Ed overhaul gets Senate OK; now House decides

Now it's up to the House. The Senate just voted 32-4, with Sens. Arthenia Joyner, Nan Rich, Charlie Justice and Stephen Oelrich opposed, for a proposed constitutional amendment that will ask voters to overhaul education governance in Florida.

The education commissioner would be elected, the governor and Cabinet would serve as the state Board of Education, community colleges would become the Florida College System offering 2- and 4-year degrees, and the Board of Governors would shrink.

More significantly, the BOG also would see its authority over state universities "revised...as prescribed by law." Translation: The Legislature would squelch once and for all the BOG's contention that the BOG has the power to set tuition. As lawmakers have since the BOG's 2002 creation, the Legislature would continue to set college tuition every year as part of its budget-making authority.