Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–March 23
Mar 23, 2010
Above: FloridaToday.com editorial cartoon; March 23, 2010
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
In Tallahassee today, focus is education
The 40-member Senate will take up the heart of the education policy agenda, including changes to the teacher tenure system, an expansion of a tax credit school voucher program, and asking voters to relax the provisions of the class-size amendment they approved eight years ago.
Florida homestead owners may get hit hardest as property taxes likely to soar
Property owners with homesteads made out pretty well during the real-estate boom, with the state’s Save Our Homes amendment protecting them from sizable tax increases even as those went up for other properties.
Florida faces a potential $3.2 billion shortfall, the legislature is considering tax breaks that could further depress revenues by more than $500 million, require deeper cuts to programs helping Floridians struggling during the recession, and do little if anything to create jobs, The Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy said today.
Could school bus ads save school budgets?
School districts have imposed all sorts of drastic cuts to save money during the down economy, canceling field trips and making parents pay for everything from tissues to sports transportation.
Broward begins online foreclosure auctions March 30
County will charge $60 fee for automating sales
Broward County begins online foreclosure auctions March 30, a move expected to clear the backlog of cases and attract people worldwide who can now bid on properties from home.
- Some Florida homeowners facing the prospect of repeated foreclosures
- More homeowners are opting for ‘strategic defaults’
Despite growing enrollment, budget cuts would pack more Florida kids into pre-K classes
Florida lawmakers slashing popular pre-kindergarten program by about 15%
Florida’s pre-kindergarten program would be forced to place six more children into each class next year to help offset deep budget cuts moving forward in the state House and Senate.
$10.5 million needed to comply with state class-size rules in Volusia County
More combined-grade classes, larger classes for gifted students and elective subjects, more high school teachers traveling from room to room.
Hernando County schools ponder what classes to cut
It’s cha-cha time at Chocachatti Elementary.
Lee County School District lots lose value
From 2003 to 2008, the Lee County School District went on a massive spending spree to buy vacant land, hundreds upon hundreds of acres.
Florida teachers-union ad blitz blasts plan for merit pay
Florida lawmakers change controversial parts of merit-pay plan as Florida Education Association launches ad campaign against measure
The state’s teachers union and Florida Democratic Party have opened a broadside media attack on Republican lawmakers who are trying to end teacher tenure in favor of a merit-pay system in an effort to beef up school quality without spending more.
Michelle Enos has worked in her chosen profession for 20 years.
Editorial: Florida Senate bill tough on teachers, short on reform
THE ISSUE: Florida Senate bill ties teacher pay to student test results.
No one should mistake the measure linking teacher salaries to student performance on annual tests for a serious effort to reform education.
Hillsborough schools may get pass on teacher pay law
Hillsborough County would be the only school district in the state exempted from a proposed law that ties teacher pay to student performance on end-of-year assessment tests.
Boca proposal to take over schools gains momentum
Boca Raton High School may be getting ready to break away from the Palm Beach County School District and convert to a charter school. Could the other nine public schools in the city be close behind?
Florida School Districts Take Heat for Recruiting Out-of-State Teachers
Job recruiters from Broward and Palm Beach County schools are flying across the nation hunting for hundreds of certified teachers for next school year, infuriating local union leaders who say there are plenty of qualified educators right here.
Florida House passes bill to require civics classes
Middle school students would be required to take a civics class and pass an end-of-course test under a bill that has passed in the Florida House.
Florida House Committee approves school prayer bill
The principal, football coach and former student body president of Pace High School successfully urged a House committee Monday to approve a bill forbidding public school officials from interfering with student-led prayer.
Broward schools enroll 1,030 Haitian quake survivors
The Broward County School District has enrolled more than 1,000 Haitian earthquake survivors since the Jan. 12 disaster – the highest count of the state’s 67 school districts.
Florida lawmakers consider going easier on sexting teens
In an age of text-crazy teens, the Florida Legislature is taking aim at a racy pastime: sexting.
University board withdraws from suit against Florida Legislature
The Board of Governors agreed Monday to withdraw from a lawsuit against the Florida Legislature over which body can set university tuition and other governance issues.
Bleak times for Florida’s Bright Futures
Lawmakers overhauling popular merit-based scholarship program
Higher test score requirements, less funding and stricter standards are on the horizon for Bright Futures scholars if a bill that cleared a Florida Senate committee Friday is approved.
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