State Representative Joe Saunders (D-Orlando) announced Thursday the filing of HB 1187, a measure designed to restore public confidence in Florida’s education accountability system. In commenting on the legislation, Saunders said the following:
“During the past four years, Florida’s public education accountability system has seen unprecedented change. New testing requirements, further complications to a school grading system, new standards and a poorly implemented pay for performance evaluation system for teachers have been set on a collision course. The goal of the accountability system is to increase student performance, but due to the roller coaster of changes combined with too few resources we are hurting instead of helping our students. Our accountability system is no longer credible in the eyes of the public.
I’ve partnered with Senator Bill Montford (D-Tallahassee) to file this legislation in the hope of restoring public confidence in Florida’s public education accountability system. The proposed legislation establishes a transition accountability system and pauses for three years the highest stakes. When passed, this bill will give us the time we need to fully implement school standards, build and align valid and reliable statewide assessments, fix a flawed teacher evaluation system and fully integrate the needed technology in every classroom.
Senator Montford and I agree that student performance must be measured and reported to the public, even while we transition. Our bill calls for student performance on the new assessment and other statewide assessments to be reported to the public even as we give ourselves the time we need to ensure that our new tests are valid and reliable.
Unless public confidence is restored, the entire system is at risk and we would forfeit the gains we’ve made in closing the learning gap and preparing our students to be college and career ready. I believe this bill gives us the time we need to build an accountability system that is unlike any other in the country – one that challenges our students to reach new heights in achievement while fairly measuring, and holding accountable our teachers, principals and schools.”
