Michelle Rhee to Continue Role as Informal Education Advisor to Governor Scott

Tallahassee, Fla. — Florida Governor Rick Scott announced today that Michelle Rhee, founder of StudentsFirst, will continue to advise his office on education policy. Ms. Rhee served as a member of the Governor-elect’s transition team for education, which recently delivered its recommendations. Until November 2010, Ms. Rhee was Chancellor of Washington, DC’s public schools, and in early December, she announced the formation of StudentsFirst, a national movement designed to defend the interests of children in public education and pursue transformative reform. StudentsFirst and Ms. Rhee will continue to provide input on best practices and in particular advise Governor Scott as he formulates proposals for the upcoming legislative session.

“I am honored to work with Governor Scott as he executes his education agenda for Florida,” said Ms. Rhee. “I am also proud to work with such a strong reform community and its leaders, including those I worked with during the transition. Florida is leading the country in areas such as sharing information about school performance, and we look forward to helping Governor Scott push the envelope in promoting innovative policies, including a focus on high-performing teachers.”

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Florida High School Performance Reaches All-Time High

~ New high school grading system tracks wider spectrum of performance,
including schools’ ability to prepare students for 21st century economy ~

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced the performance of Florida’s high schools reached record levels in 2009-10 under a new, expanded high school grading system. Working in concert with fellow legislators, Department of Education officials and other education stakeholders, Senator Don Gaetz designed the new grading system to provide a more complete picture of students’ high school experiences while rewarding schools for an increased emphasis on preparing students for success in college or career. According to the grades released today, nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of the state’s high schools achieved either an “A” or “B” grade during the 2009-10 school year. Standouts in the results include Gibbs, Miami Edison Senior, Miami Central Senior and Middleton high schools, four traditionally underperforming schools that all rose to a “C” grade.

“Our students rely on our schools for their future success, and today’s school grades indicate our school reform efforts are headed in the right direction,” Governor Crist said. “School grades measure what is important and give us the opportunity to reward success and progress, and I congratulate every student, parent, teacher and school leader throughout our state for their outstanding achievements.”
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Florida House Members To Screen Waiting for “Superman,” Participate in Panel Discussion on Education Reform

Tallahassee, Fla. – Members of the Florida House of Representatives will screen the film Waiting for “Superman,” today, Tuesday, December 7, 2010, at Regal Miracle 5 Cinema in Tallahassee. Speaker pro tempore John Legg (R-Port Richey) and Representative Marty Kiar (D-Davie) will represent the Florida House during a panel discussion on education reform following the film. The screening will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the panel discussion immediately following, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. … Continue Reading

EDUCATION COMMISSIONER SMITH TO HOLD MEDIA BRIEFING REGARDING 2009-10 HIGH SCHOOL GRADES

Florida’s Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith will hold a media briefing call tomorrow morning to discuss Florida’s 2009-10 high school grades. This is the first year that high school grades will be reported under the new grading system established as part of Senate Bill 1908, during the 2008 Legislative Session.
The conference call will be held:

Tuesday, December 7, 2010
11:00 a.m.
The call-in number is:
1-866-372-5781
Access Code
29611600

*PLEASE NOTE: The 2009-10 high school grades will be released some time after 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow morning.

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CONTACT: DOE PRESS OFFICE
(850) 245-0413

Five Years and Counting: Florida’s Graduation Rate Continues Rising

~ Florida’s grad rate climbs, dropout rate falls for fifth straight year ~

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced Florida’s graduation rate soared to new heights this year, continuing a five-year trend of increases. According to results released today by the Florida Department of Education, the state’s graduation rate climbed more than two-and-a-half percentage points to 79 percent. Included in the increases was a 3.5 percentage point increase for African-American students, a 3.2 percentage point increase for Hispanic students and a 2.3 percentage point increase for White students.

“Florida’s improved graduation rate clearly shows that our reform efforts are making a difference in our schools, and most importantly, for our students,” Governor Crist said. “I applaud our students, parents, teachers and school leaders for their hard work and significant improvement.”

“I am supremely proud of our teachers and administrators for the phenomenal efforts they are making to ensure more of our students leave school with a meaningful, vital credential,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “Although these increases have been substantial, we must recognize that the road of improvement remains long, and only through continued hard work and a commitment to reform can we hope to travel it quickly.”
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Jeb Bush and Bob Wise Unveil 10 Elements of Quality Digital Learning

Who: Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida 1998-2007
Bob Wise, Governor of West Virginia 2001-2005
Members of the Digital Learning Council

What: 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning unveiled at
Excellence in Action National Summit on Education Reform
2010

The 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning outline the roadmap for
local, state and federal officials to integrate digital learning in education.
The Digital Learning Council unites a diverse group of more than 100
leaders in education, government, philanthropy, business, technology
and policy to develop the policies to advance digital learning.

When: December 1, 2010
9:30 – 10:30 am

Where: Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20024

Why: Technology as the power and scalability to customize education so each
and every student learns in their own style at their own pace. Online and
blended earning holds the promise of extending access to rigorous high
quality instruction to every student in America in order to close the
achievement gap, and subsequent income divide. Producing more
graduates with mastery of math and science is the way America will
maintain its lead in the growing innovation economy.

Contact: Bennet Ratcliff
Vander Ark/Ratcliff for the Digital Learning Council
bennet@varpartners.net, 301-261-0408

Jaryn Emhof
Foundation for Excellence in Education
jaryn@excelined.org, 850-528-8629

Jason Amos
Alliance for Excellent Education
jamos@all4ed.org, 202-828-0828

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About the Digital Learning Council
The goal of the Digital Learning Council is to identify the digital learning policies and practices that local, state and national leaders should adopt to create a high quality digital learning landscape empowering our schools and students with the tools necessary for success in 21st century skills. The DLC has launched Digital Learning Now! to implement the Elements in the second phase of this project.

About the Foundation for Excellence in Education
The Foundation for Excellence in Education a 501(c)3 non-for-profit organization is igniting a movement of reform, state by state, to transform education for the 21st century economy.

About the Alliance for Excellent Education
The Alliance for Excellent Education is a Washington, DC-based national policy and advocacy organization that works to improve national and federal policy so that all students can achieve at high

Foundation for Excellence in Education’s New Website

Bookmark It: www.ExcelinEd.org
New Website

The Foundation for Excellence in Education is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, www.ExcelinEd.org. The new design makes it easier for you to keep up with what is happening state by state to transform education for the 21st century.

Learn more about our flagship initiative, National Summit on Education Reform, which annually convenes the best and brightest from around the world to share what works, what doesn’t and whats next in education reform. Explore our 2010 agenda and register today to join lawmakers and policymakers at this premier forum.

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Escambia Co. School & Community Leaders to Voters: “Vote Yes on Amendment 8″

Pensacola, FL – After months of struggling to meet Florida’s inflexible, constitutionally mandated caps on class sizes, Escambia County school and community leaders held a news conference on Thursday to express their support for Amendment 8, which provides schools with much-needed flexibility to manage class size.

“The strict requirements of the class size amendments will create obstacles for parents, teachers, principals and leaders in Escambia County Schools every year unless Floridians vote for Amendment 8,” said Escambia County Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “By supporting Amendment 8, voters can provide our schools with flexibility while still maintaining small class sizes.” … Continue Reading

Central Florida Public School Boards Coalition Strongly Endorses Amendment 8 for Flexibility in Florida Schools

Orlando, FL – The largest coalition of Central Florida school board members and superintendents today passed a resolution in support of Amendment 8 to provide flexibility in Florida schools.  During the meeting, state representative Kelli Stargel gave a presentation on the benefits of Amendment 8 to school leaders.  Schools across Central Florida are grappling with the challenges presented by 2002’s inflexible class size requirements.

“Since the start of the school year, educators across Central Florida and the state have struggled to meet the uncompromising mandates of Florida’s class size law.  The result has been nothing but headaches for Florida’s students, parents, teachers and school leaders,” said state representative Kelli Stargel.  “Voting for Amendment 8 will provide our schools with more flexibility and a common sense solution as our teachers continue to help students make positive gains in the classroom.” … Continue Reading

Leading Education Advocacy Organizations Congratulate PARCC As Recipient of Race to the Top Assessment Funds

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.

DOE Seeks Feedback for Teaching and Leadership Workshops

~ 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

Statement by Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith Regarding the retirement of Florida College System Chancellor Dr. Willis Holcombe

“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

State Board of Education to Meet Via Conference Call

The State Board of Education will hold a meeting today via conference call.

The agenda and meeting materials may be viewed at http://www.fldoe.org/board/meetings/2010_08_23/agenda.asp.

The meeting will be held:

Monday, August 23, 2010

10:00 a.m.

Conference Call # 1-866-304-6786

Conference ID # 90974370

CONTACT: DOE Press Office
850-245-0413

Statement by State Board of Education Chairman T. Williard Fair Regarding School District Side Agreements for the Race to the Top Competition

“During yesterday’s State Board of Education meeting we discussed the issue of school districts signing local agreements with their teacher unions as a part of the federal Race to the Top competition. We certainly appreciate the desire of these districts to bolster local support for the state’s application, but it is vital that they clearly understand what will be required of them should we win the competition.

“If Florida is successful, each participating school district will need to develop a local work plan that outlines how the district will meet all the terms and conditions of the grant as consistent with the state plan. If the local agreements with their union prevent them from submitting a final work plan that fulfills every applicable element of the state plan, then the Department will not be able to approve their plan and funding cannot be awarded. … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Announces Florida’s Task Force on Excellent Teaching

~ Will continue building broad stakeholder support begun by Race to the Top Working Group ~

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced Florida’s Task Force on Excellent Teaching, which will continue building broad stakeholder support for strategies to promote and sustain a high quality teacher workforce. The task force will include education stakeholders, including, but not limited to, teachers and teacher associations, superintendents, school board members, school administrators, parents and the business community.

“A great teacher is one of the most important factors needed to assure a student’s success in the classroom, and every Florida student deserves a great teacher,” Governor Crist said. “While the majority of our hard working teachers do a tremendous job, we must continue to ensure every teacher in our state is equipped to do the best possible job to prepare our students for the future.” … Continue Reading

Florida Department of Education Announces District Data Leader of the Year Award Program

~ Nominations now being excepted to recognize the state’s data leaders ~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is launching an exciting new award program designed to recognize school superintendents who have shown exemplary leadership in using data to increase student achievement in their district. The first-ever District Data Leader of the Year Award highlights the critical role district leaders play in supporting and encouraging the use of data, and in communicating data’s relevance to teachers, administrators, parents, students and other education stakeholders.

“Education data is essential for not only monitoring student performance, but identifying areas of weakness and pinpointing the types of strategies that can drive academic progress forward,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “The District Data Leader of the Year Award will now allow us to honor the leaders using data effectively and work to identify their strategies to mimic across the state.” … Continue Reading

Governor Crist Celebrates Race to the Top Phase 2 Application

~ 65 school districts and 54 teachers unions sign application in effort to win up to $700 million ~

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today provided an opportunity for Florida’s students and teachers to garner more than $700 million in education funding with the submission of the state’s application for Phase 2 funding in the federal Race to the Top grant competition. In addition to the support of 65 of Florida’s 67 school districts, three of the state’s four lab schools and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, the state’s efforts to win funding to implement locally developed, comprehensive education reform plans have also been bolstered by commitments from 54 local teacher unions, signifying strong dedication by district leadership throughout the state to accelerate student learning and improve the quality of education in Florida public schools.

“I am proud of the efforts of all education stakeholders who helped to make our Phase 2 application package one that will truly reform our education system like never before,” said Governor Crist. “The work of our students, parents, teachers, administrators and legislators to be united in providing a quality education is evident in this application, and I feel strongly this will help us win the race.” … Continue Reading

Education Commissioner to Attend Launch of Common Core State Standards

Florida Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith will join governors, state education chiefs and education stakeholders from across the country tomorrow to launch the K-12 Common Core State Standards for English-Language Arts and Mathematics. The event marks the end of the development phase and the beginning of the adoption process in individual states. … Continue Reading

DOE Media Memorandum – Current Race to the Top Phase 2 MOU Tally

Members of the Media,

The following list represents the school districts that have submitted a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the Department for Phase 2 of the federal Race to the Top competition. The final due date for submission of MOUs is Tuesday, May 25, 2010. An additional update will be sent out tomorrow.

Current Total: 59 school districts, three lab schools and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB). Unless otherwise indicated, the signed MOUs include the signatures of all three local parties (superintendent, school board chairman, teacher union president) where applicable. … Continue Reading

Florida Awarded Grant for $10 Million for Data Systems

Program Expanded To Address Early Ed, Postsecondary and Workforce Data Needs

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that Florida was awarded $10 million for the design and implementation of a statewide longitudinal data system. Statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDS) grants, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, support the development and implementation of data systems to enable States to examine student progress from early childhood into career, including matching teachers to students, while protecting student privacy and confidentiality consistent with applicable privacy protection laws. Last year, Congress expanded the program to include not only K-12 data systems, but also provide links with pre-K, postsecondary, and workforce data.

“Tracking student progress from birth through college helps teachers in the classroom, helps principals manage and improve their schools, and helps parents better understand the unique educational needs of their child,” said Duncan. “It’s one of the core reforms at the heart of our agenda and we are eager to work with states to put these systems in place.” … Continue Reading