BOE member: Florida schools need more money, teacher reforms

If you think Florida’s education debates fall into predictable ruts, you’ll like this 9-page white paper from Florida Board of Education member Roberto Martinez. Martinez offers dozens of recommendations for school reform that will give the usual suspects something to love and hate, according to a copy sent to fellow board members and obtained this afternoon by The Gradebook.

Florida needs to pay teachers better, writes Martinez, a former U.S. attorney who is close to both Gov. Charlie Crist and former Gov. Jeb Bush. But it also needs to reform tenure, change the salary schedule, enforce the differentiated pay law and create a performance pay plan “that works.” It should require professional development for teachers not making student gains. It should pass a law that “provides authority to the Superintendents, with the consent of the Commissioner, to remove non-performing teachers at schools in an academic emergency.”

Florida’s reforms also need more money, Martinez says. “We have too many significantly underfunded schools,” he writes. But instead of taking his word for it, he suggests the Board of Education annually review Florida’s school funding to make sure it’s enough to meet “the goals of a world class education.”

“There are certain essential resources and services that every school should have in order to meet world class standards,” he writes. He recommends that Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith, in consultation with national experts and the Legislature’s research arm, come up with a list of those essential resources and use the resources found in the state’s best magnet schools as a guide.

Speak your mind on Florida's language arts standards

They might not be as controversial as the science standards, but Florida's language arts curriculum standards are now available for public review and comment.

Now's your chance to tell the State Board of Education what you think about eighth-graders' ability to analyze text, second-graders' need to write persuasively, and all those other related matters.

Remember, if you respond, all your comments are public record for everyone to see. So act accordingly.

Interested? Visit the Florida language arts standards web site and have some fun. (Save some time. It's a lot of reading.)

Worker to Florida Department of Education: Sue you

Last week, the Florida DOE eliminated 63 jobs, laying off 48 employees.

This week, one of them fired back with a lawsuit, alleging retaliation against his whistleblower actions.

Darryl Wallace, one of the dismissed workers, also accused the department of letting workers be exposed unknowingly to tuberculosis, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

"They poked the wrong dog," his lawyer, Steve Andrews, told the Democrat.

Department spokesman Tom Butler told the paper that the officials did not know of Wallace's whistleblower complaint when his position was eliminated as part of budget cuts. "We have reached out to Mr. Wallace and his attorney to obtain additional information regarding these circumstances," he said.

This one could get interesting. Stay tuned.

Florida Department of Education completes round of layoffs

In response to the state's tight finances, the Florida Department of Education today finished notifying 48 employees that they're out of work. The layoffs are expected to save $2 million in salaries.

Another 15 unfilled, frozen positions were removed from the department's employee base as well. Those jobs carried another $1.6 million in salaries.

The biggest hit comes in the technology division, which lost 28 positions, 14 of them filled. Next was the finance division, which lost 10 positions and 21 people. Other areas losing employees include graphics, printing and financial aid.

"These reductions were made with the sole focus of preserving the core services we provide to students, parents, teachers and other Department customers and should in no way be a reflection of the professionalism and quality work of the employees impacted by this decision," DOE spokeswoman Kelsey Lehtomaa said. "The Department is offering job placement assistance and able to provide recommendation letters to these individuals in an effort to help them quickly locate new employment opportunities."

Read on for a breakout of the deleted positions.

Florida Department of Education to lose another top official

Yesterday we learned that Florida's top testing official, Cornelia Orr, will leave the Department of Education to head the Nation's Report Card project.

Next out, the person who runs the state's teacher credentials department, including the much hyped myfloridateacher.com Web site, where you can check out state-level disciplinary actions against teachers.

Deputy chancellor for educator quality Pam Stewart (left) heads to St. Johns schools to become assistant superintendent of curriculum and learning, the St. Augustine Record reports.

Stewart was a principal in Marion schools before joining the Florida department of ed in 2004. Said St. Johns superintendent Joe Joyner:

"She has statewide background in all aspects of the educational process, from teacher preparation to evaluation, and has experience as a highly successful principal at both elementary and high schools. I feel confident she is the right person to move our district forward and continue the St. Johns County tradition of excellence."

The DOE is undergoing a transformation of sorts, faced with the same budget cuts as other state agencies. Others who are leaving or have left the department lately include deputy chancellor Iris Wilson and personnel director Teva Hightower. We'll keep you updated.

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Education Commissioner Eric Smith lauds Phoebe Raulerson's state board service

Education Commissioner Eric Smith just released this statement about the decision by state Board of Education member Phoebe Raulerson (at left) not to seek another term. Gov. Charlie Crist yesterday appoined private equity investor and philanthropist John R. Padget of Key West to her spot.

“Throughout her years as a member of the state Board of Education, Phoebe Raulerson, has demonstrated the type of thoughtfulness, insight and profound dedication to student success that has resulted in significant improvements to Florida’s education system. She is a credit to educators everywhere and her advocacy and support of a quality learning experience for all children remains unrivaled. Our state stands taller because of her service and I am confident that her future endeavors will continue to better the lives of our youth.” 

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Crist appoints new BOE member

The newest state Board of Education member is John R. Padget, a self-employed private equity investor and philanthropist from Key West who also serves on the board of directors of both the LeRoy Collins Institute and Take Stock in Children. Gov. Crist announced the appointment this evening.

Padget, who former Gov. Jeb Bush once appointed as interim superintendent of Monroe County schools, replaces Phoebe Raulerson, a former Okeechobee County superintendent who became the BOE's most vocal proponent for career and technical education. Padget's term expires at the end of 2012.

State contemplates financial oversight for Jefferson County schools

The Jefferson County school district's rainy day funds have become so depleted - $28,201, or just 0.28 percent of its general budget - that Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith is recommending an oversight board for the district's finances.

The state considers 3 percent of general revenue to be a minimally acceptable level for reserves. The district projects a negative fund balance of $554,086 by June.

If the State Board of Education approves the recommendation during a conference call this afternoon, Jefferson would become the first district in Florida to fall under this "financial emergency" oversight, which the Legislature added into law during a January special session.

Jefferson has submitted a plan to get its finances in order by summer. The oversight board of three appointees would help make sure that happens. The state has been monitoring eight districts considered to have "unhealthy" finances, but none of the others have gotten to this point.

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Education commissioner doesn’t like AP cuts either

Seventeen months into the job, Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith hasn’t butted heads with the Legislature often, if at all.

So in light of Sunday’s St. Petersburg Times artile on lawmaker plans to cut state AP funding, it’s worth noting that he indirectly did so after OPPAGA (the Leg’s research arm) issued this report on the eve of the legislative session that said AP incentive funding “greatly exceeds” required costs.

The report, and Smith’s rebuttal to it, were briefly mentioned in the Times story, but both are worth reading in detail. (Smith’s response can be found at the end of the OPPAGA report.)

“Reductions to AP incentive funds as proposed in this OPPAGA report will negatively impact school districts’ ability to serve our most academically-talented students,” wrote Smith, a former College Board official, “with a disproportionate impact on minority and traditionally underserved students.”

Ron Matus, state education reporter

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Report touts merit pay, doubts rewards for master's degree

It's not hard to find folks who argue it was the height of tone-deafiness for the state Board of Education to release a report this week urging more accountability reforms in the midst of historic budget cuts.

But bad timing aside, the out-of-state wonks who put the report together do make points that education experts of all political persuasions have been making. Like …

Keep trying on merit pay: In Florida, STAR didn't work. MAP is all but ignored. So, the wonks suggest, come up with something that combines a state system with more district flexibility. "Such flexibility would allow for a greater degree of experimentation and innovation, which is important given that we have little experience to draw upon when designing an optimal performance pay system for teachers."

Pay teachers for effectiveness, not their degrees: According to the report's estimates, Florida spends $180 million every year to pay 60,000 teachers more for their master's degrees. This despite reams of research that suggests all that extra higher ed doesn't do much for student achievement. (A few months back, Bill Gates bashed the idea.)

Ron Matus, state education reporter

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FEA trashes experts' budget advice

The Florida State Board of Education brought in what it considered to be the big guns of education financing for some thoughts on how to keep the state's schools progressing even during tough times.

The state's teachers union was less than impressed.

"There is a saying that ‘a crisis is a terrible thing to waste,’ and the political motives of those championing this report are transparent," FEA president Andy Ford said in an e-mail statement. "This report seeks to serve as an academic validation of a purely partisan attempt to undermine the foundation of Florida's public education system and ignore the established will of the electorate with regard to class size implementation."

To see his full comments, read on.

Crist reappoints Roberto Martinez to State Board

Coral Gables lawyer Roberto Martinez, who served on Gov. Charlie Crist's transition team, has won another term on the Florida Board of Education. Martinez, 55, a former U.S. attorney, will serve through the end of December 2012.

The State Board has one more open seat to fill with the end of Phoebe Raulerson's term. Raulerson, a former superintendent of Okeechobee schools, has reapplied for the position. Crist has not yet chosen anyone for the post.

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Who wants to oversee Florida's testing program?

Jay Pfeiffer, for years Florida's deputy commissioner of accountability, research and measurement, quietly retired this month, leaving a key spot at the DOE ripe for the taking.

For now, assistant deputy commissioner Jeff Sellers is holding down the fort. But the department is conducting a national search for a full-time replacement to manage the 100-person division responsible for assessments and accountability (among other things).

The application deadline is tomorrow (Jan. 30). Proact Search, which brought Eric J. Smith to the commissioner's chair, is running the show.

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A weekend interview with ...

... Peter Boulware, the newest member of the Florida State Board of Education. Boulware, a former FSU football star who went on to play in the NFL, will complete the term vacated by Donna Callaway. He spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek about his views on state education issues and public service.

Why did you want to be on the State Board of Education?

I feel so fortunate. I had the opportunity to get a scholarship from FSU and live my dreams and go to the NFL. I really enjoyed that. I thought I wanted to come back to the state and really get involved and help out in any way I possibly can. Obviously I ran for office the last couple of years and fell a little short. But I knew I wanted to stay involved. I wanted to help out as much as I possibly can. So I got this appointment. I'm proud and honored to do it, and I'm honored to be able to try to serve the state.

When you look at what is going with the state these days, especially with regard to finances, it would seem you have a hard set of decisions that you'd be facing immediately. What are your thoughts about how education can deal with the budget cuts that are coming?

Well, I tell you what. It's tough for everybody. I'm a local businessman. I know everyone is facing the same thing - budget cuts, budget shortfalls. So it's going to be difficult to make it through this thing. We're going to have to look at the programs that are most effective, the programs that are working the best, and the programs where we're getting the most bang for our buck, and try to focus on those. After that, see where we have to go from there. But it's just going to be tough right now for everybody in the state. Budget shortfalls are very difficult to come through.

Do you look at the class-size amendment at all and have any thoughts about it? Because it seems like that's where a lot of money is going, and it's of dubious nature whether it's going to be one of those programs that works well.

Former FSU star is newest BOE member

Peter Boulware, the former FSU All-American and NFL linebacker, was appointed to the Florida Board of Education today by Gov. Charlie Crist, according to a written statement issued by the governor's office a few minutes ago. The 33-year-old replaces Donna Callaway, who resigned in June, and joins board Chairman T. Willard Fair as the second African-American on the seven-member panel.

"As a former professional athlete and now as a businessman and father, (Boulware) has proven himself to be a strong role model who values education and understands how important it is in bettering the lives of Floridians," Crist said in the statement.

Boulware, a Republican, graduated from FSU in 1997 and played nine years in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. He is vice president of a Toyota dealership in Tallahassee and narrowly lost a state House seat. The BOE appointment is "definitely an honor," he said in the statement. "I look forward to improving our education system here in Florida."

Boulware's term runs through Dec. 31, 2009.

(Photo from sportsillustratedcnn.com)

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Who wants to be a State Board member?

The State Board of Education has had one vacant seat ever since member Donna Callaway resigned back in June. Two more seats come open at the end of December, when the terms of Roberto Martinez (left) and Phoebe Raulerson (right) expire.

Who'd want to serve on the board, especially now that Florida education faces what promise to be tough financial times?

Martinez and Raulerson, for two. Each has submitted an application for reappointment. Then there are 13 hopefuls for the third seat. Among them are:

• Former Pinellas School Board member and NSBA president Jane Gallucci.
• Former FSU football star and failed Florida House candidate Peter Boulware.
• Florida Commission on Human Relations chair and USF researcher Donna Elam.
• Educators Vincent Goodman (retired, Palm Beach County), Terry Bevino (retired, Okaloosa County), Margaret Rickerson (current, St. Johns County), Vickie Cartwright (current, Orange County), and Eric Garner (current, Broward County).

There's talk that Gov. Charlie Crist might make at least one appointment before the end of the year.

To download the applications of the hopefuls, read on.

Want to help a teacher, now?

If so, check out Adopt-A-Classroom, a Miami-based charity that steers private donations to individual teachers to help with things like classroom supplies.

Given these grim economic times, the state Board of Education invited group founder James Rosenberg to speak at Tuesday’s meeting, and afterward signaled it would help get the word out about his organization.

"I think this is brilliant," said board member Roberto Martinez of Miami. "For minimal invested money, you get huge returns." Rosenberg said 20,000 Florida teachers are already registered with the group. On the site, you can zero in on particular districts, specific schools and individual teachers. There are 28 teachers listed from St. Petersburg, for example, and 171 from Tampa.

Ron Matus, State Education Reporter

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One year down for Eric J. Smith

Tomorrow will mark one year on the job for Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith. And Board of Education Chairman T. Willard Fair took time out at today’s board meeting to applaud the board’s hire.
“However you would want to evaluate success, from my vantage point, he has indeed been successful,” Fair said. “Thanks for 12 months of blood, sweat and tears.”

Fair singled out Smith’s hires and his relationship building with stakeholders. “There was a time when I was afraid for my commissioner to go to a superintendent’s meeting,” Fair said, “because I wasn’t sure if he’d return.”

Fair said he’ll bring recommendations for a renewed contract for Smith to the board meeting in January. In a related development, the board voted unanimously to extend Fair’s tenure as chair.

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'This is a slow drag'

State Board of Education member Kathleen Shanahan hasn’t been shy in raising concerns about Florida’s new, in-the-works state college system. And she continued her criticism at today’s board meeting in Orlando, at one point calling out community college Chancellor Will Holcombe when draft materials about proposed changes weren’t prepared in time for board review.

“This is a slow drag,” Shanahan said, after Holcombe told the board the materials should be ready tomorrow, in time for Thursday’s meeting of the state college task force. “I’m telling you, I find it offensive that it’s going to come out a day after our meeting.”

“We’re talking about a significant, dramatic change,” Shanahan continued. And “we have no ability to absorb (information), have a conversation for the record” about pros and cons.

Board member Roberto Martinez suggested that the board hold a meeting exclusively on state colleges once the task force finalizes its recommendations Thursday. The board did not set a date, but appeared likely to have one before Christmas.

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A new person to talk to at the FDOE

The Florida Department of Education has a new leader in its communications department, nearly six months after Jennifer Fennell left that role for life in the private sector.

Now heading the PR charge is Erin Geraghty, who has been spokeswoman for the state's beleaguered Department of Children and Families for two or so years. Before that, the 2002 UNF grad served as a voice for the Departments of Elder Affairs and Community Affairs.

In other words, she's well versed in government speak, Tallahassee style.

In an e-mail to reporters, Geraghty promised to "continue to push openness, transparency and accountability in government." We sure hope so.

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If the Rays can do it …

Florida is a far cry from a leader in education spending. The Legislature recently cut school funding for the first time in decades. And more cuts are ahead. But Board of Education member Akshay Desai doesn’t think that necessarily means a bad outcome.

Just look at the World Series-bound Tampa Bay Rays, he said at a board meeting in Tampa this morning.

"They have one of the least payrolls compared to all the other teams in the nation. And they still were able to give the outputs,” said Desai, a St. Petersburg doctor and businessman who was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist. “In other words, efficiency and the whole output coming out of the Devil Rays has nothing to do with the amount of resources invested in them.”

Desai’s remarks came after two community college presidents and Volusia County superintendent Margaret Smith told the board how budget cuts had forced them to freeze salaries, lay off staff members and slice into academic programs. “We’re at the tipping point,” Smith said. “We can’t maintain that quality without adequate resources.”

The winners are...

As promised, we bring you the recipients of the state's top honor for outstanding school leadership.

Douglas P. Rodriguez of Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High in Miami-Dade won the Principal Achievement Award, and Stephanie C. Soliven of Cocoa High in Brevard won the Assistant Principal Achievement Award.

They get money, certificates and the recognition of their peers. Congrats.

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Who are the leaders of the year?

Tonight the state will name its principal and assistant principal achievement award winners for outstanding leadership. The program "honors principals that have spearheaded initiatives to increase student performance, promote safe learning environments and establish partnerships with parents and community members."

Each district can nominate one person for each category. The finalists for the principal award, selected from a group of district winners, are:

• Judith Winch, Westside Elementary, Volusia
• Douglas Rodriguez, Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High, Miami-Dade
• Elizabeth Wierda, Cunningham Creek Elementary, St. John's

The finalists for the assistant principal award, also chosen from a group of district winners, are:

• Julia Clemons, Key Largo School, Monroe
• Kelly Baysura, Fellsmere Elementary School, Indian River
• Jennifer Avellino, Parkway Elementary School, St. Lucie
• Stephanie Soliven, Cocoa High School, Brevard

Look for the winners tomorrow.

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Yes for Hillsborough, no for Pinellas

When the State Board of Education meets in Tampa Tuesday, it will consider specific requests from two of our local districts.

It's got likely good news for one, bad news for the other.

For the past eight years, Hillsborough has held what's known as "charter district" status. That means it can get around some of the bureaucracy that most other Florida school districts must endure, much like charter schools can avoid a lot of the red tape that binds traditional public schools.

Hillsborough has asked to extend its charter through July 2010. The DOE has recommended approval. (This would also affect Palm Beach, Volusia and Orange counties.)

For the past two years, Pinellas - along with pretty much every other district - has sought to retain exclusive control over the authorization of charter schools within its boundaries. This is a hot-button political and constitutional issue that has prompted a lawsuit by about a dozen districts.

Once again, the DOE is recommending against exclusivity for Pinellas, saying it hasn't met the standard. (This would also affect Charlotte, Dade, Lake, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Putnam, St. Johns and St. Lucie counties.)

The state board meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Tampa Airport Marriott.

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BOE: Budget request is a "minimum"

The Florida Board of Education and Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith sent their bare-bones budget request to Gov. Charlie Crist and the Legislature this week, along with this polite plea of a letter.

"The State Board of Education understands Florida faces challenging economic times," it says. "During difficult financial times, funding education makes even more fiscal sense. This budget request responsibly funds our state's priorities, and allows the state to invest in a stronger workforce."

The letter refers to the budget request as "realistic" and a "minimum."  And it goes on to list some of the gains Florida students have made in the past decade, including rising scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress and rising participation and passage rates on Advanced Placement exams.

Translation: Please don't cut education funding any more. Especially when we're making progress. Of course, the letter comes at the same time all state agencies, including the Department of Education, had to submit contingency plans for an additional 10 percent budget cut next year.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

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No surprise here

Count Florida Board of Education Chairman T. Willard Fair and Education Trust President Kati Haycock among those not surprised by yesterday's St. Petersburg Times story. A Times review found serious teacher misconduct cases appear to be more often linked to high poverty schools.

"In some ways, it fits with everything else we know about teacher quality and high poverty schools," Haycock told the Gradebook after yesterday's presentation. "Not that there aren't some fabulous teachers there, as you know. Dedicated, high performers, incredible. But these schools have often been a dumping ground for really awful people."

Fair said it's no surprise given a system that knowingly shuffles teachers to high poverty schools after they're deemed "not worthy" of more affluent schools. "We're not going to let them filter up," he said.

Fair also said the issue of teacher equity deserves more scrutiny, and that at some point will gain traction with parents. "Parents, be they white, black or polka-dotted, care about who's surrounding their children," he said. "As soon as they find out, they're going to be upset. They don't know yet."

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

'We give them less of everything'

TAMPA -- It’s a common story line: If kids do poorly in school, it must be because of them and their parents. Not so, said Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust.

Look no further than the disparities in funding, teacher quality and grade inflation that you’ll find tilted heavily against students in high-poverty schools, Haycock told about 100 people this morning, including members of the Florida Board of Education.

“We give them less of everything,” said Haycock, whose group urges more dramatic action to close the achievement gap.

“I don’t want to argue with anyone with any suggestion that poverty and things like that don’t matter,” she also said. “But while these things matter, what we do in our schools and our districts and our states matters even more.”

Haycock kicked off the state Department of Education’s “What’s Working” series with a call for higher standards, higher expectations and more high-quality teachers for students in high-poverty schools.

Expert advice

Sure, it's late notice. But just in case you have some spare time at 10 a.m., we thought you might like to check out Kati Haycock's presentation on Florida's education system.

Haycock, president of the Education Trust, is nationally recognized for her work on getting rid of the achievement gap and improving academic performance. She also has focused on the alignment of curriculum from kindergarten through college.

Today, she'll speak with the State Board of Education about "the importance of alignment between secondary and postsecondary institutions, the significance of access to accelerated learning opportunities in high school, and compare education in Florida to national trends."

You can see her without leaving your desk. The DOE says the event will be Web-cast live at www.fldoe.org. Or, you can always go to the Tampa Airport Marriott, Hillsborough Grand Ballroom East, where the board is meeting.

(Image from the Washington Post)

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New strategies for Florida education

The State Board of Education will come to Tampa next week to talk about how to rewrite Florida's education strategic plan for the next generation.

Gone will be eight "strategic imperatives," to be replaced by six "areas of focus."

The overarching vision? "To change the culture of our schools from pre-k to post-secondary by raising the ceiling and raising the floor to better enable students for success in the 21st century."

Interested? You can read the proposals here and attend the workshop at 1 p.m. Monday at the Tampa Airport Marriott.

State offers districts a refresher in student privacy

Their records are private, got that? And districts are responsible for protecting the integrity and accuracy of the data they collect and maintain.

Why is that suddenly so important? Maybe it's the fact that thousands of Sarasota students are suing Princeton Review over the public posting of their personal information on the Internet.

Education commissioner Eric J. Smith writes a memo to superintendents: "With the recent disclosure that confidential student records entrusted to an outside vendor were left vulnerable to public access, it is important that we, as public stewards of those records, be reminded of our responsibilities regarding this matter." He adds:

(D)ata managers, their staff, and other agency and school personnel must become familiar with the laws that ensure the confidentiality of the records, as well as the legal concepts underlying those laws. We strongly recommend that district personnel responsible for student records be familiar with all law and rules regarding the confidentiality of student records.

Enough said.

Sorry, you've got to make it up

After Tropical Storm Fay closed them down just after the first day of classes, several Florida school districts asked education commissioner Eric J. Smith (left) to waive the days off, essentially shortening the school year.

Not gonna happen, Smith says.

In a letter to superintendents, the commissioner acknowledged that he could waive up to three days from the 180-day calendar. But because the year is young, and the hurricane season is far from over, he told the districts to "utilize existing flexibility" (read: use some scheduled planning days) to make up the lost time.

Smith suggested he might reconsider later in the year. Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando lost just one day. Other Florida districts were closed almost a week.

BOE cancels meeting in Tally

Tropical Storm Fay (click on the image to enlarge the 11 a.m. tracking map) can claim its first casualty in Florida: The Florida Board of Education will not meet in Tallahassee tomorrow as scheduled, and will instead meet via conference call. The agenda has been shortened, too. Here's the revised version.

Still no word from area school districts on whether they'll be closed tomorrow, or whether their school board meetings are still planned to go on. We'll let you know as soon as we hear.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Exclusivity granted

In the fight for authority over charter schools within their geographic boundaries, the Hillsborough and Hernando school districts have stood among the most vocal critics of the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission.

Now they're poised to see the FSE marginalized within their counties.

On the recommendation of a hearing officer, education commissioner Eric J. Smith is recommending that Hillsborough and Hernando - along with Broward, Polk and Sarasota - be given exclusive charter-granting authority. Eleven other districts, including Pinellas, did not receive enough points after informal hearings to win the commissioner's blessing.

See the revised point estimates here.

Pasco schools, along with 15 others that were initially rejected, did not ask for hearings. Many of them are involved in a court challenge to the constitutionality of the FSE, figuring the ultimate ruling will render the entire debate moot (see the court documents here).

Oral arguments in the case are expected as early as September.

BOE to consider bigger budget

The state Board of Education will consider approving a proposed $15.9 billion operating budget for schools and community colleges next year when it meets in Tallahassee next week. That’s up 7.9 percent from the $14.7 billion it got this year.

Given the bleak state of Florida’s finances – the Legislature cut $332 million in education spending last spring - the draft proposal looks even more like a wish list than usual. Ultimately, Gov. Charlie Crist and lawmakers will decide next spring how much goes to education.

Among some of the specific proposals in the draft:

• $3.66 billion to reduce class size, up $853 million from this year.

• $6.04 billion for the Florida Education Finance Program, up $829 million.

• $99.6 million for testing, up $27.4 million.

• $1.23 billion for community colleges, up $126 million.

• $24.5 million for reading grants, down $46.0 million.

Another chance at compensation

Incoming Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, says he will file a claims bill today on behalf of a North Florida woman who charges that the state Department of Education discriminated against her and her faith-based company because she's an evangelical Christian.

"She deserves restitution," Lawson told The Gradebook, referring to Karen "Kay" Stripling, who hails from Marianna in Lawson's district. "The government should not destroy people's lives and their job and their income simply because it appears somebody in the department didn't like her and accused her falsely."

Lawson said the claim is for about $3 million. A similar bill, for $2.7 million, was filed last year by Sen. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, but later withdrawn. Lawson says the House companion bill will be filed today by Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City.

Stripling says in a pending lawsuit filed that DOE employees targeted her and her company, Read & Lead, because they were on a "Bush witch hunt" of faith-based providers in 2003 and 2004. According to the suit, they told state and federal investigators that she mishandled federal money, which led to a federal probe and the threat of indictment.

Surreal? To be sure. The Stripling story even has a FAMU connection.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

No lightning rods here

Unlike the white-knuckle ride over the state's new science standards, the comment period for the proposed new social studies standards has been smooth sailing. The deadline for comments is today.

Through Monday, about 7,000 comments had been submitted to the Department of Education, which pales next to the nearly 21,000 inspired by the evolution-embracing science standards. To read them, click here and here (there's one spreadsheet for the standards and one for the benchmarks.)

We confess. We only scanned them. But one comment caught our eye: "Every grade level should have Florida Studies!!!" (Would it shatter the Gradebook's objectivity to say we agree?)

The committee that wrote the standards meets again July 24-26. The final product will be presented to the state Board of Education in October.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Who will Crist pick?

Now that Donna Callaway (left) has resigned from the state Board of Education, the 7-member body no longer has a North Florida representative. In fact, it doesn't have anybody north of Tampa.

So will Crist fill the void with somebody from Orlando or Jacksonville or Pensacola? Will he reach back to his home base in Tampa Bay, like he did with his last pick, A.K. Desai of St. Petersburg? Will he name a teacher or another minority member?

The board has two former teachers - Phoebe Raulerson and Linda Taylor - and had three when Callaway was a member. Commissioner Eric J. Smith is also a former teacher.

The governor's office told the Gradebook last week that there is no deadline for applications, no applications in yet and no time line for a decision. The next board meeting is August 19.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

SBOE member Donna Callaway resigns

Donna Callaway, the state Board of Education member best known for her opposition to the state's new science standards, has resigned to become a middle school principal in Tallahassee again.

"I have always held a special love for Raa Middle School, and I am thrilled to accept this unique opportunity to return to the school where I was able to positively influence students on a daily basis," she said in a press release sent out by the Department of Education this morning. "Having direct connection with students and teachers allows me to continue the education successes our state has achieved in these last several years."

Callaway previously served as principal at Raa from 1994 to 2004.

BOE: Budget cuts threaten progress

Sometimes, it's who bears the bad news that matters.

Members of the state Board of Education aired concerns about education cuts today, fearful that continued budget woes could undermine the progress Florida students are making in academics.

School boards and superintendents, of course, have been ringing alarms for months. But today's clanging was different: Nobody can accuse the 7-member Board of Education of being a pack of tax-and-spend liberals. Five members were appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush and one, Kathleen Shanahan of Tampa, served as Bush's chief of staff.

"I'm very concerned about the loss of financial support," board member Roberto Martinez, who also has close ties to Bush, said at today's meeting in Tampa. "I think this board has a responsibility … to be more vocal, starting today. This board has an obligation to use our bully pulpit."

Top FLDOE spokeswoman to depart

For about two years (is that some sort of record?), Jennifer Fennell has led the Florida DOE's communications department, making changes that we reporters at the Gradebook can attest were for the better when it came to getting information from the department that hasn't always been known for its openness, Sunshine Law or not.

Now Fennell is headed back to the private sector. "I've enjoyed my time with the department, but I am looking forward to something that will give me more flexibility and time with my family," Fennell said. Her last day with the state is Wednesday, and then she will join CoreMessage, the Tallahassee PR firm run by former Jeb Bush adviser Cory Tilley and populated by folks like former Jeb spokeswoman Elizabeth Hirst and former Charlie Crist spokeswoman Vivian Myrtetus.

That's good news for Fennell, her husband and 8-month-old son. We can only hope that her spirit of helpfulness remains behind at the Florida Department of Education.

Where in the world is Cheri Yecke?

When we last checked in with Cheri Yecke, she had just announced her resignation as Florida's K-12 chancellor and was negotiating for a job at one of two universities in a state she wouldn't name, except to rule out Florida. (Yecke suffered four bouts of serious pneumonia while in Tallahassee, and was seeking a healthier climate.) She expected to make an announcement within weeks.

That was back in January.

Yecke now has contacted the Gradebook to let us know where she has landed. That would be Harding University, a private Christian school in Searcy, Ark. She'll be the dean of graduate programs and an associate professor of education.

"For some time I have felt called to work in a Christian environment," Yecke told the Gradebook. "This position gives me that opportunity, as well as the chance to get back into the classroom, which is something I have really missed. Several opportunities came my way, but Harding was by far the best fit. It feels good to be able to follow my heart."

A weekend interview with ...

... State Board of Education member Phoebe Raulerson. Raulerson, a former superintendent of Okeechobee schools, frequently has pushed for more hands-on training for high school students, voicing the concern that existing school curriculum does not work for every student. She now serves on a 26-member national task force charged with finding innovative ways to integrate career and technical education opportunities into the nation's high schools. She spoke with reporter Donna Winchester about career education.

A lot of school districts are working hard to meet the legislative mandate to create rigorous career technical education programs. What are some things school districts should keep in mind as they move forward in this area?

They have to keep in mind they need to see data on each child. I like the idea of the accountability, that a percentage of the students need to be involved in the industry and pass whatever the state test is. That will show that the program is strong, that we're preparing students for a good life. We're also helping our lifestyle by keeping each of those industries strong.

One of the other things districts need to do is give teachers enough in-service so they can earn their own national accreditation. Another thing I'd like to see is more English and math embedded in the career technical programs. There are very few programs where there is enough of that crossover. Hopefully, as time goes by, we will build more of that into the programs so kids can see the real reason for knowing the English, the math, the science. The whole point of teaching children math and science and language arts is that it is something they can use. It's not just, "You can use this some day." For a lot of kids, they need to see the relevance of it.

Do you foresee a danger in districts creating too many programs too quickly?

There could be a question of quantity over quality. But there is that piece that says a percentage of kids need to pass those national standards. If they can do that, it tells you the quality of the program is good. If you can't get kids successfully through the program to the point where they can meet those national standards, you need to shut that program down and start something else. There are programs that won't immediately produce results. You've got to do the teacher training and so forth. But you can't give it too much time. We'll use the data to help us know what we're doing right and how to fix it if it's wrong. If we can't fix it, we'll need to turn to something else.

What else appeals to you about this new foray into career technical education?

Back-door system?

The push to create a new "state college system" may be chugging with ease through the Legislature, but at least one state education official is ringing alarms.

"I don’t think we should do a back-door creation of a state college system," State Board of Education member Kathleen Shanahan (left) told The Gradebook today. "We should do it in a sunshine, transparent, strategic way. And I don't think that's being done."

The bills in question would convert the state's 28 community colleges into a State College System, and unofficially use St. Petersburg College as a model (read more in this St. Petersburg Times story here). Supporters say the new system would allow more community colleges to offer more bachelor's degrees – something only a handful of them do now – while they stay true to their core missions.

Shanahan, a Tampa businesswoman with close ties to Gov. Charlie Crist, said Florida might need state colleges. But the current plan is being rushed, she said, because it's politically tangled up in an even bigger proposal to fundamentally revamp the state’s education system – a proposal that includes giving the Legislature more power over universities (which many Republicans favor) and returning to an elected education commissioner (which many Democrats like). "It's based on politics," she said. "It's not based on any kind of study."

Accountability adjustments

Meeting in Tallahassee today, the Florida Board of Education tweaked the state's school grading formula and nixed a new FCAT graduation requirement.

Until today, a school dropped a full letter grade if at least half of its lowest performing students failed to make gains in reading and math. Now, a school will not face that penalty if it gets at least 40 percent of its lowest-performing students over the hump and that percentage is higher than the year before. Also, a school with less than 40 percent making gains will not be penalized if it improved by at least five percentage points from the prior year.

The board approved the change following a recommendation from the FCAT external advisory committee, which was created last spring after the disclosure of a botched FCAT in 2006. An earlier suggestion to suspend that part of the grading formula caused a minor ruckus, and even prompted former Gov. Jeb Bush to weigh in.

The board also gave Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith the go-ahead to scrap a new provision requiring high school students to pass the writing portion of the tenth grade FCAT to graduate. This year's tenth-graders would have been the first to face that hurdle.

Smith cited "technical issues" and pending budget cuts for his recommendation. As in the past, high school students must still pass the reading and math portions of the FCAT to graduate.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Florida considers national reform effort

Florida could be joining a national high school reform program that stresses rigor and accountability but comes with bipartisan credentials. State education officials are considering signing on to the American Diploma Project, an effort led by Achieve Inc., a group started in 1996 by governors and business leaders and now headed by Michael Cohen, a former senior education official in the Clinton administration.

Cohen is slated to address the Florida Board of Education at a Monday workshop in Tallahassee. Since it kicked off in 2005, 32 states have joined Achieve's diploma project, which aims to better prepare high school students for college and the work place (which of course is something Florida ed officials have been talking about a lot). The project is "definitely something we're interested in," Department of Education spokesman Tom Butler told The Gradebook.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

A plug for appointed commish

If you want the Florida education commissioner to be more focused on politics than schools, then elect him, says state Board of Education member Phoebe Raulerson. "I just hate for us to go away from that, where the concentration is away from education, it’s on getting elected," Raulerson told The Gradebook.

Raulerson, a former Okeechobee County superintendent, was referring to a proposed constitutional amendment, now winding its way through the Legislature, that would return Florida to the not-long-ago days when education commissioners were elected and state Cabinets served as the BOE. Under the current set-up, governors appoint BOE members to staggered terms, and the board picks the commish.

Raulerson said that system is better: Current BOE members are devoted to one issue, she said, while elected Cabinet officials (currently the governor, the attorney general, the chief financial officer and the commissioner of agriculture) would not be.

In case you're thinking Raulerson has a dog in this fight, she notes her 4-year term (she was appointed by Jeb Bush) expires this year. "So this is not my future we're talking about," she said.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

A new look

The Florida Department of Education has heard your complaints. They know you couldn't navigate their web site, that your searches turned up random responses, that you kept running into bad links and outdated information.

In response, the department has updated its Internet home, giving it a fresh look and, better yet, improved content. The site, launched Monday, uses Google to drive its searches. It has eliminated much of the education jargon. And it has gotten rid of the information that's no longer current.

"What we wanted to do was make it easier to navigate," director of communications and public affairs Jen Fennell said. "A lot of things weren't easy to find."

She said the department welcomes any comments - especially ones that help to further improve the site. In the meantime, folks in the communications office offer this hint: If you get really lost, click on "site index" on the upper righthand corner or at the bottom of the main page. It takes you to a list of departments and programs - sortable by alphabet, subject or office - that should help you find what you want.

In Tallahassee, it’s a small world after all

Some stories can only happen in the Twilight Zone, or in Tallahassee. Back in August, The Gradebook asked: "How can Jeb Bush, DOE, the FBI, intelligent design and religious discrimination all find its way into the same story?" Now add this to the list: A federal indictment of a former FAMU official.

As the St. Petersburg Times reported in this story Saturday, somehow the religious discrimination suit filed by Kay Stripling of Marianna and the criminal charges against Patricia Walker McGill (left), the former director of FAMU's Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce, all fit together. We’re not sure exactly how yet, but it seems likely that more details will spill out as both cases slog through their respective courts. In the meantime, anyone out there have any insights, conspiracy theories, or better yet, tips?

Maybe this isn't the biggest education story out there, but it just might be the most entertaining. For your reading pleasure, we’ve compiled all of our reporting to date in this one spot. (Aren't blogs great?!)

To see the original Times story on Stripling's case, click here, and for related blog posts, click here, here, here and here. To read about McGill’s indictment, click here.

- Ron Matus, Times education reporter

Two views on the State Board vote

State Board of Education member Donna Callaway, who first announced her opposition to a proposed science standard dealing with evolution in the Florida Baptist Witness, has returned to those pages today to explain why, in her view, "the biggest losers were the students in Florida's public schools." Here's an excerpt:

If there is a victory for those who oppose the evolution standard as written or amended, it is that they stood shoulder to shoulder, not in a fanatical, demanding way as many may have expected. Rather, they stood kindly with a sense of calm assurance, with open and transparent reasoning that confused their opponents who expected a religious battle. This was never that battle; it was a battle over student rights. Those rights were not recognized.

On the other hand, Dr. Paul Gross, lead author of the 2005 Fordham Institute report that panned Florida's science curriculum, issued a news release today blasting the board's decision to add the words "scientific theory" to describe evolution. Gross previously had praised the state's proposed standards as written. He said:

The Board of Education's attempt at a compromise on the teaching of evolution is a political sop to a large and concerned population of Florida voters who believe that on the core issues of science, some other way of knowing (religion, perhaps) is equal or superior to science itself. This may well be good politics. But it is not serious; and, so far as excellent science education is concerned, it is dishonest.

Go ahead and speak

After some extra consideration - and some pressuring by a large group of anti-evolution Floridians - the State Board of Education has decided to hear from the public on proposed new science standards at its Tuesday meeting in Tallahassee.

A maximum of 10 speakers favoring the evolution standard and 10 opposed will get to make comments of three minutes each. And it's first come, first served, with the sign-up period beginning at 8 a.m.

"We have received a lot of good public input on the proposed science standards and have heard from interested citizens who would like the opportunity to speak on these standards before the State Board of Education," Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith said in a news release. "To honor these requests, we are making time available at next week's State Board meeting for additional public testimony. I am privileged to serve a board that truly listens and responds to the concerns of our parents, students and teachers."

To sign up, go to the Cabinet  meeting room in the state Capitol, beginning at 8 a.m.