In this issue:
1. Florida Legislative Session Update
2. NCES Updates Key Education Indicators 3. Florida Census Return Rates Lower Than Expected 4. Running The Numbers
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FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE
The week began with an eight-hour meeting of the House Education Policy Council <http://streams.leg.state.fl.us/archive/MBR/H_2461_2010_04_05_7816.asx> (video file) in numerous educators explained their opposition to the bill. At the end of the allotted time for testimony, dozens of scheduled speakers still had not been heard and so received an apology from the chairman. Sensing growing opposition to the bill, the Florida Department of Education sent out a memorandum outlining the provisions of the bill and explaining their merits, the House leadership created a blog <http://rewardingexcellentteachers.com/> (Web page) to explain the benefits of the bill, and former Governor Jeb Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future began running a television commercial <http://www.postonpolitics.com/2010/04/jeb-bush-group-launches-pro-merit-pay-television-ad/comment-page-1/> (Web page with embedded video) supporting the bill. Much attention, however, was given to Diane Ravitch's open letter to lawmakers in opposition to the bill.
The week ended, more or less, at nearly 3:00 in the morning on Friday when all of the House members had used up their allotted fifteen minutes of debate on SB 6. After spending almost nine hours <http://streams.leg.state.fl.us/archive/MBR/H_HSES_2010_04_07_7837.asx> in mostly courteous, sometimes rancorous, and occasionally bizarre debate, the House approved the measure 64-55. No Democrats voted for the measure, but 11 Republicans voted against it: Faye Culp (Tampa), Ed Homan (Temple Terrace), Marcelo Llorente (Miami), Peter Nehr (Tarpon Springs), Pat Patterson (Deland), Juan-Carlos Planas (Miami), Julio Robaina (Miami), Ron Schultz (Homosassa), Charles Van Zant (Palatka), Mike Weinstein (Orange Park) and Juan Zapata (Miami).
Due to a technical procedure implemented immediately following the vote, the bill now goes to the Governor who has seven days to sign it or veto it. He has made hints that he is considering a veto, but both the Speaker and the Senate President have repeatedly (and pointedly) stated that they expect him to sign it.
Bill updates follow.
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SENATE 0002 (by Don Gaetz, R-Destin, and 19 others). This bill proposes an amendment to the class size requirements in the Florida Constitution and would provide that, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, maximum class size would be the school level average number of students who can be assigned to each teacher. This bill was supported by the Florida School Boards Association, the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, the Florida Association of School Administrators, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The bill was opposed by the Florida Education Association. The bill was approved by the Sente on March 25th in a 26-12 vote.
This week's action: The bill passed the House by a 77-41 vote. This does not require approval of the Governor. Florida voters will consider the amendment in November, and a 60% vote is necessary for approval. The original class size amendment was approved by Florida voters in 2002 with a 52% vote.
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SENATE 0004 (by Nancy Detert, R-Venice and 10 others). Similar to HOUSE 7053. This bill is consistent, in part, with proposals from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Florida's Future, and Achieve, Inc. It is also consistent with the state's Race to the Top grant proposal. This bill would eliminate FCAT administration for mathematics (Grades 9 and 10) and science (Grade 11) in favor of end-of-course examinations. It would require students to pass Geometry, Biology I, Algebra II, Chemistry or physics, and an "equally rigorous science course" in order to graduate from high school. It would also require passing certain end-of-course examinations in order to receive credit in most of those courses, and would allow students to earn credit in those courses by examination only. It would also require high school students to take at least one virtual course in order to graduate. The bill would eliminate Florida's current system of having high school students declare majors. The bill was approved by the Education Committee on March 10th by a 6-2 vote. The bill was approved on March 16th by the Senate Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means with 17-7 vote. Along with four amendments, the bill was approved on March 24th by the Senate 36-1. The Governor has indicated he would likely sign the bill if approved by the House. The bill was previously approved by the Senate and now being considered by the House.
This week's action: On April 8th, the House passed the bill 106-12. It now goes to the Governor.
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SENATE 0006 (by John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville and 8 others). Similar to HOUSE 7189. This bill is consistent, in part, with proposals from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Florida's Future, and Achieve, Inc. It is also consistent with the state's Race to the Top grant proposal. It would require that more than 50 percent of the salary of instructional personnel and school-based administrators (including those in charter schools) would be based on student learning gains and would require differentiated pay for difficult assignments. It would forbid school districts from considering an employee's experience or education in its salary schedule, although a controversial amendment apparently would allow advanced degrees to be considered in individual cases if they can be demonstrated to contribute to improved learning gains. It would withhold five percent of the total local, state, and federal funding allocated for each district to be held in a special incentive fund for performance pay. It would abolish professional services contracts for teachers hired after July 1, 2010 and limit those teachers to holding only probationary or annual contracts. It would also require that non-instructional personnel would be compensated under a performance pay plan. It would require all high schools (including all charter high schools) to implement end-of-course examinations in all subjects not tested with FCAT, IB, AP, or similar examinations. The bill provides for the suspension or removal of a superintendent whose standardized testing program is found to be out of compliance with security requirements. The bill would shorten the time available to obtain professional certification and would abolish certification on the basis of a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards credential. The bill would limit Dale Hickam bonuses for National Board teachers to those who who already hold a National Board certificate and who are currently teaching. The bill was approved by the Education Committee on March 10th by a 6-2 vote. It was approved by the Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means on March 19th by a 15-8 vote. On March 24, the bill was approved with six amendments by a 21-17 vote mostly along party lines (four Republicans voted against the bill and no Democrats voted for it.) The Governor has indicated he would likely sign the bill if approved by the House.
This week's action: On April 8th, the House approved the bill 64-55. The Governor now has seven days to sign it or veto it.
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SENATE 1344 (by Evelyn Lynn, R-Daytona Beach). This bill reduces state costs of providing the Bright Futures scholarships by increasing the legibility requirements and by raising the academic requirements necessary to maintain the scholarships. On March 25th, the Senate Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means approved by the bill by an 18-5 vote. On March 31st, the Senate approved the bill by a 33-4 vote.
This week's action: None.
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SENATE 2022 (by J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales) would require Florida Retirement System-covered employees to contribute 0.25% of their gross salary to the state retirement fund. This would be a historic change, since FRS would thus become a member-contributory system for the first time in the era of the current retirement system. On March 25th, the bill was approved by the Senate Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means in a 15-8 vote. On March 31st, the bill was passed by the Senate in a 26-7 vote.
This week's action: In conference with the House.
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SENATE 2126 (by Joe Negron, R-Palm City and 18 others) would expand Florida's private school voucher program, currently funded by corporate tax credits. The bill would increase the per-student amount paid to private schools from the current $3,950 to an estimated $5,500, or a total cost of about $140 million. On March 16th, the bill was approved by the Senate Finance and Tax Committee by 4-1 vote. On March 19th, the bill was approved 16-6 by the Policy & Steering Committee on Ways and Means. On March 24th, the bill was approved by the Senate on a 27-11 vote
This week's action: None.
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SENATE 2262 (by John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville) Similar to HOUSE 1173. authorizes charter schools to operate as franchises of the Florida Virtual School. It provides that home-schooled students may enroll in courses offered by the Florida Virtual School or a franchisee, and provides that home-schooled students may enroll in courses offered in the school district in which the student resides. The bill requires that high school students take at least one virtual course.
This week's action: None.
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HOUSE 5101 (by Anitere Flores, R-Miami and 13 others) addresses multiple topics. It requires school districts to make contingency plans for class size compliance pending the outcome of the proposed November 2010 constitutional amendment. This bill would have the constitutional class size calculations be based on February reporting rather than October, and increase the fiscal penalty for non-compliance to include the base student allocation in addition to the class size allocation for all students over the constitutional limits. It requires detailed reported on the education of gifted students. This bill would require that all high school materials be primarily adopted and delivered in electronic format and promotes adoption of electronic learning management systems. The bills provides additional rules regarding admission of virtual school students, including a sibling eligibility provision. On March 23rd, the bill was approved by the House Full Appropriations Council on Education & Economic Development by a 12-5 vote. The bill was approved by the House on April 1st in a 74-45 vote.
This week's action: The bill was approved by the Senate on April 6th in a 28-11 vote and is now in messages.
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HOUSE 5701 (by David Rivera, R-Miami and 17 others) would abolish the health insurance subsidy of up to $150 per month currently paid to FRS retirees who have health insurance. On March 23rd, the bill was approved by the House Full Appropriations Council on Education & Economic Development in an 11-6 vote. On April 1, the bill was approved by the House in a 63-56 vote.
This week's action: In conference with the Senate.
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NCES RELEASES GOBS OF NEW EDUCATION STATISTICS; POLICY WONKS AND DATA DWEEBS REJOICE
The National Center for Education Statistics has released several key new reports (including the indispensible Digest of Education Statistics), so it's time to update your score sheets, report cards, talking points, and grant proposals with the latest numbers.
NCES: Digest of Education Statistics <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010013.pdf> (PDF)
NCES: Postsecondary Institutions, Graduation Rates, & Financial Statistics <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010152.pdf> (PDF)
NCES: The Nation's Report Card: Reading <http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2009/2010458.pdf> (PDF)
NCES: Alternative Schools and Programs for Public School Students At Risk of Educational Failure <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010026.pdf> (PDF)
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FLORIDA'S CENSUS RETURN RATES LAGGING BEHIND
The decennial U.S. Census was held on April 1st, and the majority of Americans simply fill out the brief survey and return it by mail. Census enumerators then follow up to visit the non-responding households in a sustained effort to get a precise count of who lives where. In the short term, how many people live in a particular jurisdiction affects all sorts of planning, budgeting, and funding activities, notably eligibility for grants and other assistance. Unfortunately, Florida's return rate so far seems to be lagging behind other states. In Miami, for example, the current return rate is about 32%, which is only about half of the rate for the same area in 2000. If Florida ends up with an undercount, this will not only effect short-term funding in a negative way, but may also diminish the expected gains in congressional districting.
If you're not doing it already, encourage everyone you meet to send their Census form back today. You can also check out how your own town is doing in real time at the Census Bureau's handy-dandy "Take 10" map page <http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/> .
U.S. Census: 2010 Census Mail Participation Rates in Parts of Florida Behind Rest of the Nation <http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/mail-participation-rates-in-parts-of-florida.html> (Web page)
Rose Institute: Florida Redistricting: The Complete Analysis <http://rosereport.org/20100222/florida-redistricting-the-complete-analysis/#more-2521> (Web page)
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RUNNING THE NUMBERS
(1) Value of recurring sales tax breaks provided by HB 711 to yacht buyers: $1.5 million
(2) Dropout rate of Hispanic students in Florida: 4.5
(3) Dropout rate of Hispanic students in Ohio: 19.6
(4) Census return rate for Estero: 70%
(5) Census return rate for Captiva Island, just a few miles away: 18%
Sources
(1) Florida House of Representatives Staff Analysis <http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=h0711c.EDCA.doc&DocumentType=Analysis&BillNumber=0711&Session=2010> (PDF)
(2-3) NCES Digest of Education Statistics, Table 106 <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010013.pdf> (PDF)
(4-5) Bureau of the Census <http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/> (Web page)
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