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GAINESVILLE, Fla., Sept. 7, 2010 – Legal responses to the disaster caused by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill this summer are wide-ranging and varied, according to law professors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law who have been studying laws and policies that can determine liability for such environmental disasters. … Continue Reading
~Universities host events for middle and high school counselors guiding students~
~Final stops on the annual tour are this week at FAU, FIU, FGCU, and USF~
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – More than 2,500 counselors from across the state are going “back to college” at a state university to learn best practices and new changes in Florida law – and could set a statewide record for the annual gatherings in the process. … Continue Reading
ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 3, 2010 – For three recent Florida high school graduates now starting college classes, their freshmen year may be a little easier thanks to the $5,000 state scholarship awards each received from Florida Realtors®. The students’ winning essays were written on the topic “How Does a Realtor Professional Benefit the Community?”
The state winners are Dominic DeLucchi of Pensacola, a 2010 graduate of Escambia High School; Kelly Haskins of Lakeland, a 2010 graduate of George Jenkins High School; and Jordan Bender of Lake Mary, a 2010 graduate of Seminole High School. … Continue Reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –– The Florida State University Police Department will be conducting a DUI checkpoint on campus the evening of Sept. 6 on West Jefferson Street in front of Dorman Hall. The operation will be a part of The Leon County Multi-Agency DUI Strike Force’s efforts to reduce impaired driving during the holiday weekend.
“Unfortunately, history tells us there’s an increase in DUI related crashes during holiday weekends. We want to do everything in our power to ensure that this doesn’t happen in our community, on our campus,” said FSU Police Chief David Perry. … Continue Reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –– A distinguished group of Florida State University oceanographers, meteorologists, and marine biologists and ecologists will share a new, $500,000 grant from the Northern Gulf Institute to conduct a comprehensive study of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill’s impact on coastal and ocean marine ecosystems in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.
“This project will take us beyond shock and anxiety to show us what has really happened and suggest where the remediation efforts must lead us,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Joseph Travis, a biologist recognized for his work in population ecology. … Continue Reading
The Partnership receives grant to lead assessment development for Common Core State Standards
Tallahassee, Florida – The Foundation for Excellence in Education, Foundation for Florida’s Future, Tennessee Score, Mississippi First, Education Reform Now, Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition, E3 (Excellent Education for Everyone), REACH Alliance and Colorado Succeeds congratulate the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness in College and Careers (PARCC) for being awarded $170 million to fund Common Core assessment initiatives.
“As advocates in member states, we applaud PARCC and their leading role in the implementation of the Common Core Assessments Initiative. PARCC’s focus on strengthening accountability and ensuring valid cross-state comparisons of student performance is critical for the success of education reform across our country. Quality assessments are vital if we are serious about preparing high school students for the rigors of college or a career in the 21st century.”
The Common Core assessment funding will be used to develop an assessment system that measures student achievement on the Common Core State Standards in English arts and mathematics.
For media inquiries, please contact Jaryn Emhof, Press Secretary, at jaryn@ExcelinEd.org or (850) 528-8629.
The Foundation for Excellence in Education is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit organization dedicated to igniting a movement of reform, state by state, to transform education in America for the 21st century economy.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — After declining for the first time since the end of World War II, Florida’s population grew once again last year, a hopeful yet tentative sign that the worst of the recession may have passed, according to the latest preliminary population estimates from the University of Florida. … Continue Reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida students gearing up for another academic year have received more than $40,000 in back-to-school supplies as part of the SmartStart4Kids campaign. The campaign is a month-long, statewide back-to-school project of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA) and involves dozens of members of the Young Agents Council. More than 50 insurance agencies collected supplies including pens, pencils, paper, backpacks and back-to-school clothing, which were donated to local area nonprofit organizations. … Continue Reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –– As the Florida State University Seminoles gear up for the first of seven home football games this season, FSU police are reminding football fans that their own game day strategy should include getting an early start to Doak Campbell Stadium.
The first home game will be Saturday, Sept. 4, when the Seminoles take on the Samford Bulldogs. Kickoff is at noon.
“Football fans should arrive early to enjoy pre-game activities and camaraderie, and, of course, to help keep traffic stress-free,” said FSU Police Chief David Perry. … Continue Reading
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — With no clear signs the nation is either on the road to economic recovery or showing signs of entering another recession, Florida’s consumer confidence remained stagnant, inching up only one point to 67 in August, according to a new University of Florida survey. … Continue Reading
“Dr. William Foster graced the music world with his presence and his imprint will forever be remembered. As a Great Floridian and even greater man, Foster dedicated his life to serving countless students, families, staff and alumni at Florida A&M University. I join with all Floridians in offering condolences and prayers for the Foster family and the university community who will miss him.”
CONTACT: GOVERNOR’S PRESS OFFICE
(850) 488-5394
~ User-submitted comments and questions to help shape workshop discussions ~
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Education (DOE) today opened up the first of several online comment periods that will help facilitate informative discussions during the new “What’s Working in Effective Teaching and Leadership” workshop series. The new series of meetings, hosted by the Florida State Board of Education and DOE, are open workshops for parents, teachers, and school administrators, among others, to share ideas and concerns on important educational topics including instructional practices, leadership, professional development and teacher quality.
“Success in our classrooms begins with providing quality instruction and empowering our teachers,” said State Board of Education Chairman T. Willard Fair. “The “What’s Working” series will enable that success by allowing education policy-makers to hear directly from stakeholders about their ideas on implementing meaningful reform strategies to help all of our students.” … Continue Reading
Tallahassee, Florida – The Foundation for Florida’s Future congratulates the Sunshine State for winning Race to the Top, a federal competitive grant program designed to improve the quality of education in states across the country. Florida was one of ten states to earn a grant in the second round of the program. … Continue Reading
Salt Lake City, Utah — More than a decade ago, Florida embraced the core belief that all children can learn when schools are organized around the singular goal of learning. Since then, Florida’s students have surged past Utah’s fourth graders in reading, according to the Nation’s Report Card (National Assessment for Educational Progress). Today, Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida 1999-2007, shared the lessons of reform that reversed a generation of decline in public schools and led to sustained rising student achievement in the Sunshine State. … Continue Reading
“Dr. Holcombe has spent a lifetime in support of the students of Florida, working tirelessly to expand their access to high quality postsecondary opportunities and rewarding workforce options. He has had a remarkable career, filled with countless achievements and an undeniable desire to help those around him. From his honored service in the U.S. Marine Corps to his roles as high school teacher, college professor and college administrator, few can claim such a devotion to the wellbeing and prosperity of others. … Continue Reading
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Termite spit may soon help fill our gas tanks. University of Florida researchers have isolated two enzymes termites use to break up lignin, a tough plant material that is major problem during the production of cellulosic ethanol.
Cellulosic ethanol is a fuel produced from the inedible portions of plants, material often discarded as trash. The process often involves genetically engineered microbes such as bacteria or fungi to break down sugars found in the cell walls of the plants.
Before the microbes can do their work, however, they must first get past lignin, the compound largely responsible for making wood “woody” instead of soft. … Continue Reading
Council unites diverse leaders to establish a roadmap to digital learning and promote its adoption
Tallahassee, Florida and Washington, D.C. August 18, 2010 – Jeb Bush, governor of Florida 1999 – 2007, and Bob Wise, governor of West Virginia 2001 – 2005, today launched the Digital Learning Council to identify policies that will integrate current and future technological innovations into public education. The Digital Learning Council unites a diverse group of more than 50 leaders from education, government, philanthropy, business, technology, and think tanks to develop the roadmap of reform for local, state and federal lawmakers and policymakers. … Continue Reading
Tallahassee, Florida – The Foundation for Florida’s Future today released Florida’s Education Report Card 2010. The annual report card grades legislators on their efforts to improve the quality of education in the Sunshine State. By grading lawmakers on a scale of A – F, just like students, Florida’s Education Report Card gives the public – especially parents – a clear and comprehensive assessment of who is advancing reforms to make education in Florida a model for the nation. … Continue Reading
~ Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins to offer discounted ticket prices for all public school and district personnel ~
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is proud to announce a new partnership with two of Florida’s National Football League (NFL) teams to offer discounted ticket prices for all public school and district personnel (pre-kindergarten – 12th grade) across the state. Through this partnership, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins each have single-game discount tickets available for education employees who make a difference in Florida’s classrooms. … Continue Reading
~ Workshops featuring state and national experts provide opportunity to interact and discuss variety of topics ~
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida State Board of Education is proud to announce the creation of the “What’s Working in Effective Teaching and Leadership” series this fall in partnership with the Florida Department of Education. Through the “What’s Working” series, the Board will host five regional meetings during the months of September and October where educators from across the state will share their ideas and concerns on important educational topics. … Continue Reading
