Fiscal Rangers

Florida Citizens' Alliance Responding to Governor Ron DeSantis' Executive Order to Remove Common Core

FL Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an Exec Order reversing Common Core in Florida Schools and here are some links covering that action. Read more →

Why should conservative parents send their kids to Lake County Schools that follow David Coleman's Common Core?

Why should conservative parents send their kids to Lake County, FL Schools that follow David Coleman's Common Core? Read more →

Lake County, FL School Board needs to reject Hillary's socialism doctrine of downplaying parental rights

Tavares, FL Memorial Day, May 28, 2018 Hillary's quote in this meme clearly indicates one of the problems with the liberals, Democrats and unions who support them. They believe that "the state" or government, should be more important in development of children than parental and family values. Their attitude that government is always more right than parents is scary, and is one of the concepts woven into K-12 textbooks, college teacher training, and "reading materials" used to support class topics. Suggested reading materials cited by the original, liberal created Common Core initiative included many sections preaching this idea of the State taking precedence over parents. This can be one cause for students to be rebeling more because they may have been indoctrinated that parental opinions are not important. Recently a grandparent filed a complaint with the Lake County school district about a book containing objectionable statements. The Lake County School District Board needs to pick a side in this controversy and distance themselves from this indoctrination by clearly rejecting this concept of the State superceding parents, stating so in their mission statement, class blueprints and instructions to teachers. By doing so, and implementing transparency in policies prohibiting political bias in... Read more →

Trump signs EO to study, then get Feds out of education - increasing home rule at State level

Tavares, FL Apr. 28, 2018 President Trump has signed an Exec Order to get the Feds out of education after a 300 day review. This means more latitude to reverse Obama era damage in local school districts (assuming the State allows them). Liberal press are saying it doesn't do anything, but below "is the rest of the story" - just wait after the in depth review. References: Remarks by Trump at White House signing of the EO: "The executive order I’m signing today is another critical step to restoring local control, which is so important. This executive order directs Secretary DeVos to review current federal regulations and ensure that they don’t obstruct the ability of states, local governments, teachers, and most importantly, parents, to make the best decisions for their students and, in many cases, for their children. Previous administrations have wrongfully forced states and schools to comply with federal whims and dictate what our kids are taught. But we know that local communities do it best and know it best. The time has come to empower parents and teachers to make the decisions that help their students achieve success. That’s what this executive order is all about. So important.... Read more →

Conservative parent reasons to move kids from Florida public schools to charters or homeschooling

Florida public schools migrated to Common Core several years ago and embedded many liberal, biased concepts. Now charter school and home school funding is easier and parents have reasons to move their students to values based schools or teaching. This will continue to happen unless Florida School Districts change their written missions, teaching practices and learning materials to those supporting conservative values, not liberal, biases derived from the Obama Common Core standards. Read more →

Florida Parent Research Group Finds K-12 Public School Textbooks have Disturbing Indoctrination content biased to liberal viewpoints

Teams of 50+ activists and Florida parents spent most of 2017 reviewing K-12 Florida textbooks in subjects like social studies and history to identify excess liberal or Islamic religious bias.  We obtained their Oct. 2017 Interim Report of "Objectionable Materials" which is discussed below.  Read more →

Week of July 31, 2017 - Lots of Political News and Plans

This is a recap of all the upcoming political events in Lake County the week of July 31, 2017. Read more →

FiscalRangers.com 2016 Lake County, FL Election Recommendations AND RESULTS for the August 30 Primary Ballot

This is the FiscalRangers.com Guide to Recommended Candidates for local Lake County, FL primary elections held on August 30, 2016. Does not include cities or special districts. Read more →

Call for Action to Submit Comments on Federal Rules that Expand Common Core

This is a call for action to file online opposition to proposed Federal rules that will expand Common Core. Read more →

ESEA Federal Bill Needs to be Defeated - Learn Why and Call your Congressman

Concerned about Obama Education inititiatives and damage caused by Common Core? More damage will occur if you don't call Congress to derail a ESEA or No Child Left Behind bill vote on Tuesday or Wednesday, Dec. 2 or 3. Here is some background why you need to act. Read more →

Florida Standards Abuse: Polk County, FL Teacher resigns due to Florida Standards violating professional standards for age appropriate curriculum and standards

A teacher in Polk County, FL resigned due to her dismay at the lack of age appropriate teaching standards used in lower grades. This is her letter of resignation that explains it all. Many others call the Florida Standards (aka 99% Common Core) as child abuse due to the lower grade teaching standards that are not considered appropriate for younger children's learning abilities. Read more →

Common Core Update: Here is a FIVE minute overview of the dangers of Common Core by renowned speaker Dr. Duke Pesta - He is coming to the Villages Apr. 17

Tavares, FL March 21, 2015 Dr. Duke Pesta is probably the best speaker on why Common Core should be rejected. Watch his five minute overview of the dangers of Common Core HERE. He will be speaking in The Villages, FL on April 17, 2015. Visit his website http://fpeusa.org . Then, if you have time, watch my 90 minute video of him when he spoke last September in Lake County . Or, read MY older Factsheet on Common Core Dangers HERE. It lists links to many other speakers and resources. www.tinyURL.com/HaltCommonCoreNow Then join the Facebook page "Lake County against Common Core" HERE. The organizers frequently meet with the Lake County School Board and FL State legislators and are active in providing information on how to "opt_out" your kids from excess Common Core testing. AND, LIKE this Florida wide anti-Common Core Facebook page HERE (5100 other people have liked this page). Then, sign up to see him in the Villages on April 17, 2015 HERE. BONUS for blog readers: Another anti-Common Core expert, Diane Ravitch, wrote a LONG Jan. 18, 2014 article in the Washington Post about everything you want to know about Common Core, which is HERE, After viewing any of... Read more →

APUSH Update: Oklahoma House approved bill to DEFUND AP US History and have State Ed Dept create separate US History course to replace it

Tavares, FL (Lake County, FL) Feb. 18, 2015 Yup, that APUSH (Advanced Placement US History) issue is still out there. The College Board, who creates, distributes and tests high school students on AP US History revised the 2015 curriculum to be "unpatriotic and negative" about the US, and conservatives have objected. So, unlike Florida, the Oklahoma House has listened to parents and acted on the issue with a new bill "that keeps the state from funding AP U.S. History unless the College Board changes the curriculum. The bill also orders the state Department of Education to establish a U.S. History program that would replace the AP course." Additionally, the Republican National Committee published a resolution condemning the new APUSH changes HERE. I wonder if more parents and School Board members in Lake County will start to act on this, since the SAME College Board produced AP US History http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/oklahoma-ban-ap-us-history Vance Read more →

The whole truth about Common Core math standards and why they will be an un-mitigated disaster.

Tavares, FL FEb. 5, 2015 A well known K-12 math education standards designer, Dr. James Milgrim, provided clear background on why Common Core math standards will result in students never being able to recover vs non Common Core students after four years under Common Core. Milgrim was the ONLY math curriculum designer on the official Common Core validation committee, and he refused to sign off, so his name was removed from the list of participants. In this audio interview from Jan. 4, 2015, Milgrim explains a clear overview of how Common Core math standards were developed. The interview focuses on new Texas TEKS math standards, but they are very close to Common Core standards and apparently from the same development source, the Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin. (The audio was on the Alice Linahan Soundcloud.com channel HERE). You can listen to the 25 minute audio recording, or read our overview below. - Milgrim was the only math expert on the validation committee for Common Core. After seeing the final standards, he refused to sign off on them, and was removed from the Committee member list. - He helped design California math standards implemented in 1997 that... Read more →

Bill Gates Common Core Update - He admits being naive - was the public guinea pigs?

Dec. 3, 2014 Bill Gates Common Core update: You have to ask yourself why the Lake County School Board and Administration are not aware of this information about Bill Gate's grants and act on it. We all know that Bill Gates was behind much of the funding for Common Core, but this in-depth Jan. 3, 2014 Washington Post article describes how he has admitted he was naive in his education and grant programs "Gates then poured hundreds of millions of dollars into helping develop and promote the Common Core State Standards, as well as hundreds of millions more in creating and implementing educator assessment systems that incorporated student standardized test scores into individual teacher’s evaluations. The fact that assessment experts repeatedly warned against using student test scores as part of a teacher’s evaluation because the method isn’t reliable or valid did not stop the foundation from making these grants. He and his foundation just thought it would work" "There is indeed a big place for philanthropy in American society, but there are consequences for replacing public policy with the dreams of the super-rich, not the least of which is that public institutions become testing grounds for philanthropic experimentation. Given that... Read more →

Lake County Schools and Common Core (Florida Standards ) Issues Described by Daily Commercial

Jan. 4, 2014 Tavares, FL An article on Lake County Florida Standards (Common Core) from the Daily Commercial. Some good quotes but not much on a major issue, which is the child abuse caused by too complex standards for K-5 which is called "developmentally inappropriate" due to kids brains not developing yet to handle the concepts being taught. Many, many videos on YouTube by psychologists about this, plus others by early childhoold development specialists. Additionally, it seems several quotes focus on eliminating "high stakes" tests which are used to evaluate teachers and set their compensation. Teachers don't want to be measured, so the two new teachers on the Board bring it up. However, not as much about the excess testing of KIDS, and parents need to speak out. vj Read more →

Jeb Bush's 2016 Election Chances limited by Common Core stand - George Will

Dec. 28, 2014 Even columnist George Will thinks Florida's Jeb Bush is in trouble by always supporting Common Core. Thus his chances at a 2016 Presidential election effort may be limited. There sure a lot of angry moms out there that agree. Click HERE to read the his Washingtong Post opinion article - he doesn't talk about many problems with Common Core but focuses on it being a starting tentacle by the Federal Government to control US Education and Will questions Bush's capability to lead if he does not recognize that danger: "Bush’s support of Common Core is much less nuanced and persuasive, and there seems to be condescension in his impatience with the burden he bears of taking seriously the most important reason for rejecting Common Core. It is not about the content of the standards, which would be objectionable even if written by Aristotle and refined by Shakespeare. Rather, the point is that, unless stopped now, the federal government will not stop short of finding in Common Core a pretext for becoming a national school board. Bush says “standards are different than curriculum” and: “I would be concerned if we had a national curriculum influenced by the federal... Read more →

Florida Commissioner of Education announces two initiatives regarding Commmon Core (Florida Standards) in Florida.

Dec. 22, 2014 Tavares, FL The Florida Commissioner of Education announced two initiatives regarding Commmon Core (Florida Standards) in Florida. Many parents are objecting to Common Core for many reasons. Commissioner Pam Stewart is taking on two of the issues, probably because Gov. Scott said he would conduct more reviews of the Florida Standards. The two initiatives are: 1) Conducting a review of standardized testing, which is a hotpoint with both parents and teachers. 2) The new Keep Florida Learning Committee will review further deregulation opportunities for the school system; review instructional material review processes used by school boards; identify strategies to increase parental involvement; and review the implementation of the Florida Standards and the Florida Standards Assessment over the next year. The problem is lack of credibility, since the last time the Bd. of Ed had hearings on Common Core, they ignored hundreds of opponents, and only dabbled at making a few inconsequential changes. Will they actually act this time on public feedback? AND, they are taking applications from the public to be on the committee. The deadline is January 31 to apply. APPLY NOW Lake Countians. Click here for the full FL Dept. of Education press release and... Read more →

Lake County, FL "Lake County Against Common Core" Videos at Legislators Meeting

Tavares, FL - Lake County - Dec. 7, 2014 We posted out earlier full 3-hour video of the annual Lake County Legislators Delegation meeting, where numerous moms and teachers spoke out against Common Core. Left to right, the delegates were Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, Rep. Larry Metz, Rep. Marlene O'Toole, Sen. Dorothy Hukill, Sen. Alan Hays. Well, that Facebook group, the "Lake County Against Common Core", posed individual videos of their folks giving 3-minute public input to the Delegation, and HERE it is. or use this link: http://www.flstopcccoalition.org/news/2014-12/fsccc-partner-organization-lake-county-against-common-core-speaks-out-legislative-delegation-meeting.htm vj Read more →

Video of Common Core Opponents Ripping into Lake County Legislators' Delegation Forum

Common Core Opponents Rip into Lake County, Florida's Legislators' Delegation Forum at a 3-hour meeting in Leesburg, FL on Dec. 2, 2014. A total of 35+ public input speakers presented different issues to the Legislators, with about 10 of them opposing Common Core in Florida. Read more →

Lake County, FL Legislative Delegation to hear agencies, public and Common Core Opponents on Dec. 2

Tavares, FL Nov. 27, 2014 Lake County, FL has five FL legislators who are on the Lake County Legislators Delegation, and they are having their annual open public hearing in Leesburg, FL on Dec. 2 at Lake Sumter State College in the Fine Arts Auditorium at 1-5pm (NOT the Magnolia room). If you can, I encourage you to attend the meeting to see your local FL legislators and how they react to the issues proposed by public input speakers. Except for campaign forums, this may be the only time you see some of them. They are" Rep. Larry Metz, Chair and organizer of this delegation meeting Rep. Jennifer Sullivan (just elected) Rep. Marlene O'Toole (Villages area) Sen. Alan Hays Sen. Dorothy Hukill Historically, these annual meetings were normally held during the day to hear a parade of local government agencies plea for funds or legislation. In recent years, other citizens have shown up to get 3 minutes of public input time before the delegation to make a pitch about an issue, or support another speaker. Here is an earlier Delegation forum on Jan 4, 2013 chaired by Alan Hays. I will video the meeting and upload the video to the... Read more →

Results of Sept. 12-13, 2014 Florida Tea Party Network Conference in Clermont on Common Core & Other Subjects- videos, files

The Florida Tea Party Network (TTPN) held a two day conference in Clermont, FL in Lake County on Sept. 12-13, 2014. Subject covered included Common Core, National Security, and other conservative issues. About 125 people attended. This page will be updated with links to speaker videos, Powerpoints, an overview outline of speaker issues, etc. by Sunday, Sept. 21. Read more →

Common Core Update: Lee County, FL School Board votes 3 to 2 to opt out of FL State Standards (aka Common Core) testing

Yesterday evening the Lee County, FL School Board voted 3 to 2 to drop out of the Florida Education Standards (aka Common Core renamed) “assessments” (or exams) and develop their own. Read more →

APUSH Update - Recent articles on College Board's AP US History revisions by liberals

Tavares, FL August 27, 2014 by Vance Jochim at FiscalRangers.com I will not rehash the articles below, so here is a list of the most recent ones on liberalized AP US History revisions by the liberal College Board. "AP" or advanced placement high school courses and exams are defined by the non-profit, private College Board. By redefining the exams to reflect a liberal interpretation to downplay American Exceptionalism, they can bypass state Education Dept. curriculums by issuing a "framework" of topics covered by exams that are not balanced. To get high scores on AP exams to earn college credits, high schools teachers and students would have to follow and learn only the liberal APUSH revisions. NOTE: I also wrote an Aug. 19th article HERE in the national WatchDogWire.com news service about APUSH and how the Republican National Committee (RNC) approved a resolution to defund the College Board and delay roll out of the exams for a year, plus other conditions. HERE is the RNC webpage citing the resolution against the APUSH revisions. See also my expanding factsheet on APUSH HERE. The items below will be added to it. Recent APUSH References to August 26, 2014 from Vance Jochim The issue... Read more →

Common Core Update: 'We Will Not Conform': Glenn Beck Announces 'Call to Action' on July 22 to Take on Common Core This Summer

Glenn Beck recently published a book “Conform” about the dangers of Common Core.Now he is planning an action event for later this summer on July 22. Get on his mailing list and watch for more news. SEE Jim Krakowski’s notice BELOW. From: Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2014 6:43 AM To: Undisclosed-recipients: Subject: ‘We Will Not Conform’: Glenn Beck Announces ‘Call to Action’ to Take on Common Core This Summer | TheBlaze.com FYI ... "Glenn Beck on Thursday announced a “call to action” that will take place on July 22, which he said will arm Americans with the knowledge to speak out against Common Core education standards." Go to http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/05/29/we-will-not-conform-glenn-beck-announces-call-to-action-to-take-on-common-core-this-summer/ for more information. Jim James A. Krakowski Read more →

Conservative Lobbyist John Hallman Explains 2014 Florida Legislative Session

Tavares, FL May 21, 2014 See VIDEO link below. Conservative Lobbyist John Hallman visited the North Lake Tea Party (FL) yesterday and provided an overview of the 2014 Florida Legislative session. We made a video of his talk at: http://youtu.be/AwLnIV1kY1E Hallman works with the Liberty First Network, and is a lobbyist working to protect conservative values in Tallahassee. He has worked on the taxpayer, conservative side of issues like septic tanks, Common Core, Second Amendment issues (gun rights), Red light camera abolishment, and Craft Beer restrictions. The focus is to offset the influence of Corporate and special interest lobbying interests aimed against taxpayers or Liberty issues. He also discusses actions by local Lake County Senator Alan Hays and chances of Gov. Rick Scott being re-elected. Visit the Liberty First website at www.http://libertyfirstfl.org and Visit the North Lake Tea Party at: www.NorthLakeTeaParty.com. Video by Vance Jochim - visit his fiscal watchdog blog at www.FiscalRangers.com . vj Read more →

Common Core Update: Missouri Teacher Tearfully Testifies Why Common Core is NO GOOD!

Tavares, FL March 28, 2014 No matter what the FL Dept of Ed says, they are still using Common Core, and the testing firm they hired, AIR, is affiliated with liberal groups who may be even worse than PARCC. Since Florida Gov. Scott continues to support Common Core (under a rebranded name which fools no one), some conservatives are abandoning support for him. This experienced Missouri teacher was bullied by administrators and some other teachers for standing up to Common Core. She has a degree in early childhood development, and tells all to a Missouri legislative Committee – 11 minutes. Watch it. http://www.bizpacreview.com/2014/03/28/watch-teachers-tearful-testimony-on-being-bullied-and-intimated-for-opposing-common-core-108962 Gee, I might as well include some bonus links on recent Common Core issues: Here is political consultant Dick Morris on how Common Core Curriculum is Destroying local control of schools (hey, States rights are being killed too) http://www.dickmorris.com/common-core-curriculum-is-destroying-local-control-of-schools-dick-morris-tv-lunch-alert/?utm_source=dmreports&utm_medium=dmreports&utm_campaign=dmreports Here is a link to a 27,000 member Facebook page “Parents & Educators Against Common Core Standards”. It says 332,000 people are “talking” about this. https://www.facebook.com/ParentsAndEducatorsAgainstCCSS This is the most active FL group against Common Core: http://www.flstopcccoalition.org/about-us/ They just held a great one day conference opposing Common Core in Orlando attended by over 300 people. I was there.... Read more →

Common Core Update: Republican Party of Florida Passes Resolution Requesting Florida Governor & Leadership to CEASE implementation of Common Core Standards

The Republican Party of Florida just distributed a new resolution calling for Governor Scott and State officials and leaders to CEASE implementation of Common Core standards. Read more →

Common Core Victim? Mom posts picture of her child struggling with complex Common Core homework PLUS link to yesterday's video of Common Core Hearing in Orlando

A picture of this child is circulating where she is crying while trying to cope with the illogical and excessively complex homework from Common Core. AND, the Florida State Education Board ignored many public complaints at a five hour public hearing and approved use of Common Core standards with only a few miniscule modifications. We have the video link to the five hour hearing. Read more →

Common Core Update: Florida State tries to Deceive Public by Renaming Common Core

Tavares, FL Sat., Feb. 1, 2014 The Florida State Education Dept. decided to make minor, minor changes to the Common Core standards being rolled out to K-12 Schools, and then also rename it to flim flam the public and make them think Florida has their "own standards". The FL Board of Education will meet on Feb. 18th to finalize the proposed minor changes to Common Core. In my opinion, the State made minor changes and still is rolling out Common Core standards. Common Core is copyrighted, and the state agreed to implement it to receive federal funds. The state is allowed to modify or add 15% to the standards, but those components are NOT part of the state established tests that students must take, so it is all a shell game to avoid more public controversy. I personally don't understand why Governor Scott keeps supporting Common Core. It is the antithesis of sound, classic and conservative education philosophy. There are constant reports of liberal biases woven into the standards, and related textbooks. The only reason could be clout from former FL Governor Jeb Bush who is pushing it along with Bill Gates. Read this article with all the juicy details... Read more →

Daily Commercial Article on Common Core is an Example of Media Bias

Tavares, FL Jan. 23, 2014 Today's Daily Commercial touted a biased Florida Education boss's puff front page article on Common Core and is a great example of media reporting bias in avoiding alternative viewpoints. http://www.dailycommercial.com/news/article_c4ca0c1c-84bc-569a-a41f-0e1206c7b142.html#user-comment-area Here is the comment I posted about the one sided Daily Commercial article on their website (Please SHARE this if you agree): “The quotes in the article supporting FL State Education Dept. head Pamela Stewart on Common Core are one sided and use the old gobbledegook used by liberals like "state led". The reporter is using quotes around statements apparently taken from Stewart's talking points and they reflect mostly debunked reasons for Common Core. There was no attempt to quote opponents of Common Core or the reasons they cite. For instance, the reporter didn’t discuss the pending Florida legislation HB25 which seeks to prevent Common Core implementation until certain conditions are met. The article also did not discuss that the State is trying to escape visibility by renaming the Common Core standards to another name, even though by law they have to follow the copyrighted Common Core standards. Thus this front page article by the Daily Commercial was a puff piece for Stewart and the... Read more →

Video Explains Specifics of Common Core Dumbing Down K-12 Education

Tavares, FL Jan. 19, 2014 Links to this video are circulating among Common Core opponents, and the Local School Board members need to be aware of the described issues. The webpage title describes a scary quote from recommended teacher notes in the TEACHER’s version of a textbook telling her to instruct students that right wing groups are fascist. However, the speaker, Terrance Moore, also explains much of the other damaging work done by Common Core designers to reduce critical thinking, literature, math skills and Euclidian math concepts (aka logic). http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/18/teachers-instructed-to-teach-all-right-wing-extremist-groups-are-fascist-video/ Unfortunately Moore did not specify the textbook name so we can not determine if it is used in Florida or Lake County. (It apparently might be in his book “Storykillers” which is about the “Case against Common Core”). http://www.amazon.com/Story-Killers-Common-Sense-Case-Against-Common-ebook/dp/B00GB1QS9E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390142817&sr=8-1&keywords=storykillers “What is the Common Core? How will the Common Core English Standards affect the teaching of great stories in our schools? Will there be any great stories left in the minds of our children when the Common Core has controlled the curriculum and testing of both public and private schools for a few years? What are the real purposes behind the educational coup that has taken place with very little public... Read more →

Common Core Update: Many Conservative Groups Expanding Strategies to Kill Common Core

Tavares, FL - Jan. 10, 2014 Common Core Update: This is a great update on all the conservative groups and strategies fighting Common Core. You kinda wish that our elected officials and school administrators were educated enough to know this was going on and understand the concerns. The article points out that Common Core problems are so well known now they are being used to push expansion of school vouchers, end of teacher tenure and other education reforms. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/common-core-conservatives-education-101796.html Read more →

Common Core Update: Writer explains that now Common Core is a Damaging Monopoly

CCstop02FiscalRangers Update on Common Core - This is an excellent overview by the Chair of the Republican Party in a North Carolina County. He explains that Common Core is now a monopoly, without competition (remember, college entrance tests are now moving to be Common Core "aligned") and do you want your kid to be learning what radical, communist liberal Bill Ayers inserts into the standards and resulting curriculum. Read more →

Colorado school district inflames conservative parents over "Righty - Lefty" 6th grade questionnaire

Here is an article with a copy of the "Righty or Lefty" questionnaire on political leanings that was required of 6th graders in a Colorado school district, and sent home for parents to fill out. This is why Common Core and liberal educators inflame many conservative parents so much. As one commenter suggests, it is part of the socialist process to collect data on kids and parents for later actions by the government. Another commenter says he doubts sixth graders even know what they believe in at that level. I would hope nothing like this is used in Lake County Schools. I keep remembering that two former Lake County Commissioners and former Lake County teachers were extreme liberals once they were elected. Asking kids about personal issues like politics or religions and gathering the data is not acceptable. http://standupforthetruth.com/2013/10/colorado-6th-graders-parents-required-to-take-rightyleftysurvey/ Anyone seeing questionnaires like this or hearing about them from Lake County kids is encouraged to let me know. Read more →

Florida Common Core may cost $1-billion to Implement & Bill Filed to DELAY Implementation

This is a great article, so just read it. It also contains details on a new Florida bill filed to delay Common Core implementation until several conditions are met. http://watchdogwire.com/florida/2013/09/03/beyond-the-pause-bill-hb-25-halting-the-common-core-state-standards-and-parcc/ vj Read more →

Florida Common Core Update: Florida Republican County leaders send detailed letter to others objecting to Common Core

Tavares, FL - Monday, Sept. 2 See update in red below - 37 people have now signed the letter. vj Florida & Lake County Common Core Update: 12 Florida GOP Committee men & women and County Republican party Chairs sent a letter to other Florida "Republican Leaders" objecting to Common Core. Signers include Mike Levine, Lake County Republican Executive Committee Chair, and Patricia Sullivan, Florida State Committeewoman for Lake County. What is interesting is that the Lake County REC never discussed issuing a resolution so Levine & Sullivan are speaking as individuals without any vote of the REC. I know, because I am chair of the Public Policy committee who was going to bring a resolution against Common Core before the REC at the end of Sept. We were going to do it last month, but the August meeting was dedicated to Lake County Transportation Funding issues. But, reasons for prompt action do exist: the recent 3 day Tampa "Education Summit" was held by Gov. Scott which was not announced until 2 business days before the meeting with already selected panel members using the “Delphi” technique and with mostly Common Core supporters on the panels. The Delphi technique is used... Read more →

Common Core Update: FL Gov. Scott Launches Education Summit to Review Common Core NEXT WEEK

Tavares, FL - Aug. 23, 2013 by Vance Jochim Below (scroll down) is the press release sent out by Gov. Scott’s office yesterday about the Education Summit in Clearwater next Mon-Wed. They only gave ONE day’s notice for this. I don’t see the names of ANY well known Common Core opponents on the list except Randy Osborne. Update 4:30 pm Friday: I just talked to FL Rep. Marlene O'Toole (The Villages and Lake County) and she says the process is a "collaborative lab" designed to brainstorm many ideas, and the Summit is open and info will be available afterwards. She also said that PARCC is OUT per Florida legislative leaders, so they may discuss other testing systems or alternatives. She agreed to let me interview her after the Summit. If anyone is in the Clearwater area and can video this meeting, that would be great. If you do, let me know. Also get names of handouts and ask for them. Use the list of titles to ask for them later and get the contact who is recording the audio. Besides the press release below, here is an Associated Press article about the Summit: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2013/aug/22/gov-rick-scott-calls-review-school-standards/ They didn’t give much notice, so... Read more →

Common Core Video & Update for Lake County, FL

Eustis, FL - August 6, 2013 Here is my video of a Common Core Presentation by Lake County FL School District on Aug. 6, 2013 in Eustis, FL. http://youtu.be/1ACDJ4UeOTU It only contained the Schools viewpoint, but they did provide some good answers to some public concerns. This was a presentation to about 80-100 public attendees by the staff of the Lake County School District (Florida) on how they are implementing Common Core, along with answering questions. Contains a segment by a representative of the Florida Dept of Education, plus an overview of security over kids data, and three good presentations by teachers on how they are implementing Common Core. Several questions from the public were answered including a lame one I asked because I tried winging it. This was the second of two public events on Common Core by the School District. The first one in Clermont, FL, had the same speakers, but was not as good because most questions were from teachers about administrative issues. So teachers might want to watch our video of that one also at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKdzx7Gej0k . Additionally, the Lake County Republican Party had an earlier public event on Common Core with both advocates and opponents... Read more →

Videos of June 27th Common Core Forum in Tavares, FL Hosted by Lake County Republican Party

Tavares, FL - June 29th, 2013 Two videos of the June 27th, 2013 Common Core Forum in Lake County, FL are embedded below or linked HERE (Part 1) & (Part 2) . Hosted by the Lake County, FL Republican Party. Names of panelists are in attached page below or in text on YouTube pages. Two panelists were for Common Core and two were against it. Note: The panelists assumed attendees knew the history of Common Core, so it was not clearly presented. To get better background on Common Core, look at our Factsheet at www.tinyurl.com/HaltCommonCoreNow . Download Common Core Forum Panelists Info Download 2013-06-27 CC REC Forum Download Top 10 Objections to Common Core Education Standards - Handout Summary of Event: Both sides made relevant points. However, most audience sentiment was against Common Core, so a planned straw vote was not taken. Video - Part one - Two hours Video Part two - about 30 min Read more →