Ed reform looking shaky between chambers

Efforts to reform education with higher and more in-depth standards for teachers, charter schools, high school grades - plus a push to expand corporate income tax scholarships - suddenly don't look like smooth sailing.

The House passed the "Educator Ethics in Education Act" (SB 1712) pushed by outgoing Sen. Lisa Carlton today, but now Sen. Don Gaetz wants to tack that legislation onto an "omnibus education reform" bill that would also deal with charter school finances, the scholarships and the way high schools are graded.

Gaetz' train bill also would allow for end-of-course exams, and would establish the new curriculum standards championed by House Speaker Marco Rubio.

"I hope and believe the House will take up our bill," Gaetz said. "I don't think the differences between the two chambers are materisal enough that lawmakers ...would let the changes die in their laps."

But Rep. Joe Pickens said the House will not attach 1712 to anything, and he wasn't warm to Gaetz' train bill, which sets different standards for things like charter school finances and nepotism rules, among other things.

"It is not, nor will it ever be, in the scrum of other education bills," Pickens said. "Our version is acceptable. Theirs is not."