Broward Schools & Property Tax Edition: Capitol to Courthouse Headliners — Thursday, August 25
Aug 25, 2011
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Ex-education chief warns Florida schools going backward
Test results show Florida is going backward in preparing students for college, yet the state’s high schools keep getting high grades from the state, a former education commissioner told a higher education study panel Thursday.
Florida Board of Education seeks modest per-student increase
The State Board of Education asked Governor Rick Scott and the Legislature on Tuesday for a modest 1.88 percent boost in spending for each student in Florida’s public schools next year but opted to seek a more dramatic 24.4 percent overall increase for community and state colleges.
Schools Flooded With New Charter Applications
Florida school districts are flooded with applications for new charter schools, motivated by several new laws that make it easier to start traditional and virtual charters.
State legislator wants to know who paid for charter school summit
Representative Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, is demanding that the state Department of Education investigate the costs of the annual summit of Charter Schools USA, held in Orlando last week and attended by Governor Rick Scott.
Blog: State Board of Education snubs public broadcasting in budget request
The State Board of Education approved a legislative wish list Tuesday that excluded any money for public broadcasting, throwing the future of state-funded public broadcasting into question.
Former Florida Governor Bush Urged Governor Scott to Push School Voucher Programs
Governor Rick Scott received a list of policy suggestions from former Governor Jeb Bush, according to e-mail documents obtained by the Associated Press.
Charter school company prepares for new year with summit with Governor Scott
Thousands of educators from across the state gathered at the 6th annual Charter School USA summit in Orlando Thursday.
For homeowners, property tax news is a little better this time around
Preliminary property tax notices are hitting 1.8 million mailboxes across South Florida this week, but most owners of residential and commercial property don’t need to be as anxious this time around.
PolitiFact: Governor Rick Scott says deficit turned into surplus
The state’s finances are in the black — with more than a $1 billion surplus, according to Florida Governor Rick Scott.
Governor orders water districts to make more budget cuts
After making cuts to budgets and slashing staff positions, the St. Johns River Water Management District and Florida’s four other regional water management agencies learned Wednesday they face further belt-tightening.
Low-income seniors may lose property tax exemptions in Lauderdale Lakes
For the first time in South Florida, and possibly the state, a city is considering rescinding the special $25,000 homestead exemption it offers to lower-income seniors.
Merit pay law raises questions for Florida’s specialty teachers
The state’s new teacher merit pay law kicks in this school year and the idea behind it sounds simple: The better students perform, the more teachers can earn.
How much do you pay for your health insurance? Chances are it’s more than Governor Rick Scott and our local representatives in Tallahassee are shelling out.
Broward wants some teachers, not others, to return extra pay
Two years ago, the Broward public school district erroneously gave about 158 teachers a salary bump, paying out an extra $193,551 that it shouldn’t have.
Governor Rick Scott explores changes in higher education
Governor Rick Scott is exploring dramatic higher-education reforms that are similar to those already under way in Florida’s public school districts.
University overseers find solution to schools’ territorial competition
State university officials pushed Monday to gain more control over schools looking to launch new academic programs far from their home campuses, a step prompted by Florida State University’s recent foray into West Palm Beach.
Clearwater renews School Resource Officer agreement
The Clearwater Police Department has been supplying a school resource officer to Clearwater High School since Jan. 1, 1985, to Countryside High School since Jan. 1, 1986 and to Oak Grove Middle School since Aug. 27, 2007.
Blog: Texas school finance lawsuit expected to be filed this fall
Superintendents from several low and medium-wealth school districts appear ready to sue the state over its school finance system as early as October.
Texas Sells Record $10 Billion Notes for Schools: Municipal Credit
Texas will issue $9.8 billion of tax-exempt general-obligation notes today, the states largest short-term debt offering, to fund public schools.
Cursive vs. typing: Which should schools teach?
“Will a simple handwritten note look like hieroglyphics to the next generation?” So wrote second-grade teacher Anthony McGrann on his Seattle-based education blog, Seconds.
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