by Heide Janshon There has been a great deal of “I doth protest” from districts and superintendents when the case is made attaching the Common Core State Standards (or any standards for that matter) to the high stakes standardized tests used to evaluate teachers, give schools a grade, and of course, determine standards mastery by … More Separating Testing from the Common Core State Standards is like tearing muscle from bone

As a result of a bill by titled HB7069 which passed in 2017, many schools across the state have faced the threat of potential closure if they receive lower than a “C” grade for two years or more. Based on data from the FL DOE, an estimated 79 schools faced this fate this past school … More School Closures Should be Local Decisions

by: Heide Janshon Dear parents, I’m sure you’ve been terrified by all sorts of claims that the Third Grade ELA FSA (English Language Arts Florida Standards Assessment) determines whether your child is retained or promoted.  Please read on and stand firmly on the fact that you are informed, empowered and can rest in the knowledge … More What exactly determines Third Grade retention?

United for Florida Children was founded four years ago with the goal of uniting parents, grandparents, school staff, students and the community to advocate for a high quality education for all students across the state. At the very foundation of a high quality education lies basic safety. We are deeply saddened by the shootings that … More Not. One. More.

An open letter to Representative Richard Corcoran, Speaker of the House… I’ve been hearing a lot about “hope” in education circles lately – “Schools of Hope”, “Hope Scholarships”, providing hope for students in “failing” schools. The term seems to be used by you and other legislative leaders as a way to garner public support for … More Dear Mr. Speaker: What is Your Definition of “Hope?”

At the end of the 2017 legislative session, Florida’s “schools of hope” plan was approved, tucked inside House Bill 7069. This 274-page education bill was assembled at the last minute behind closed doors with little to no opportunity for public input, discussion and debate. 1 HB 7069 allows the Florida Department of Education to approve … More Questions that State Legislators Should Have Answered Before Approving HB 7069

Florida’s public schools have been under attack in the last 10 years, with a strong focus on accountability. The primary measurement used to ensure this accountability is student scores on standardized tests, with the assumption that these tests are accurate measures of student learning, teacher effectiveness and overall school quality. Scores on the Florida Standards … More The Florida Standards Assessment and Accountabiity

The first week of the 2018 legislative session in Tallahassee begins January 9. Do your representatives know what your priorities are for education? As elected officials, they have a civic duty to represent their constituents, so it’s important that we communicate with them about what’s important to us. It can be difficult and time consuming … More 2018 Legislative Session – What do we want from Public Education?