Private schools in Florida are becoming vastly more dependent on state voucher programs that pay all or part of tuition for students with disabilities or from low-income families, an Orlando Sentinel analysis has found. The families of nearly 100,000 Florida students received vouchers worth about $544 million this year as the Legislature has steadily…
Details
They are so gosh darned good to us, I don’t know how we stand it. From the moment they arrive in Tallahassee, our state legislators insist on sending back unnecessary gifts. Fancy-sounding laws we neither asked for, nor need. It’s too much. Really. Please, stop. Take this new schools bill (HB 1145) the House passed…
Details
School districts would have to share local school construction and maintenance money with charter schools, according to an amendment filed by an influential state senator. Sen. Don Gaetz, former Senate president, filed the amendment Tuesday. The amendment would require half of the money raised by an optional local property tax to be split between charter…
Details
When it comes to spending on classroom technology, the Florida Senate has led the charge in recent years. Senate Education Committee chairman John Legg has held symposiums and school tours, aimed at drumming up support for more money for digital instruction. The effort landed $40 million last year. But when the Senate’s education budget proposal…
Details
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Lottery today announced a new milestone of $28 billion in transfers to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) since opening its doors in 1988. In fiscal year 2013-14, the Lottery achieved record sales resulting in the transfer of $1.49 billion to Florida’s students and schools. The Lottery is currently on…
DetailsWith just days left in the 2015 Florida legislative session, legislators are locked in a messy health care battle that has led to epic gridlock. Progress has ground to a halt and bills are dying on the vine. Politicians, who were assigned education reform bills, are in a panic. They know full well that these…
Details2015 Florida Legislative mid-session recap Fund Education Now: 2015 Florida Legislative mid-session recap Activity in Tallahassee has slowed considerably. Many education bills are stalled as the fight over the budget and the impasse over Medicaid expansion grows ever more divisive. Unfortunately, this disagreement may end up having a negative effect on public school…
DetailsFlorida’s testing bill, HB 7069, was signed into law by Gov. Scott during week 7 of the 2015 session. …
Details2014 Report Card
VETO 850 SCOTT LETTER