HB 7198

The media coverage and feverish blogging about these bills continues apace. Here are some of the most-discussed items of note.

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Rewarding Excellent Teachers (Web page)

In an effort to respond to the torrents of caustic online criticism, the Florida House majority party leadership launched a blog this morning with the express purpose of promoting HB 7198.

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The Economist: Why Florida didn't win the Race to the Top (Web page)

The UK weekly The Economist is read by a global audience of highly-educated movers and shakers, and has an editorial position that is generally favorable to free markets, free trade, and globalization. However, it also tends to support comprehensive public health spending and public education systems as a means of promoting prosperity on a planetary scale. It weighed in against Florida's merit pay proposal, Both the article and the reader comments are eye-popping.

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Education Week: A Letter to Lawmakers (Web page)

Ravitch's distinguished scholarship and history as an elder Bush appointee, Hoover fellow, and standards maven make this open letter to the Florida Legislature all the more remarkable. She inserted her letter into her regular Bridging Differences back-and-forth column with Deb Meier. She also tweeted about it.

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Palm Beach Post: Teachers group slams Atwater in TV spot (Web page with embedded video)

A group called No Tallahassee Takeover has been circulating this video in opposition to the bills.

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Palm Beach Post: Jeb Bush group launches pro-merit pay television ad (Web page with embedded video)

Jeb Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future responded to the "Tallahassee Takeover" video with one of their own in support of the bills.

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Sherman Dorn: Hilda Turner and why teachers are skeptical of John Thrasher's motives (Web page; optional link to podcast)

 

The University of South Florida historian and education policy researcher notes the unpleasant history of teacher evaluation in Florida, and how that history relates to the current issue.