2020 FL Senate Candidates: Friend or Foe of Public Ed?
Help us advocate for a safe, efficient, high quality system of public education that works for the success of every Florida child.
ADVOCACY
Your voice has power. Learn the facts about education reform policy and share your knowledge with others. Florida’s public school children need an army of advocates who value high quality learning. Together we can share our vision, speak up for our children and make dedication to public education a litmus test for elected office.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Fund Education Now’s Annual Education Report Card gives voters a non-partisan, comprehensive assessment of whether or not the Governor and legislators support and pass policies that uphold their Constitutional duty to Florida’s public school children as stated in Article IX, section 1 of the state constitution.
KNOWLEDGE
Florida public education has been subjected hundreds of drastic policy changes over the past 15 years. Effective advocacy means understanding policies and historical context. Fund Education Now provides easy tools to help advocates develop expertise and confidence about the issues.
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Florida is ground zero for education reform legislation. Ideas that don’t pass one session are brought up again the following year. Issues such as high stakes testing, rigid teacher accountability measures, mandatory retention, unfunded mandates, diluting the authority of unions and school boards, expanding for-profit charter school chains and the promulgation of private school vouchers funded by diverted tax dollars are on-going efforts that are expanded by the Florida legislature each session.
Fund Education Now supports education policy legislation that does the following:
- What is Model legislation?
Model legislation is a template for a bill designed by education reformers, business leaders and lobbyists who work with state legislators to promote, sponsor and pass the bill.
- Why are Florida-style education reforms spreading across the states?
In order to maximize profits from reforming and privatizing public education, it’s essential that as many states as possible adopt reform legislation as quickly as possible. - Federal ESSA
Congress finally passed the ESSA, bringing the era of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to its much deserved close. - FERPA & Student Privacy
“Privacy is rarely lost in one fell swoop. It is usually eroded over time, little bits dissolving almost imperceptibly until we finally begin to notice how much is gone.”
NEWS, TWITTER & TAKE ACTION
Where Teachers Are Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine
Education Week is tracking plans for vaccinating K-12 educators across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
edweek.org
Treating public schools like businesses is only making them worse
Schools have come to resemble businesses, with corporate metrics for measuring success and worse outcomes for kids
salon.com
State Sen. Manny Díaz accused of inappropriate behavior as Hialeah-Miami Lakes teacher
Prominent Miami state Sen. Manny Díaz Jr. is facing allegations of inappropriate behavior with former students — accusations he denies and is threatening legal action against — following social media posts and a broadcast by his accuser on Miami Spanish-language radio.
miamiherald.com
Patty Murray Set to Lead Senate Education Committee After Democratic Wins in Georgia
The Washington senator, a former preschool teacher, is about to become the top U.S. senator for education policy.
edweek.org
