Teacher pay veto overshadows other Florida education bills - Legislature - MiamiHerald.com

Teacher pay veto overshadows other Florida education bills

While one of the most controversial education bills in memory went down with a veto, a number of other proposed changes could have a lasting impact on Florida schools.

BY HANNAH SAMPSON

HSAMPSON@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Educators, parents and students cheered and then took a collective sigh of relief when Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed a bill that would have upended the current system of paying and firing teachers.

While that proposed law dominated daily news coverage, a handful of others that could change the state's education landscape significantly moved forward without nearly the same level of public attention.

And those are almost certain to become law -- or, in one case, go to the voters to change existing law.

They are:

• Adding more rigorous math and science classes to graduation requirements and replacing high school FCATs in those subjects with end-of-course exams in algebra, geometry and biology.

• Asking voters in November if they approve of changing the 2002 class size amendment, which meets its final deadline for implementation this year. Instead of requiring each classroom to meet the mandates, the change would allow school-wide averages to be used.

• Expanding the state's voucher program for low-income kids so private schools could eventually collect

Monday, April 19, 2010