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Florida students make significant improvement on statewide assessments

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The Department of Education today announced that scores on the 2017 statewide, standardized assessments are on the rise and that students narrowed the achievement gap across multiple subjects and grades.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Today’s announcement is great news for Florida’s students and demonstrates that Florida’s dedicated teachers coupled with our continued focus on education is helping them succeed. The accomplishments of our students are proof that we cannot take our foot off the gas and must continue to provide record funding for Florida’s education system.”
“Following Governor Scott’s 2013 Education Accountability Summit, the Governor issued an executive order to ensure that Florida has a transparent accountability system that promotes improvement in student outcomes, and these results are evidence that these reforms are working,” said Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. “Today, we are thrilled to celebrate our students’ accomplishments and recognize the hard-working educators who work each and every day to help our students succeed. We remain committed to the strong, student-focused accountability measures that have enabled our students to reach their full potential.”   
Overall Highlights for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics
Compared to 2016, more Florida students passed the 2017 statewide, standardized English language arts and mathematics assessments.

  • In grades 3-10, the percentage of students who passed the English language arts Florida Standards Assessments increased by 2 points;
  • In grades 3-8, the percentage of students who passed the Florida Standards Assessments in mathematics and end-of-course assessments increased by 2 points;
  • The percentage of Florida’s students who passed the statewide end-of-course assessment in Algebra 1 increased by 6 points;
  • The percentage of Florida’s students who passed the statewide end-of-course assessment in Geometry increased by 2 points; and
  • The percentage of Florida’s students who passed the statewide end-of-course assessment in Algebra 2 increased by 9 points.
  • Certain grade levels achieved particularly impressive improvements on ELA assessments:
    • Third grade performance increased by 4 percentage points in ELA; and
    • Fourth grade performance increased by 4 percentage points in ELA and 5 percentage points in mathematics.

Overall Highlights for Science and Social Studies

Compared to 2016, a higher percentage of Florida’s students passed the statewide, standardized assessments in Civics and U.S. History while Science performance remained consistent.

  • The percentage of Florida’s students passing the statewide end-of-course assessment in Civics increased by 2 points; and
  • The percentage of Florida’s students passing the statewide end-of-course assessment in U.S. History increased by 1 point.

Closing the Achievement Gap
Commissioner Stewart added, “There is nothing more important than ensuring that all Florida students have the opportunity to achieve their academic, professional and life goals. We have made tremendous strides and achieved a great return on investment, but there are still disparities that we continue to address. We are pleased that today’s announcement shows that Florida is moving in the right direction, and I am confident we are on track to eliminate the achievement gap entirely.”
The achievement gap between white students and African American students in mathematics narrowed between 2016 and 2017:

  • The percentage of African American students in Grades 3 through 8 passing the statewide assessments in mathematics improved by 2 points, while white students’ performance improved by 1 percentage point.
  • The percentage of African American students passing the statewide end-of-course assessment in Algebra 1 improved by 7 points, while white students’ performance improved by 5 points.
  • The percentage of African American students passing the statewide end-of-course assessment in Geometry improved by 4 points, while white students’ performance improved by 2 points.
  • The percentage of African American students passing the statewide end-of-course assessment in Algebra 2 improved by 9 points, while white students’ performance improved by 8 points
  • Though the overall number of students who took the Algebra 2 EOC is down in 2017 compared to both 2015 and 2016, a greater number of African American students passed the assessment in 2017 compared to both 2015 and 2016.

Compared to 2016, the performance of student subgroups in English language arts and mathematics improved.

  • In grades 3-10, the percentage of white, African American, and English language learner students passing the ELA assessment improved by 2 points and the percentage of Hispanic and disabled students passing improved by 1 point.
  • In grades 3-8, on the mathematics assessments, the percentage of English language learners passing improved by 5 percentage points; the percentage of African American and disabled students passing improved by 2 percentage points; and the percentage of white and Hispanic students improved by 1 percentage point.
  • In Algebra 1, the percentage of African American students passing improved by 7 percentage points; the percentage of disabled students passing improved by 6 percentage points; the percentage of white students passing improved by 5 percentage points; and the percentage of Hispanic and English language learner students passing improved by 4 percentage points.
  • In Geometry, the percentage of African American and English language learner students passing improved by 4 percentage points; the percentage of white and Hispanic students passing improved by 2 percentage points; and the percentage of disabled students passing improved by 1 percentage point.
  • In Algebra 2, the percentage of Hispanic students passing improved by 10 percentage points; the percentage of African American students passing improved by 9 percentage points; the percentage of white and disabled students passing improved by 8 percentage points; and the percentage of English language learners passing improved by 6 percentage points.

To view the statewide and district-level results, click HERE.

Sachs Media Group Named Agency of Record for The James Madison Institute

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Sachs Media Group, Florida’s dominant public affairs communications firm, has been named Agency of Record for The James Madison Institute (JMI), Florida’s premier free-market think tank. The Sachs firm’s work will be targeted to elevate JMI’s profile in Florida and nationally by providing public affairs, public relations, digital media, targeted advertising, and strategic communications services in support of JMI’s initiatives.
Founded in 1987, JMI is one of the nation’s oldest and largest 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational organizations. Hailed as a “heavy hitter” by Florida Trend, JMI has produced work appearing in every Florida media market, as well as in such national outlets as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Bloomberg, POLITICO, Newsmax, and others. President and CEO Dr. Bob McClure is a highly regarded political thought leader and was named one of INFLUENCE Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Florida Politics.
“The James Madison Institute is one of the most influential centers for public policy thought leadership in Florida and beyond,” said Michelle Ubben, president and partner of Sachs Media Group. “We deeply respect the commitment to core values and strong principles that guide all of its important work and we’re excited to collaborate with JMI’s talented staff, dedicated board, and loyal supporters.”
JMI’s already-successful media presence will be reinforced through the guidance of Sachs Media Group’s expertise in public affairs communications. Last year, leading industry publication O’Dwyer’s ranked Sachs Media Group as the Southeast’s and Florida’s top public affairs firm. The addition of JMI to Sachs Media Group’s extensive client list will further underscore the firm’s stature in public affairs communications.
Sachs Media Group provides exceptional results in public affairs, branding, digital, and crisis communications. The firm combines unparalleled relationships, news judgment, messaging, and storytelling ability with cutting-edge strategies to engage audiences with content they seek and share. Sachs Media Group is home to the team best known for smart, strong, and strategic counsel across the diverse and ever-changing media landscape.
For more information about The James Madison Institute, visit https://www.jamesmadison.org/.

Gov. Scott: U.S. Must Take Stand Against Cuba and Venezuela

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U.S. Must Take Stand Against Cuba and Venezuela
By, Governor Rick Scott
In recent months, we have seen Venezuela slip into complete chaos. Under the brutal and oppressive dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro, we have seen things go from bad to worse. Food and medicine shortages, violence on the streets and economic uncertainty.
We’ve also seen companies like General Motors, Bridgestone and General Mills scale back their operations in Venezuela. Recently, United Airlines also joined in this effort by announcing it will suspend flights to Venezuela next month.
It’s no wonder that these companies are pulling out of a country engulfed in violent political protests and economic chaos.
Venezuelans endure long lines to purchase basic necessities all while Maduro’s dictatorship blames companies for the country’s shortages. The Maduro regime continues to mismanage the country’s oil resources, has produced a swollen inflation rate and dismal exchange rate, leaving the Venezuelan people to deal with hardship and corruption.
This is not acceptable and we should not stand for these injustices to the Venezuelan people. The United States must stop doing business with Venezuela immediately.
The turmoil in Venezuela is eerily similar to events that have plagued the island nation of Cuba for decades. When President Obama moved to normalize relations with the Castro dictatorship many argued that the new relationship would be the beginning of a better life for the Cuban people. Yet two and half years later, repression is growing and the brutal crackdown of the peaceful opposition movement is most alarming.
This was the wrong move. A message must be sent to both the Maduro and Castro regimes and their gangs of thugs that the United States will not tolerate their continued aggressions.
Organizations like the Ladies in White and UNPACU are the constant targets of the Castro regime’s violent rage. The anticipated “emerging private sector” (cuentapropistas) has actually decreased and tens of thousands of Cubans have attempted to flee the enslaved island in numbers not seen since 1994. In Venezuela, the Castro dictatorship continues to pull the strings, aiding the Maduro government’s bloodbath against the heroic Venezuelan people.
Moreover, the Obama-Castro deal failed to prioritize America’s interests. It purposely did not contemplate the certified claims of American citizens whose properties were stolen by Castro’s regime; it allowed Cuba’s trafficking of 240 tons of missile technology and other heavy weaponry with North Korea, and those responsible for it, to get away without consequence; it allowed companies to put American workers at a competitive disadvantage through deals with Cuba’s state-owned entities, which employ forced and exploitative labor practices that are contrary to international norms; it ignored judicial claims of American victims of terrorism by Castro’s regime and the cries for justice from American families whose killers are being harbored by Castro’s regime. To add insult to injury, President Obama even commuted the life sentence of a Cuban spy that was convicted of conspiracy in the murder of three American citizens.
The approach for the new United States-Cuba policy should be a substantive shift. The current direction has proven to provide the Cuban military and state security the resources that will enable them to transfer power from one family member to another. The new course must be focused on doing our part so that the Cuban people may regain their right to self-determination.
Today, I am encouraging President Trump to take a stand against these brutal dictatorships. President Trump and his Administration have the opportunity to set a new course. One that recognizes that the Cuban and Venezuelan people deserve to be free, and prioritizes human rights, democracy, security and the rule of law. This new course should serve as a beacon of hope for those brave activists in Cuba and Venezuela by making it clear that, if you are a Castro or Maduro government official involved in the violation of human rights, you will be prohibited from obtaining any immigrant or non-immigrant visa to the United States. I’m convinced that this new direction will better serve U.S. interests, generate genuine economic prosperity and help the Cuban and Venezuelan people achieve their long-awaited freedom.

Sen. Bill Nelson statement on Trump's nominee for FBI director

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Following is a statement from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) on reports that President Trump will nominate Christopher Wray to be the next director of the FBI:
“The FBI is responsible for some of our nation’s most important investigations and needs a professional who is willing to stand up to the administration when necessary.”

Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers Welcomes Zoe Linafelt as Communications Manager

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The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) has named Zoe Linafelt the statewide organization’s Communications Manager, reporting to Chief Communications Officer Molly Kellogg-Schmauch.
Mrs. Linafelt has more than seven years of experience in the communications field. She most recently served as an Account Manager at Sachs Media Group, a strategic communications firm based in Tallahassee. She was named a national “PR Champion” by the PR Council in 2015 and a member of the Joe Curley Rising Leader Class of 2016 by the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA).
“We are thrilled to have someone of Zoe’s skill and background join us at FCCC,” Kellogg-Schmauch said. “She brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, writing and campaign measurement, and will be a strong addition to the team.”
Mrs. Linafelt earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Florida State University. She is an active member of the Capital Chapter of FPRA, currently serving as the Director of Membership.

University of Florida research spending at record $791 million in 2016

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Spending for research at the University of Florida, a key indicator of how healthy an institution’s research enterprise is, reached a record high of $791.3 million in 2016, according to a new report to the National Science Foundation.
UF’s response to NSF’s Higher Education Research and Development, or HERD, Survey showed a 7 percent increase in total expenditures over 2015’s total of $739.5 million. Expenditures represent how much grant money the university actually spends in any given year. So, for example, a five-year, $10 million award might report expenditures of $2 million per year.
Life sciences research, including health and agricultural research, accounted for $561.9 million or about 71 percent of the total, up 4.1 percent over 2015. Engineering research accounted for $94.6 million or 12 percent, up 8.3 percent. Physical sciences like physics and chemistry accounted for $28.2 million or 4 percent, a 7.3 percent increase.
Computer and information sciences and math accounted for $19.9 million, a 102.3 percent increase; geosciences totaled $15.8 million, up 7.2 percent; social sciences totaled $14.7 million, down 10.4 percent; psychology totaled $6.4 million, up 26.8 percent; and non-science and engineering fields like business, communications and education totaled $49.3 million, up 24 percent over 2015.
“This report illustrates the broad diversity of research underway at the University of Florida,” said David Norton, UF’s vice president for research. “Not only is this research helping to cure diseases, feed the world and probe the mysteries of the universe – it also has a significant economic impact on Florida’s economy.”
NSF collects expenditure data from universities around the country and compiles it into a report that will be released later this year. Last year, based on fiscal year 2015 data, UF ranked 25th among all universities and 16th among public universities in research expenditures.
Among the largest projects under way in 2016 were the HCV Target project to coordinate research on Hepatitis C across more than 100 universities around the world; a U.S. Department of Agriculture project to help pine growers throughout the South adapt to changing growth patterns brought on by climate change; a Florida Museum-led National Science Foundation project to digitize millions of specimens in natural history museums around the country; and a U.S. Air Force project in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering to study the effects of lightning in the ionosphere and its impact on satellite communications.
Writer: Joseph Kays, 352-392-8229, [email protected]
Source: David Norton, [email protected]

Gov. Scott Presents Medals of Merit to Navy Sailors for Courageous Response to Times Square Attack

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Governor Rick Scott today presented the Medal of Merit to Airman David Barba and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Andrew Miller at Mayport Naval Station. The two sailors were on leave in New York from their station aboard the USS Iwo Jima and were in the immediate vicinity of the violent attack in Times Square that took place earlier this month. They were awarded today for immediately responding to the scene of the attack in order to assist and comfort injured victims until first responders arrived.
Capt. James Midkiff said, “It was an honor to join Governor Scott in recognizing Airman Barba and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Miller with the Medal of Merit aboard the USS Iwo Jima today. While we train our sailors to be prepared for intense situations, I was proud that they reacted so quickly to help those in need without pausing to consider whether more danger was imminent. This is a great example of our shared commitment to protecting Americans and serving our great nation every day.”

Commissioner Adam Putnam’s Statement on the Passing of Officer Montaad

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Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam issued the following statement regarding the passing of Officer Joshua Albert Sanchez Montaad, a law enforcement officer with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement:
“Officer Joshua Albert Sanchez Montaad tragically lost his life in a fatal crash while in the line of duty. It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of such a dedicated and vibrant man who chose to make selflessly serving others his life’s work.
“I pray for Officer Montaad’s family, loved ones and colleagues during this time of sorrow, and may God be with us all as we grieve.”

Governor Scott Expands Special Session to Include Medical Marijuana

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Governor Rick Scott issued a proclamation to expand the ongoing special session to include medical marijuana. Click HERE to view the proclamation.
Governor Scott said, “Medical marijuana was approved by 71 percent of Florida voters in 2016, and I believe that it is the role of the Florida Legislature to determine how to best implement this approved constitutional amendment. I am glad that both the Florida Senate and House are moving toward crafting legislation to help patients, and I have added medical marijuana to the call for special session.
“I know many members of the Legislature, including Senate President Joe Negron and Speaker Richard Corcoran, have worked hard on implementing Amendment 2 and I look forward to the Legislature passing a bill this week that puts Florida patients first.”

Senator Bradley to file legislation to expand compassionate use of medical marijuana

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Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island) today stated his intention to file legislation to implement Article X, section 29 of the Florida Constitution, which allows the use of marijuana by patients with debilitating medical conditions. The Senate will consider the bill during this week’s Special Session.
“Our constitutional duty is to ensure the availability and safe use of medical marijuana in the manner prescribed by Florida voters,” said Senator Bradley. “This patient-first legislation will expand access to this medicine, while ensuring safety through a unified regulatory structure for each component of the process from cultivation to consumption. The bill will be consistent with the Senate goal of increasing the overall number of MMTCs that provide medicine to patients. Additionally, this bill will enhance research opportunities that will allow scientists and physicians to study and improve this medicine, while gaining a better understanding of its effects.”
“This legislation demonstrates fidelity to the Constitution by implementing the amendment passed by the voters last November,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “The bill will also further the work the Legislature has done over the past few years to pass legislation authorizing the medical use of marijuana and other developing medications for our fellow citizens who are suffering from serious medical conditions and illnesses.”
Legislation will be formally filed later this morning.