Tavares, FL - Thursday, March 21, 2013
School Districts in Florida are waiting for progress on a bill SB-806 (2013), that will allow them more flexibility in scheduling student calendars and when end of session tests are given. Right now, the Florida state mandated schedule calendars force them to give exams AFTER Christmas break, which disrupts the learning and success rates.
Read more on the bill and about who is fighting the bill here:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2013/mar/20/bill-floating-in-the-legislature-gives-florida/
You can monitor progress of Bill SB-806 here:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/0806
NOTE: Below are the 2013 Lake County School District Legislative Priorities, but this bill is not on it, although I remember them discussing it at a Board meeting.
Vance Jochim
FiscalRangers.com
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Lake County Schools (Florida)
2013 Legislative Priorities (Source: N. Challenger in Superintendant's Office)
1. Respect the constitutional authority of local elected school board members to
"supervise, operate and control" public schools in all areas, included, but not
limited to, flexibility in categorical spending, instruction, performance pay, budget,
personnel, charter schools, and school calendars.
2. To adequately fund community colleges for offering Dual Enrollment programs to
high school students.
3. Redistribute available PECO funds to include public schools. Prior to 2011,
PECO funds were allocated to postsecondary, K-12, and Charter Schools. In
2011, public schools K-12 were excluded.
4. To ensure the sustainability and equity of the Florida Education Finance Program
(FEFP), the state must restore the formula to the adopted 2007-2008 Regular
Legislative Session level. This includes restoring both formula components and
per student amount.
5. Restore the capital outlay tax to the 2007 level of 2 mills (changed to 1.50 mills in
2009) without impacting the operating millage.
