Committee Searching for New OCPS Superintendent Appointed
The search for a new Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools moved ahead on Tuesday with the appointment of a 28-member Superintendent’s Search Advisory Committee.
Public Schools Seek Flexibility Like Charters
Public schools have enviously watched the rapid rise of charter schools in Florida, with over 500 charter schools statewide and dozens more poised for approval.
Schools Chief: State Has Never Funded Schools Adequately
Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Ronald Blocker said, Florida has never funded education adequately, and if not done correctly, the push toward more charter schools and voucher programs could negatively impact public schools. Blocker made these observations in an interview Thursday with West Orlando News Online. Funding would be a major challenge for OCPS moving forward, with the Legislature’s requirement that 50 percent of all text books be digitized, staying current with the changing needs of a new work environment and keeping up with the changing demographics in the district, where over 200 nationalities are represented in the student body.
Bush Urged Scott to Push School Voucher Programs
Gov. Rick Scott, at the start of his term, received a list of policy suggestions from former Gov. Jeb Bush, according to e-mail documents obtained by the Associated Press.
New Charter School Applications Soar
Close to 100 more new charter school applications have flooded Florida school districts for the 2012-2013 school year, than the same period one year ago, a 38 percent increase, according to statistics from the Department of Education.
Rising School Enrollment Squeezes State Budget More
Florida’s public schools are about to see the largest enrollment spike in six years with close to 17,000 students expected to crowd classrooms, while increasing the demand for dwindling resources to the tune of an additional $115.8 million.
Lawmakers May Still Try to Loosen Class Sizes
Although Florida voters in the November 2 election, rejected a ballot measure which would have allowed increases in class size limits for public schools, Florida Republican lawmakers may yet find a way to thwart the will of the people when the Legislature returns to Tallahassee.
Smaller Class Sizes For Now, as Schools Open
Public schools throughout Florida started the first day of school for the year Monday under a law that will only permit so many students in an individual classroom, just as the state’s teachers’ union is gearing up for a fight to keep it that way.
Florida House Budget Allocations Released
House Speaker Larry Cretul released budget allocations Thursday, pumping the largest share of taxpayer dollars into public schools this election year, pulling $600 million out of trust funds, and avoiding new taxes or fees.
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