“Accountability” seems to be the latest buzz word in education. The idea is to hold schools and teachers accountable for ensuring children receive a high quality education. At the surface level, it’s hard to argue with that. However, what the state touts as a system designed to ensure every student receives a quality education has … More Call for Overhaul of the Florida School Grading System
Currently in the U.S. there is a push for education to move toward online learning. In some schools, all day students are learning strictly on computers as evidenced in the Pilot School below. Language in the newly passed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) will allow this ideology to grow. This raises many concerns for parents whose … More Technology in the Classroom
It’s traditional for parents to give their child’s teacher(s) a holiday gift. For some, that means a carefully hand crafted card or other item specially made by their child that teachers treasure for years to come. Others may include a gift card (also much appreciated!) or another type of small gift. These gifts go a … More The greatest gift you can give teachers this holiday season
Dear Senator Rubio and Senator Nelson, I am strongly urging you to read these documents related to the Every Student Succeeds Act before you vote. My son is suffering in Education, as well as many other children in Florida. ESSA will make it so much worse than it already is now. There is language in … More An open letter to Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Bill Nelson; About ESSA
Standardized tests are being used for many important decisions in Florida. They are a major determining factor in student progress and retention. They have an impact on teacher evaluation scores, which are directly tied to their pay and can lead to dismissal in some cases. State-mandated tests are also the sole determining factor in school … More The Misuse of Standardized Tests
It’s imperative that we act NOW! Congress is in the process of reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), formerly known as No Child Left Behind. This bill will essentially ensure that states use Common Core for another seven years. After a decade of reform efforts guided by this act have proven they don’t … More Call to Action: Contact Your Legislators about ESEA
The following letter is posted, with permission, from a mom of three children attending public schools in Orange County, FL. These teachers already exist in our public schools, and in fact most of our teachers fit this description. However, they are stifled by the misguided priorities of decision makers at the state and local levels. The very … More Please buy my child a teacher
Thanks to our guest blogger, Laura Oosse McCrary, a passionate Florida parent advocate, for sharing her heartfelt and personal story in hopes of inspiring others to get involved: In 2012 our son entered third grade. He has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and his handwriting was barely legible due to dysgraphia. Initially unknown to me, … More Against all odds – how our son is winning against the high-stakes tests and Common Core
Parents, students, teachers, administrators and other educational leaders across the state have been questioning the validity and benefit of our educational accountability system for years. The high-stakes system uses standardized test scores to evaluate students, teachers and schools, leading to important decisions such as retention, graduation, and even teacher and administrator pay. At the center of … More Florida’s Accountability System is Called into Question
Welcome back! As we begin the 2015/2016 school year, now is a good time to learn about and prepare for the experiences your child will have in school, which includes tests he/she will take and the amount of instructional time spent on test prep. Remember, you are your child’s best advocate and the more informed … More It’s a new school year! Get informed about testing
UnitED For Florida Children 