Tuthill said, citing the […]

Drew WilsonMay 4, 2018

One of the most pervasive topics of discussion at the Florida Chamber of Commerce Summit on Prosperity & Economic Opportunity was the role affordable housing, or the lack of it, plays in holding back poor Floridians, especially children. A report presented by Anne Ray of the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies provided […]

Scott PowersApril 16, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum on Monday pledged he would spend an additional $1 billion on public education with a plan that would increase Florida’s corporate tax to pay for it. “When I’m governor, we’ll invest $1 billion in our public schools, students, and teachers and put the president’s disastrous tax giveaway to work. Under […]

Jim RosicaDecember 26, 2017

Spoiler alert: If you’re a regular of this site, and reading this story, you can guess what the #1 pick is. Otherwise, 2017 still offered a bounty of material to Tallahassee’s reporting ranks. We still chuckle at the uninitiated who ask, “What do you write about when the Legislature isn’t in session?” Without further ado, […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 29, 2017

Wednesday saw Gov. Rick Scott visit Jacksonville, contending that he proposes spending “record” amounts of money on K-12 education in his latest budget. “We’re going to have historic funding, for the sixth year in a row,” Scott said, of a “record investment” that will “make sure we fully fund our education system.” Scott trumpets historic funding […]

Mitch PerryOctober 20, 2017

A debate on traditional public schools vs. charter schools took front and center Friday at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club. For 68 minutes, a group of education leaders of various backgrounds discussed the issue at the Ferguson Law Center. Speaking out most prominently for charters was Doug Tuthill, the president of Step Up For Students, the nonprofit group […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerSeptember 14, 2017

The Florida Board of Education approved a 2018-2019 budget request Wednesday that includes a $200 per-student boost in the K-12 system, increased funding for the 28 state colleges and construction money for public schools, colleges and universities. The board met in a conference call, with Chairwoman Marva Johnson and Education Commissioner Pam Stewart saying their […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 8, 2017

All public K-12 schools, state colleges and state universities have been shut down from today through Monday to ensure room for “sheltering and staging” for Hurricane Irma, Gov. Rick Scott‘s office announced Thursday night. All state offices also are closed today. In a statement, Scott explained he was ordering “the closure … to ensure we have every […]

Scott PowersJune 15, 2017

Surrounded by House Speaker Richard Corcoran and many of his members in a small, Orlando Catholic school dedicated to special needs students, Gov. Rick Scott signed House Bill 7069 into law, initiating major shifts in how Florida provides education. While the education omnibus bill offers changes for all kinds of schools in Florida, from requiring recess […]

Tag: public schools

Florida teachers union to lawmakers: Increase our pay

Doug Tuthill: Education improves with a sense of ownership

Report details plight of Florida’s homeless youth

Andrew Gillum pledges to up corporate taxes to provide $1B more for public school

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories of 2017

Questions remain about math behind Rick Scott’s ‘record’ K-12 spending

Tampa Tiger Bay Club debates charter schools

More money proposed for public schools, colleges

Rick Scott closes all public schools in Florida

Rick Scott signs HB 7069, shifting education from ‘traditional public schools’