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Gov. Scott requests $20M for technical centers in 2016 budget

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Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday that he will ask the Legislature to add $20 million in funding for the state’s technical centers in his 2016-17 budget recommendation. Technical centers are run by Florida’s school districts and colleges and train workers for various jobs based on the workforce needs of the area. Scott said the $20 million would be included as a “rapid response grant” to give the centers a bit more agility in responding to an area’s specific job needs.…

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New study finds Florida’s high-stakes school tests valid

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Florida’s new high-stakes test, which came under fire after a chaotic rollout this past spring, is valid, according to a new outside study released Tuesday. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart called the results “welcome news” and said the study showed the test “accurately measures Florida students’ mastery of the standards” in math and reading. “Now all Floridians can share my confidence in the assessment,” Stewart said during a conference call with reporters. But the findings may actually do little to stem…

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Florida receives $15 million for federal AmeriCorps education projects

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In an upbeat conference call, statewide education officials — including Education Commissioner Pam Stewart and Wendy Spencer of the federal Corporation for National and Community Service — announced that Florida will be the recipient of $15.4 million for AmeriCorps-led education projects. The officials said that figure will be matched by local dollars to bring the total to more than $30 million. “As Florida’s lead agency for volunteerism and national service, we are thrilled to announce this funding for Florida schools and students,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Chester…

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Students, leaders celebrate robotics at Capitol STEM Day

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High school robotics students, Motorola representatives, and state leaders gathered in Tallahassee on Tuesday to celebrate the significance of science, technology, engineering and math education. Co-sponsored by the Motorola Solutions Foundation and Florida FIRST Robotics, “STEM Day at the Florida Capitol” featured robotics teams from across the state, each a participant in national competitions. Motorola Solutions Foundation Director Matt Blakely, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart and Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio were also on hand…

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House Education Committee talks school accountability reform

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The House Education Committee spent about an hour Monday discussing and approving an overhaul of Florida’s testing-focused school accountability program. The measure was approved on a unanimous vote. Read a staff analysis here. Chair Marlene O’Toole said last week she wanted to get the measure to the floor as quickly as possible and Monday committee members backed their chair and moved the proposal along. Representatives of the hospitality industry had couched their objections to a potentially earlier start date for…

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The day that was in Florida Politics — March 9

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It was a day of testing at the state Capitol. The House Education Committee took about an hour to dispose of an overhaul of Florida’s school accountability system. The measure reducing testing and allowing an earlier start date of the school year sailed through with a few concerns expressed and a unanimous vote. While the committee met, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart announced that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a cyber attack on a server used to administer…

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Today on Context Florida: Selma & LeRoy Collins, voting rights, honeybees and educational icebergs

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Today on Context Florida: State troopers, sheriff’s deputies savagely attacked voting rights marchers at Selma, Ala., with clubs, tear gas and cattle prods on March 7, 1965; Martin Dyckman says two great Americans rushed to the city to try to take command of the perilous situation. One was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., determined to lead a second march — regardless of the consequences — two days later. The other was former Florida Gov. LeRoy Collins, President Lyndon Johnson’s civil rights…

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