News

Proposal for federal school funds is flawed (By Andy Ford, Orlando Sentinel, 12/30/2009)
Mike Thomas has an opinion, and he isn't shy about sharing it. He's passionate, humorous and typically examines all sides of an issue. Read More

Teacher Unions Balking at Race to the Top (The Jacksonville Observer, 12/18/09)
As the state races toward a January deadline to apply for a chunk of federal grant money, the state’s teachers union is balking at the proposal, which could ultimately jeopardize the department’s chance to win up to $700 million from the Obama administration. Read More

Florida teachers union blasts federal grants' merit-pay rule (Orlando Sun, 12/17/09)
Florida's largest teachers union Thursday called efforts to win federal grant money by overhauling teacher pay plans "fatally flawed" and urged local unions not to take part in the state's bid to win as much as $700 million. Read More

Teachers union raps Florida stimulus application (Associated Press, 12/17/09)
Florida's statewide teachers union Thursday discouraged local affiliates from endorsing the state's application for up to $700 million in federal stimulus grant money that would require the adoption of merit pay plans. Read More

FEA lashes out at education commissioner (Tampa Bay.com , 12/17/09)
Speaking of an unwillingness to support Florida's bid for up to $700 million from the Obama Administration's Race to the Top, did you catch the Florida Education Association's open letter to education commissioner Eric J. Smith this morning? Read More

FEA goes on the warpath over pay plans (Orlando Sentinel, 12/17/09)
Florida's largest teachers union Thursday called efforts to win federal grant money by overhauling teacher pay plans "fatally flawed" and urged local unions not to take part in the state's bid to win as much as $700 million. Read More

Teachers union raps Florida stimulus application over merit pay (Tampa Bay.online, 12/17/09)
Florida's statewide teachers union today discouraged local affiliates from endorsing the state's application for up to $700 million in federal stimulus grant money that would require the adoption of merit pay plans. Read More

Senate looking at class-size change (Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/22/09)
The Florida Senate, which steadily has resisted any attempt to overturn or soften state class-size restrictions, is looking more ready to deal. Read More

Can you win a lawsuit accusing the Legislature of doing a lousy job? (St. Petersburg Times, 11/22/09)
Can you win a lawsuit that accuses the Florida Legislature of doing a lousy job? Just such a claim was filed last week in Tallahassee by citizens unhappy with Florida's education system. Read More

Kids deserve better (News Journal-online, 11/22/09)
Lawsuits forcing state to reassess education The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. Read More

Editorial: Words matter (Gainesville Sun, 11/20/09)
In 1998, 71 percent of Florida voters approved a state constitutional amendment that said providing a "high quality" public education for all children is the state's "paramount duty." Since passage of that mandate, state funding for public schools has been steadily dropping. Read More

Florida senators taking aim at class-size reduction amendment (St. Petersburg Times, 11/19/09)
The class-size amendment's smaller classes are supposed to take effect in 2010, but Florida Republican senators are trying to stop that from happening. Their attempts aren't new, but this time around they might have more political traction thanks to the state's projected 2010-11 budget deficit of more than $2 billion. Read More

New Report Calls Half the Miami Area High Schools "Drop Out Factories" (Public News Service, 11/19/09)
Forty percent of the students in half of the high schools in the Miami area either drop out or graduate late. This alarming statistic is one of many in a new report by the Alliance for Excellent Education. Read More

Florida to seek $1 billion in U.S. education grants (The Miami Herald, 11/19/09)
Eligible for up to $700 million in competitive federal grants for education, Florida anticipates asking the federal government for even more than that. Read More

Lawsuit: Florida failed to provide 'high-quality' schools (Orlando Sentinel, 11/18/09)
Three Orlando mothers fed up with school budget cuts joined forces Wednesday with other parents and prominent Florida attorneys in a lawsuit accusing the state of failing to adequately fund education or to provide for a system of "high quality" public schools. Read More

Megan Allen honored as 2010 Teacher of the Year (FEA, 11/17/09)
Megan Allen, a 4th grade teacher at Cleveland Elementary School in Hillsborough County, is the 2010 Florida Department of Education/Macy's Teacher of the Year.

Megan embodies the spirit of the Florida Education Association by putting her students' needs first to help make our schools a priority. She's an active member who uses creativity to provide high-quality learning opportunities to give her students the world-class education they deserve.

Megan recently addressed FEA members at the 2009 Delegate Assembly in Orlando. Her well-received speech had the crowd tearing-up and cheering. She played off the theme of the Assembly, "Imagine the Future, When We Make Our Schools a Priority."

Megan Allen: "Imagine the future if we make our schools a priority. That is why we are teachers. We are there to show our students they are on the cusp of change, of possibilities. And we, as teachers, are on the brink, on the brim, on the cusp of change. Imagine the future. For you are the heroes. You have the most powerful jobs in the world-you are able to change the future, change a life, change the world for your children."

Use Megan's words to inspire you in your own work. By working together, we can make changes in our schools and education system that will truly Make Our Schools a Priority!

NEA touts need for comprehensive evaluation systems (National Education Association, 6/1/09)
Educators emphasize concerns about ineffective evaluation systems. A report released today by The New Teacher Project identifies how poor teacher performance is rarely identified or addressed, and argues that the reasons school districts retain low-performing teachers have less to do with tenure and due process and more to do with flawed evaluation systems. Read More

2009 FCAT Reading, Math and Science Results Highlight Increases in Student Achievement (Florida Department of Education, 5/28/09)
Sustained minority student performance builds on Florida's long-term academic gains. The 2009 FCAT results have arrived. The latest results herald more good news about schools in Florida, a top-ten state in the nation for education. More students than ever are learning and performing reading, math and science on grade level. Read More