Scathing Purple Musings
Color me purple in Florida ALL Week
HB 377: George Moraitis’ Stealth Charter School Bonanza Bill
On November 14 Charter Schools USA slipped $1000 to Rep. George Moraitis (R-Fort Lauderdale). Just 26 days later, Moraitis filed HB 377, a bill innocently titled Educational Facilities Financing. But its abstract signals that there are real devils in the details: Revises provisions relating to financing of independent nonprofit higher educational facilities to include financing for private nonprof
How Florida’s For-Profit Charter School Industry Is Moving Money in to Influence the Legislative Session
Matt Dixon’s report that a former top lobbyist for the for-profit charter school industry is now the top fundraiser for a PAC belonging to the chairman of the senate education appropriations committee provided a glimpse into how well the industry has politically positioned itself. A lobbyist meeting with lawmakers is not out of the ordinary, but it makes clear (Nancy Ann) Texeira lobbied the commi
Top Florida Charter School Lobbyist Moves to Fundraiser for Senate Education Budget Writer
From Matt Dixon in the St. Augustine Record: TALLAHASSEE — A lobbyist who until recently represented a host of charter-school organizations has been hired to do political work for the Senate’s top education budget-writer, state Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton. Nancy Ann Texeira, who worked for a firm that represents four pro-charter school clients, has been paid $24,455 since October to do consulti
JAN 02
New Common Core Talking Point: Obama Derangement Syndrome is Driving Conservative Opposition
Scathing Purple Musings was critical of Charlie Crist’s unwavering support for common core standards (CCSS). Part of Crist’s justification included this little jab at conservative opponents: Tea party and other outliers have called for a rejection of these standards because they were promulgated under the umbrella of a “national” effort. Truth be told, their opposition probably has less to do with
JAN 01
A Curious Defense of John Kirtley and Step Up for Students
Step Up for Students president Doug Doug Tuthill had an opinion piece published in three Alabama newspapers intended to defend the organization and it’s CEO from criticism. Writes Tuthill: Our nonprofit, called Step Up For Students, has raised dollars privately to help keep its doors open for 12 years. So I laughed when I read that at least one newsletter columnist and some public educators in Ala
Sorry, Charlie. You Need to Walk Back Your Common Core Position
To be fair, Charlie Crist got everything else right in his September editorial on education policy that appeared in the Tampa Bay Times . Except, that is, on Common Core. Writes Crist: ….Gov. Rick Scott needs to get off the fence and lead Florida’s embrace of the national Common Core Education Standards (CCSS). These standards have been adopted by 45 states and will allow our children to be equal
What Charter Schools USA Is REALLY Up to In Their MacDill AFB Gambit
Sen. Jeff Clemen’s (D-Lake Worth) is introducing a bill which effectively give final say on charter school applications back to local school boards. The top lobbyists for Charter Schools USA weighed in with redefinED writer Sherri Ackerman: “It is interesting now after 18 years of Florida charter schools when we have statistical data that clearly shows that Florida charter schools are outperformin
DEC 31 2013
Is Merit Pay Dead in Florida?
The indispensable John O’Connor of StateImpact has a preview of the upcoming legislative session. Here’s what he writes about teacher evaluations and merit pay: The Student Success Act requires school districts begin paying teachers based on their evaluations starting this year. The evaluations are a combination of student test scores, observations and other factors chosen by each school district.
DEC 29 2013
Florida’s School Grade Chaos: “Raising the Bar” Became “Moving the Bar After Everyone Jumped”
Is anyone really surprised to see the Miami Herald has another story about Florida’s school grades with ”confused parents” and the “credibility gap facing Florida education leaders?” No? The Florida Department of Education unfairly has to hold the bag again - the school grade system was created by Jeb Bush, largely driven by his foundations and rubber-stamped by the republican-dominated legislatur
DEC 28 2013
Using Taxpayer Dollars to Mislead Parents on Common Core
After reminding readers that Connecticut governor Daniel P. Malloy is on record as saying “I’ll settle for teaching to the test if it means raising test scores,” Wendy Lecker effectively slams the governor’s faith in tests and his plans to sell Common Core to parents. When it comes to their children, parents do not want to settle. They know that teaching to the test means a narrowed curriculum and
DEC 27 2013
Florida Republican Legislators Continue Its Efforts to End Local Control of Schools
The Okaloosa County School Board held a workshop that involved all community stakeholders in considering a proposal to change high school starting times. In the end the board voted not to do so. Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson said that the new start times would cost the district $1 million because it would need additional buses. Not good enough for Rep. Matt Gates (R-Fort Walton Beach) . Two w
Miami Herald Gets it Wrong on Common Core Opposition
Few dispute that most of the professional journalists who staff the state’s top newspapers lean democrat and leftward. It often becomes obvious in their reporting on Common Core. Consider this from the editors of the Miami Herald: In January, the Editorial Board lamented that Gov. Rick Scott, throughout his term, “has had a mixed record on education.” Unfortunately, he’s done little to disabuse So