Merit pay debate far from over

Sen. Anitere Flores has a simple fix for a complex problem.

The problem: Teachers have serious issues with the complicated new formula that will be used to evaluate them and determine pay raises. Some are being judged by the performance of students they’ve never met.

The fix, as Flores describes it: “We are going to link teacher evaluations to the students they actually teach.”

So far this session, Flores’ proposal is the lone attempt by Florida lawmakers to fine tune the controversial merit-pay program set to kick in next year. Democrats, Republicans and non-partisan education groups have praised her idea for its simplicity, and agree it’s a good starting point.

But behind the scenes, the situation is much more complicated. Teachers have doubts about the model that will determine their effectiveness. And the Department of Education must simultaneously roll out a new curriculum, tests and technology. So many questions linger that groups like the state teachers’ union and the Florida School Boards Association are urging lawmakers to hit the brakes.

“We need to slow this down now to avoid a big hullabaloo at the end of the year,” said Wayne Blanton, the association’s executive director. “We only have once chance to get this right.”

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Gaffes 101: FAU's reputation taking hit after hit

Even with new dorms and its own football team, the challenge for Florida Atlantic University has been simply getting noticed — more-established state universities such as the University of Florida often gobble up most of the media attention.

This semester, though, FAU has no problem attracting the limelight. The catch: FAU’s newfound name recognition is happening in the worst kind of way.

In the span of a few short months (and spring semester still isn’t over), FAU faculty and/or administrators have bizarrely questioned whether the Sandy Hook mass shooting really occurred, agreed to name the football stadium after a private prison operator known for human rights violations, and, most recently, received national scorn for a so-called “Jesus stomp” classroom lesson that infuriated Christians and Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

The backlash to that class lesson — which involved students being told to write “Jesus” on a piece of paper, and then put that paper on the ground and step on it — has been so strong that FAU on Friday placed the professor involved on administrative leave, citing concerns for his “personal safety.”

The string of missteps have highlighted how quickly a damaging news story can go viral in the social-media age, and FAU leaders are quick to acknowledge they’ve had their hands full.

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UPDATED Teachers' union to lawmakers: Back off FRS

Leaders of the state teachers' union held a press conference Thursday morning to blast proposed changes to the Florida Retirement System.

Standing beside a basket of colorful plastic Easter eggs, Florida Education Association President Andy Ford and Vice President Joanne McCall said the pension proposals would deprive teachers of their nest egg. 

"Because of the actions of our political leaders, teachers have no expectation of continuing employment, no due process and a performance-based pay system that is not funded and based on bad or irrelevant data," McCall said. "Now they want changes to the pension system that guarantee retirement insecurity. These proposals make it more difficult to recruit and retain high-quality teachers."

The House is considering a proposal that would prohibit new hires from enrolling in the state pension plan; they would instead enroll in the defined-contribution system. The Senate bill would give employees a pension option, but would make the defined-contribution plan the default choice.

The teachers' union considers the Senate proposal "the more palatable plan," but doesn't see the logic in either.

Said Ford: "It's all about politics. Part of the ALEC legislative agenda is to change defined-benefit plans into defined-contribution plans."

Later in the morning, House Speaker Will Weatherford responded, saying the union was using "scare tactics."

"They have to ask themselves the questions: Should we keep spending $500 million a year to bail out a broken system? Or should we take that $500 million a year and invest it in things like teacher pay and investing in our education system and investing in our children?" Weatherford said. "I don’t think the unions want to have that conversation.”

Charter-school advocates ask for recurring facilities dollars

The House Choice and Innovation in Education Subcommittee held a workshop on Wednesday to take up the controversial issue of charter-school funding.

Charter schools receive public dollars for teacher salaries and educational materials. But unlike traditional public schools, which can levy property taxes for construction and maintenence, charter schools do not have a recurring revenue stream for capital needs.

For the past several years, Florida's charter schools have received dollars from the Public Education Capital Outlay fund. But supporters say the funding is spotty.

“If we do not resolve this issue immediately, then school choice will cease to exist in Florida,” said Rep. Janet Adkins, a Fernandina Beach Republican, who is sponsoring legislation that would provide a recurring stream of general revenue for charter-school construction and maintenence. 

The workshop included emotional testimony from charter-school parents, students and principals.

Doug Rodriguez, the principal at Doral Academy in Miami-Dade, pointed out that the waiting list for his 3,000-student school includes more than 2,000 names.

“We have to have legislation in this state that allows charter schools to operate in a way that is fair and makes sense, but in a way that doesn't inhibit their ability to operate in this state and serve children,” said Rodriguez, a former principal at Miami Central Senior High.

The idea of providing public funds for charter-school facilities has long been contentious. Parent groups, school districts and the teachers' union point out that some charter schools are run by for-profit managment companies. What's more, in many instances, the public funds would be supporting private buildings.

After the meeting, Adkins told The Herald/Times that she doesn't expect her charter-school funding bill to pass this year. "We're going to focus on securing funding in this year's budget," she said.

But don't count the powerful charter-school lobby out just yet. Insiders say charter school advocates might make a run at the dollars later this session.

Gun-toting teachers? House education panel says 'yes'

A controversial bill that would allow schools employees to carry weapons on campus won the support of the House K12 Education Subcommittee on Wednesday.

If the proposal were to become law, principals and superintendents could designate school employees to carry concealed weapons. The employees would have to undergo extensive training, said Rep. Greg Steube, the Sarasota Republican sponsoring the bill.

Steube amended the proposal slightly before Wednesday's meeting; it now requires the firearm to remain on the employee throughout the school day. Steube also expanded the proposal so that it applies to both public and private schools.

"I’ve been getting feedback from principals all over the state about how strongly they support an initiative like this," Steube said.

House OKs raises for teachers, remains silent on specifics

House Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Erik Fresen rolled out his $20.2 billion proposal for education spending on Wednesday, and won the support of Democrats and Republicans on the panel.

But some observers raised objections.

Supporters of the Florida Virtual School, for example, took issue with a proposed tweak to the way Florida calculates per-student funding. They argued the new model would cost the state's online school about $35 million in public money.

Lady Dhyana Ziegler, who sits on the FLVS Board of Trustees, called the proposal “a direct and scathing attack on Florida Virtual School funding and course offerings.”

Lawmakers grapple with future of special-needs students

For an afternoon, Mariah Harris wasn’t just the girl with Down syndrome. She was the star of the Senate Education Committee meeting.

“I need a real high school diploma,” the sixth-grader told the panel last week, her sequined headband glittering in the artificial light. “My dream is to go to college with my friends one day. I want to buy a condo and live on a golf course.”

Mariah and her mother traveled 452 miles from Broward County to champion a bill that they say would let the parents of special-needs students play a larger role in their child’s education. For Mariah, the proposed legislation could mean the difference between a special diploma and a standard diploma, her mother said.

The bill has spurred some of the most emotional moments of this year’s legislative session. But it has also met resistance from some advocacy groups, who say teachers and schools personnel — not parents — should have the final word in determining a child’s educational goals.

A provision that would allow parents to contract with private therapists during school hours is also drawing ire; some observers see it as an attempt to further the school-privatization agenda.

“This usurps the power of the schools at the most basic level,” said Kathleen Oropeza, of the Orlando-based parent group, Fund Education Now. “Can you imagine a class of 15 [special-education] kids with 15 hired consultants in the classroom?”

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Foundation for Florida's Future tries to rally support for parent trigger

Is the contentious parent-trigger proposal in trouble?

Patricia Levesque, the executive director of former Gov. Jeb Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future, held a press conference Tuesday morning to "debunk myths" associated with the proposal.

She was accompanied by Pat DeTemple, a senior strategist for Parent Revolution, the group that helped create the law in California. Nikki Lowery, of former D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee's organization, StudentsFirst, joined via telephone.

Parent trigger, charter-school expansion bills headed to the House floor

The controversial parent-trigger bill won the support of a third House committee Friday morning, meaning it is now headed for the House floor.

For the third time, HB 867 passed in a party-lines vote.

The bill would enable parents to petition changes at failing public schools, including having a charter school company take over. It would also prevent children from being assigned to ineffective teachers for two years in a row.

“By not passing this bill, you are saying you don’t want parents to have a seat at the table that is perennially failing,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Carlos Trujillo, a Miami Republican.

“Parents already have a seat at the table,” countered Rep. Cynthia Stafford, a Miami Democrat. “There are preexisting laws that allow school advisory councils. This bill is problematic on many levels. It will have some unintended, or rather intended consequences, that will result in the disruption and dismantling of schools that will likely harm... schools and communities.”

MDC President Padrón to Florida lawmakers: The needs are great

A bill that would let Miami-Dade residents decide whether to tax themselves to support Miami Dade College sailed through its first committee stop in the House Wednesday.

The half-penny sales tax would last five years and be used to fund construction and maintenance projects on Miami Dade's various campuses. Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, who is sponsoring the bill in the House, estimated the measure would raise between $120 and $140 million annually.

"To serve the community the way we always have, we need additional help," Miami Dade President Eduardo Padrón said after Wednesday's vote. "The needs are great. There are opportunities to train people for new jobs, to create new programs, and to have the type of facilities that will make the community proud."

HB 1295 found little opposition in the House Finance and Tax Subcommittee.

Rep. Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, expressed concerns with what he said would be "an almost a $1 billion tax increase," and asked for tight controls over how the money would be spent. But he ultimately voted in support of the bill.

Rep. José Javier Rodríguez, D-Miami, also gave his blessing.

"There is really nobody in Miami-Dade County who has not been affected by the college in one way or another," Rodríguez said. "It really is that place where folks from all walks of life can go to get ahead... Something like this is necessary."

The bill passed by a unanimous vote.

For additional coverage, check out this story by Mike Vasquez.