Sup. Vitti to Senate: Reject HB 5105 “Schools of Hope”

Take Action Today: Urge Senate to vote down bad HB 5105 “Schools of Hope” Charter Turnaround Heist! Read Duval Superintendent Vitti’s stern letter imploring Senators to do the right thing & Reject HB 5105 during upcoming budget conference negotiations. Letter issued by Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti: April 17, 2017 Florida State Senators, I implore you to…

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Get Schooled: No to ”Schools of Hope” Charter Turnaround Heist, Urge Senate to reject SB796, block inclusion in Budget & “Train Bill”

Status:  HB 5105 “Charter School Turnaround Heist/Schools of Hope” passed in the House along strict party lines. No companion in Senate except Sen. Bean’s SB796, which is scheduled to be heard for the first time in committee on Monday, 4/17/17. Please take the time to read and understand the dangerous lie behind HB 5105 and why…

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Diaz “turn-around” heist hands public schools over to charter corporations

Rep. Manny Diaz and the House Education Committee launched HB 5105  codifying a longstanding resentment that for-profit charter developers feel toward district public schools. One of the chief complaints proponents have about charters is that they just aren’t replicating fast enough. Laws are passed every session to favor unmitigated charter growth. Right now districts have multiple statutory…

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Read up: Legislative terms you need to know!

Words matter. And when it comes to the Florida Legislature terminology and acronyms may matter more. When the testing bill was recently TP’d (temporarily postponed) some weren’t sure what that meant. Check out this handy list of legislative terms and acronyms prepared by the Florida Senate and look at this glossary of education “reform”/privatization terms. Read up.…

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Let the budget slap-fest begin over Best & Brightest

Florida is facing a well-documented teacher shortage due in no small part to some of the lowest wages in the nation. Florida legislators never face the obvious. Finding and keeping talented teachers takes money and respect. So the Florida House thinks that expanding the $10k Best and Brightest Bonus awarded to teachers who earned high…

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