Padrón, lawmakers, Times/Herald listed as newsmakers of 2009

Some of you might have already seen Florida Trend's feature in its January edition called "Florida Newsmakers of 2009." But if you haven't, here are some highlights:

Eduardo Padrón was named Floridian of the Year for his work as Miami Dade College president to re-shape the way the country views community colleges.

In government, Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, is highlighted for his role in passing SB 360, the growth management bill.

Also from the halls of government, the magazine puts a spotlight on the passenger rail bill and its chief opponent, Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland.

A third government article, you ask? Why there's Ray Sansom, the former House Speaker indicted for his role in steering $35 million in taxpayer funding to Northwest Florida State College.

Florida Power and Light gets a nod for its work on solar plants.

Another honor for the star University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

The magazine (a sister publication of the St. Petersburg Times) was also gracious enough to write a few words about the scribes at the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau.

Swap FCAT for end of year exams, Dems say

Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, has filed legislation to replace the FCAT with end-of-course exams in a range of subjects. Bullard and fellow House Democrats say the exams would expand and better measure what students learn over the course of the year -- replacing the current practice of teachers who spend the bulk of a school year teaching to the FCAT.

Under HB 473, the test changes would be developed over the next three years by a educators, parents, community leaders and researchers. The reforms would take effect in the 2014-2015 school year. Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami, plans to sponsor the bill in his chamber. Gelber and Bullard have urged the Attorney General's Office to sure the state over what they say is inadequate education funding. 

“Our bill puts children first by giving parents, school professionals and the education community the power to work out a plan that everyone can buy into,” said Bullard. “The problem with education reforms of the past decade is that ideas were dreamed up in Tallahassee then hammered into the schools, teachers and children whether or not those ideas made sense.

The FCAT would be phased out in the 2014-2015 school year and replaced with subject area assessment tests that measure students’ work throughout the year. High school students would have to pass Geometry, Algebra II, Biology I and an additional high-level physical science course to graduate, under Bullard's bill.

Crist lauds state's use of federal stim-bucks

Gov. Charlie Crist has sent letters to the Senate President and House Speaker, and to Florida's Congressional delegation, to update them on the state's use so far of federal stimulus dollars - in areas including transportation and education.

The letters follow an a.m. conference call today with Don Winstead, who has been put in charge of Florida's simulus spending.

Read the letters here: Download Crist Stimulus Letter to Florida Congressional Delegation and Download Crist Stimulus Letter to President Atwater and Speaker Cretul

Gelber wants McCollum to sue state over school funding

Offering a glimpse into what he would do if elected Attorney General, Sen. Dan Gelber this afternoon called on current attorney general Bill McCollum to challenge the Legislature in court over its education funding.

"Florida's education budget is constitutionally infirm, and if you look at our school system, you see that," said Gelber, D-Miami Beach, a father of three in public schools. "Look at our graduation rates, the violence in our schools. I see teachers asking for help to buy paper....I don't know who the Attorney General is supposed to stand up for, if not for children."

Gelber later said that if elected in 2010 to the office now held by McCollum, suing the Legislature over its education funding would be one of his first actions.

McCollum spokeswoman Sandi Copes had this response: "The attorney general believes that education is certainly a top priority that must be adequately funded. Before any judicial action can be pursued, it is incumbent on the Legislature to take action on a proposed budget and provide funding for Florida's educational system.

UF will use $10 mil in stim dollars for new faculty

The University of Florida has seen its faculty ranks shrink by about seven dozen professors during the past year thanks to tens of millions in budget cuts, but President Bernie Machen is about to announce he will use $10 million in federal stimulus dollars to fill that hole.

UF will hire 100 new professors during the year ahead, Machen is telling the faculty Senate during a meeting in Gainesville. The stimulus money will serve as a “bridge” until higher undergraduate tuition rates that went into effect this week for Florida residents generate enough revenue to cover the new professors’ salaries. Other Florida colleges including Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida International University are using stimulus money to hire new faculty, but none on so large a scale as UF.

BOG to OK Brogan's chancellor package; close to FAU earnings

The Board of Governors, meeting in Tallahassee this morning, is expected to approve an annual salary and benefits package for new chancellor Frank Brogan that is close to what he was making as president of Florida Atlantic University.

Under the proposal, Brogan's total package would be worth $458,198 -- $41,845 more than what former Chancellor Mark Rosenberg received. Only $225,000 would come from state taxpayer dollars; the rest will be covered by the private, donation-supported BOG foundation.

Brogan's base salary would be $357,000 (Rosenberg's was $341,686), the same amount his FAU contract would have given him next year. He would receive a $42,500 housing allowance and $15,000 for a vehicle, plus $37,727 in life insurance and $5,971 in disability insurance.

Brogan will start as chancellor on Sept. 14. He meets with Gov. Charlie Crist today at 2 p.m. in the Capitol - a place he knows well from his days at lieutenant governor under Jeb Bush.

FAMU law, like FIU law, now fully accredited

Seven years after lawmakers reopened Florida A&M University’s law school with $40-million in taxpayer dollars, the school has received full accreditation -- overcoming a tumultuous track record of leadership turnover, faculty rancor and academic concerns.

The American Bar Association this afternoon granted full accreditation — a national stamp of approval that is vital to the school’s reputation and long-term survival. The decision by the ABA’s Council on Legal Education Opportunity is a major victory for the historically black College of Law, which reopened in 2002, more than three decades after legislators shut it down amid court-ordered desegregation.

"It's probably the best news we've had in 2009," said FAMU graduate Sen. Al Lawson, who spent 12 years working to get the law school reopened. "It's been a long haul, and I think it's a real credit to the administration."

Lawmakers reestablished the law school with high expectations about training a more diverse pool of attorneys for the increasingly diverse Sunshine State. FAMU officials and law school alumni said Friday’s ABA decision is proof the law school has moved beyond the earlier struggles that garnered so many negative headlines.

Clinton to keynote youth conference on education

   President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at an Orlando conference Aug. 8-9 intended to mobilize high school and college students to push for education improvements in Florida.

The students will form what organizers are calling "the inaugural class" of the Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps. Modeled after the successful "Truth" campaign for tobacco, the group will train more than 300 students from across Florida to "speak up with one loud voice for education.''

The conference is being organized by Bud Chiles, the late governor's son, and it has the support of Sens. Mel Martinez, Bill Nelson and form Sen. Bob Graham. After the conference, students will be asked to lead a yearlong effort to gather a million signatures on a pledge to improve education and put children first. Partners include statewide education groups and health care coaltions.

“Our state has become a national embarrassment on children’s issues, and today we’re at or near the bottom in most indicators of performance,” said Chiles, president of The Lawton Chiles Foundation, and coordinator of the Worst to First effort. “We’re energizing our youth to go out there and fight for a change in the status quo.''

Martinez writes TK: No thanks on FSU Prez post

FSU trustees just chose a search firm to lead the hunt for a new FSU president, but search consultant John Hicks need not contact retiring Sen. Mel Martinez.

FSU trustee Jim Smith told trustees that contrary to persistent rumors that Martinez wants the job, he in fact has no interest. Martinez wrote Wetherell a letter last week saying as much, Smith told trustees.

Letter to come...

Chancellor post going to Brogan

To chart the future of Florida’s universities, the Board of Governors search committee has selected Florida Atlantic University president Frank Brogan — the former lieutenant governor who spent most of his career in K-12 education. The full BOG is expected to confirm Brogan's selection at 4 p.m. today.

The BOG search committee just selected Brogan over fellow finalist Roderick Chu, a former Ohio universities chancellor who has more higher education experience than Brogan but lacks familiarity with Florida politics.

BOG members lauded the success of Brogan’s earlier career in K-12 education. They said the former education commissioner is well-suited to bridge K-12 classrooms with the 11 state universities — two education systems trying to succeed despite hundreds of millions of dollars in recent budget cuts.

"Brogan’s relationship with the Board of Governors, with his board of trustees (at FAU), with his students. ..here’s a man of commitment," said search committee member Shane Strum, deputy chief of staff to Gov. Charlie Crist. "He has a strong and powerful voice in the state of Florida. I think he would serve all of you well.”