– Raising the bar intended to prepare students better for college and careers –

TALLAHASSEE – As Florida ramps up standards and strengthens assessments in preparation for a move to a more demanding set of nationwide academic educational standards called the Common Core State Standards in 2015, the first group of statewide assessment results offer evidence of that transition.

“We are asking more from our students and teachers than we ever have, and I am proud of their hard work,” said Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. “Florida’s higher standards help ensure students are learning what they are expected to know so that they are prepared for college, career, and life. As Florida transitions to higher standards and higher expectations, we can expect our assessment results to reflect those changes.”

Florida is in transition to more challenging assessments aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards as the state prepares for full implementation of Common Core State Standards and Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments in 2014-15. Raising the standards along with the expectations of Florida’s students helps prepare them for the more demanding PARCC assessments designed to help them acquire the skills they need for tomorrow’s jobs and to be more competitive internationally.

The Florida Department of Education released results today for ninth and tenth grade FCAT 2.0 Reading and FCAT Writing as well as retake results.

· 52 percent of students in grade 9 were performing at or above Achievement Level 3 (on grade level) on FCAT 2.0 Reading.
· 50 percent of students in grade 10 received passing scores performing at or above Achievement Level 3 on FCAT 2.0 Reading (a decline from 60 percent in 2011 when the passing score was set within Achievement level 2).
· 81 percent of students in grade 4 earned a score of 3.0 and above on FCAT Writing, compared to 78 percent in grade 8, and 84 percent in grade 10.

More information about statewide assessment results and media packets are available at http://fcat.fldoe.org/mediapacket/2012/default.asp.

~ First Time Program Insures So Many Florida Kids ~

Tallahassee, FL – For the first time ever, more than 2 million Florida children in March were enrolled in Florida KidCare, the state’s high-quality, low-cost health insurance program for children. The program reached the historic milestone when it provided new insurance coverage for almost 12,000 children.

“That’s 2 million kids who are seeing doctors, receiving essential prescriptions, getting their teeth examined – kids who now have a better chance to become healthy, productive adults. That’s 2 million kids who wouldn’t have this opportunity for a healthier life if not for KidCare,” said Rich Robleto, executive director of Florida Healthy Kids, one of the KidCare partners.

Florida KidCare provides free or low-cost insurance coverage for children ages 0-18, regardless of household income. KidCare is made up of Florida Healthy Kids, Medicaid, MediKids and Children’s Medical Services Network (CMS).

All four KidCare partners enjoyed enrollment growth from February to March, producing a combined gain of 11,819 children – enough to push total enrollment to 2,008,877.

“The benefits of health insurance coverage for children are numerous, and reaching 2 million enrollments is a milestone,” said Liz Dudek, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees the Medicaid and MediKids program. “The Florida KidCare partnership has been one of the most effective tools to improve the well-being of Florida’s children, and working together we will continue to provide an affordable insurance option for coverage.”

As of the end of March, enrollment in the four KidCare partner programs is as follows:

-                Florida Healthy Kids (ages 5-18): 230,976

-                Medicaid (birth through age 18): 1,721,220

-                MediKids (ages 1-4): 33,254

-                CMS Network (special needs, to age 18) 23,427

Atchity Entertainment International/Ramos & Sparks Group option bestselling book

(Los Angeles, California) – As the 50th anniversary approaches in 2013 for one of the darkest, saddest days in modern American history – the assassination of President John F. Kennedy – plans have been announced for production of a major motion picture based on the New York Times bestselling book, The Kennedy Detail, written by former Secret Service agent Gerald Blaine and award-winning journalist Lisa McCubbin, with a foreword by former agent Clint Hill.
Ramos & Sparks Group (R&S) of Tallahassee, Florida, in conjunction with Atchity Entertainment International (AEI) of Los Angeles, California, today announced they have secured the rights and optioned the book for an independent feature film closely following the book, thereby “setting the record straight in answer to Oliver Stone’s fanciful JFK.”

The venture will be produced by the collaboration The Kennedy Project, LLC. Blaine, a key member of President John F. Kennedy’s security detail, teamed with McCubbin to provide a first-hand account of protecting the 35th President and his family immediately following his election in November, 1960 through the tragic day in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

This critically acclaimed account was released in late 2010 as the first book written about the President and his family with the cooperation of the men charged with his protection. The first-hand account, told within the 427 pages of The Kennedy Detail and an Emmy-nominated documentary of the same title, is comprised of individual tales of loyalty, honor and ultimately, loss.

“This book is about a ‘band of brothers’ who committed their lives every day to guarding the President and his family,” said Dr. Ken Atchity, President of Atchity Entertainment International, who will serve as the film’s producer along with AEI partner Chi-Li Wong. “The unique relationship between this President and those charged with his safety is a story that will add a previously unknown perspective into the brief, but well-chronicled era known as the Kennedy Administration.”

“As a life-long student of the Kennedy Administration and the events of November 22, 1963, I could see immediately that this book provided a clear picture and keen insight into the everyday workings of the administration as well as that horrible day in Dallas,” said Rich Ramos, who along with Bob Sparks of Ramos & Sparks Group, will also serve as producers. “The true story contained in The Kennedy Detail needs to be brought to theaters around the world so that history can be presented accurately, once and for all.”

Plans call for a release in late 2013, nearly 50 years to the day of the assassination of President Kennedy. The Emmy-nominated documentary based on The Kennedy Detail, narrated by Martin Sheen, was executive-produced by Ken Atchity and Chi-Li Wong, along with Renegade83, and first aired on Discovery Channel in 2010. Jerry Blaine and Lisa McCubbin also served as producers.

#####

About Atchity Entertainment International

Atchity Entertainment International is based in Los Angeles, California. AEI has produced dozens of feature films and projects for television. Dr. Ken Atchity is the Chief Executive Officer of AEI who, along with AEI Chief Operating Officer Chi-Li Wong, produced or co-produced films such as Joe Somebody with Tim Allen, Life or Something Like It with Angelina Jolie and Ed Burns, The Madams Family (CBS Films) with Ellen Burstyn, and The Lost Valentine (Hallmark Hall of Fame/CBS), with Betty White and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Atchity films due for release in the near future include Hysteria, with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy (Sony Picture Classics) and Expatriate, with Aaron Eckhart (Weinstein Bros.). Current AEI projects include Ripley’s Believe It or Not with Jim Carrey. Other books managed by Dr. Atchity include Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin’s bestselling Mrs. Kennedy and Me, just released by Gallery Books.

www.aeionline.com.

About Ramos & Sparks Group

Ramos & Sparks Group is a business development, communications and government consulting firm based in Tallahassee, Florida. R&S represents regional, national and international clients focusing on communications, project management, political consulting and strategic planning.

Partners Rich Ramos and Bob Sparks have previously worked with athletes and entertainers on marketing, appearances and productions. Both have also held senior positions in both federal and state government, including the Office of the Florida Attorney General and the Office of the Governor.

http://ramos-sparks.com

The gift will support Fanconi anemia research at the University of Minnesota, a national leader pioneering better ways to treat the disorder

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL, Minn. – Florida State University head football coach Jimbo Fisher, and his wife Candi, today presented the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital with a $500,000 donation from their Kidz1stFund™. The Fisher family presented the check at half court during the University of Minnesota’s men’s basketball game versus Nebraska.  University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, Rebecca Kill, wife of University of Minnesota head football coach, Jerry Kill, and Minnesota Vikings quarterback, and former FSU player, Christian Ponder joined the Fishers for the presentation.

“One thing our family has learned is the game of life is not so different than the game of football – we will not accept defeat,” Candi Fisher said. “We are in this to win the fight against Fanconi anemia on behalf of all the children who share this struggle with Ethan. This is just the first of millions we hope to raise to advance FA research here at the University of Minnesota.”

Kidz1stFund™ was established to support Fanconi anemia research at the University of Minnesota, one of the leading universities pioneering better ways to treat the disorder that afflicts the Fisher’s six-year-old son Ethan. Ethan was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia in March 2011 which prompted the Fisher family to create Kidz1stFund in hopes of finding a cure for this disease.

“The University of Minnesota is thrilled to have such passionate partners in the Kidz1stFund™ and we’ll do what we can to help them achieve their mission,” said MacMillan. “Raising awareness of Fanconi anemia will help in quicker diagnosis and better treatment options for the thousands of kids affected by this disease.”

Fanconi anemia is a rare, inherited blood disorder that prevents bone marrow from making enough new blood cells. Most children affected by the condition will need a transplant of stem cells derived either from bone marrow, or umbilical cord blood to extend their lives.  Because of this, Kidz1stFund has orchestrated many bone marrow donor drives in Tallahassee and beyond through a partnership with Be The Match®.  In only six months, Kidz1stFund has registered over 1,000 new donors into the National Marrow Donor Program. Many FSU sports teams and Seminole fans have registered to see if they are a match for Ethan or the thousands of others waiting for a bone marrow transplant. Within the last 15 years, new research and improvements have allowed the survival rate after an unrelated donor bone marrow transplant to go from less than 30 percent to greater than 80 percent.

Kidz1stFund™ was established to provide support to families affected by FA, provide education and awareness about the disease, and raise money for Fanconi anemia research with the goal of finding a cure. Through different events, campaigns, and donations, the fund is enthused to be presenting the first installment of $500,000 to further this important research.

To find out more information about Kidz1stFund, visit www.kidz1stfund.com.

*To download photos of the event, visit:

http://ftp.zimmerman.com/

username: kidzfirst

password: +kidz1st+

Statement By Commissioner of Education Gerard Robinson Regarding Proposed Changes to Florida’s School Grading System

“Florida has worked very hard for more than a decade to implement and support ground-breaking education reform and I am extremely proud of our successes. As we move toward a new age of education for Florida’s children, it is important to recognize our triumphs and build upon our hopes for the future of public education.

“The proposed changes to our school grading system are not only necessary to continue on the path of intelligent reform, but they will help ensure that Florida is prepared to compete on a global level. Under our current school grading system, it is possible for a school to receive an ‘A’ grade when one out of four students cannot meet Florida’s grade-level standards for reading. This is unacceptable.

“We need an education system for Florida that is exceptional, not merely acceptable. It is my goal to ensure that every student has the opportunity to be counted and to experience world-class public education. These proposed changes are the result of important discussion and contributions made by all stakeholder groups including superintendents, educators, and experts across the state. And this is not a week-old discussion. The Florida Department of Education has been discussing school grade changes with stakeholders since May 2011.

“There has been a great deal of conversation about the proposed changes and I believe strongly that talking about the future of education in our state is healthy. In this instance, I think it is important to understand that much of the discussion is based on estimates, not concrete projections. We have created many school grade simulations using various scenarios to illustrate the potential impact of proposed changes. One simulation, for example, includes grading all schools that serve students with disabilities; however, we are reviewing alternative options for schools that serve only these students.

“I want to assure the citizens of Florida that I will consider all of the viable options as I review the valuable feedback received regarding the proposed state board rule changes to our school grading system. This feedback will be part of our healthy conversation as the State Board considers these proposals at their meeting on February 28, in Tallahassee.”

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The facilities needs of Leon County Schools will come under the microscope of local business leaders, following agreement by the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive, independent review of the need to extend the half-cent sales tax for schools.

Chamber Chairman Bill Moor and President Sue Dick announced that Tallahassee Community College President Jim Murdaugh will chair the Capital Improvements Review Team (CIRT) process on behalf of the Chamber and the local business community. Leon County Schools Superintendent Jackie Pons asked the Chamber to review the school district’s recommendations for how the resources would be spent if the decade-old tax is extended for another 15 years, raising a projected $256.9 million for additional school improvements.

“Ten years ago, the Chamber took a close look at the school district’s resources and concluded that a half-penny sales tax was the best way to provide for the significant needs of children in Leon County,” Moor said.  “I am proud that leaders from across the business community have agreed to volunteer again for this important mission.”

The schools’ half-penny sales tax was approved by voters in 2002 and has provided $149.6 million for vital improvements at every school in the county, but it is set to expire later this year. The CIRT process will involve a thorough assessment of the school district’s ongoing capital needs.

Pons said he strongly believes the tax should be extended, and welcomes the perspective of the Chamber’s independent review

“Leon County Schools promised voters that the half-penny sales tax would produce meaningful improvements for our children. We have kept faith with the voters and made significant improvement at every school in the county,” said Pons. “Now it’s time to plan ahead and make sure we have sufficient resources for the next 15 years.”

A report by the Capital Improvements Review Team in 2002 found that 30 percent of the revenue generated by the half-penny tax would be paid by non-residents,

easing the burden on Leon County residents. Almost half the need identified at that time – 45 percent – was for renovation and maintenance of existing facilities, while another 32 percent of the needed improvements involved aging heating and air conditioning systems.

As chairman of the CIRT, Murdaugh will coordinate teams examining the school district’s needs in areas including renovation and maintenance; new construction and remodeling; transportation; technology; and finance. The teams will consist of community leaders in the various fields, as well as citizen volunteers.

“Those of us in leadership positions in the community know what an incredible resource we have in Leon County Schools,” said Murdaugh. “The schools are literally building the future leadership of our community, state and nation, and I am pleased to do my part to ensure the success of this important process.”

Added Dick: “We’re proud that so many business leaders have agreed to lend their unique skills to improving our community. I can’t think of a better way to contribute than by helping what is already a top-notch school district.”

The following individuals have agreed to serve as leaders of CIRT subcommittees:

Jim Murdaugh – CIRT Chair

Tallahassee Community College

Pamela Butler – Chair, Instructional Delivery/Technology Subcommittee

Aegis Business Technologies

Kim Gabbard – Chair, Renovation Subcommittee

Northwood Centre

Chris Jensen – Chair, Finance Subcommittee

Prime Meridian Bank

John Stewart – Chair, New Construction/Remodeling Subcommittee

JMS Builder Tallahassee

Kim Williams – Chair, Transportation Subcommittee

Marpan Supply Company

Elaine Bryant – Chair, Special Issues Subcommittee

Elaine Bryant and Associates

Ron Sachs – Chair, Communications Subcommittee

Ron Sachs Communications

Tallahassee, Florida –  Today, the House Pre-K – 12 Appropriations Subcommittee voted to reward high achieving students by passing HB 7059 which rewards student-achievement instead of seat-time.

“I thank members of the House Pre-K – 12 Appropriations Subcommittee for their commitment to increasing accelerated learning options for Florida’s students,” said Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future. “This bill will open the door to restructuring education around what truly matters – student learning.  Evolution from seat-time based education is the next step to bringing every student a quality education that is customized to meet their unique learning style and pace.”

Florida has dramatically improved the quality of public education during the past decade, but our work is far from finished. These initiatives move Florida further down the path of improving education for all students. The Foundation looks forward to working with members of the Florida Legislature to continue our success.

Tallahassee, Florida – For over a decade, Florida has graded school districts A-F, just like it grades schools.  Based on that data, today Governor Scott released how each of Florida’s 67 school districts rank from highest performing to lowest performing.

“We applaud Governor Scott’s initiative to rank Florida’s school districts in order to promote performance by encouraging competition,” said Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future.  “Florida has already experienced the results accountability and transparency have on schools.  While grading school districts is not new, this additional level of transparency will better equip parents and community leaders to be more involved in ensuring their school district is leading the state and nation in student performance.”

School grading and school district grading are foundational elements of Florida’s leading accountability system for public education.  This year, 30 school districts received an A, 23 received a B, 13 received a C, and one received a D.

Chair Dean Colson discusses quality and competitiveness, student financial aid, governance issues in presentation

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney Dean Colson of Coral Gables presided over his first meeting today as Chair of the Florida Board of Governors, opening with comments focused public universities’ quality and competitiveness, student financial aid and governance issues. The Florida Board of Governors is the constitutional appointed oversight body of the 11-institution State University System, which serves more than 325,000 total enrolled students. His comments, as well as his complementary PowerPoint presentation with data underscoring points of focus, are both posted in today’s Board meeting materials located at http://www.flbog.edu/pressroom/meeting_agenda.php?id=129.

Colson was elected unanimously at the November meeting of the Board of Governors and was first appointed to the Board of Governors by the then-Governor in January 2010. Colson has been a partner with the law firm of Colson Hicks Eidson in Miami since 1981, and served as Vice Chair of the Florida Board of Governors and Legislative Committee Chair the past two years. He served nearly 20 years on the University of Miami’s Board of Trustees (1991-2009), a private university, including as its Chair.

Colson cited many of the metrics in the 2010-11 Board of Governors’ Annual Accountability Report released this week (see attached email), as well as the Board of Governors’ just-finalized Strategic Plan for the State University System of Florida: 2012-2025. The Board’s Annual Accountability Report has undergone significant enhancements the past two consecutive years, and is quickly evolving into a leading model for accountability among public university systems nationally. It was formally presented Wednesday in the Strategic Planning Committee (and is posted in that section), and will be taken up by the full Board at today’s full-membership meeting.

Immediately following Chair Colson’s remarks, House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford addressed the Board of Governors as a follow-up to his recent letter regarding the growth of distance learning, one of the priorities of the past year of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. His letter is posted under Advance Materials at http://www.flbog.edu/pressroom/meeting_agenda.php?id=129.

About the State University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida is governed by a 17-member Board of Governors, a constitutional body and led by appointed public servants. The System is comprised of 11 institutions with a total enrollment of more than 320,000 students, making it the fourth-largest public university system in the nation in terms of enrollment (some states have more than one university system). The Florida Constitution (Article IX, Section 7) was amended by the state’s voters in 2002 to establish a statewide system of governance for all Florida public universities. As a result, the Florida Board of Governors was created in 2003 to oversee the State University System of Florida. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and ensuring the well-planned coordination and operation of the System. The Board’s 17 members include 14 appointed by the Governor, with three serving by virtue of their designations (a faculty member, a Florida Student Association student representative, and the Florida Commissioner of Education). The Board of Governors appoints a Chancellor who serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the State University System. For more, including the Board’s Annual Report that reflects accountability measurements and benchmarks occurring at each institution, see www.flbog.edu.

Tallahassee, FL – Today, the Senate Pre-K – 12 Committee voted to increase educational opportunities for Sunshine State students. SB 962 allows for a one-time bump in the statewide tax credit cap to $250 million in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. This will allow 6,500 more children from low-income families the opportunity to select and attend the best school to meet their unique needs.
“I thank Senators Benacquisto, Altman, Bogdanoff and Wise of the Senate Pre-K – 12 Committee for their commitment to offering every student the quality education they deserve,” said Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future. “This successful, cost-saving program has given thousands of low-income students a choice in their education that would not otherwise be available to them. The changes SB 962 introduces will give even more parents a voice in their children’s education.”

Education in Florida has dramatically improved during the past decade, but our work is far from finished. This legislation moves Florida further down the path of ensuring every child has access to a quality education. The Foundation looks forward to continuing to work with members of the Florida Legislature to imoprove student achievement.