School District of Duval County Factcheck

Education Roundup November 1, 2021

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2021/11/01/for-school-boards-representing-parents-raises-the-question-which-ones/

For school boards, representing parents raises the question: Which ones? A roundup of Florida education news from around the state.

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK 2021.

Thank you teachers for all that you do. What's your superpower? It's just YOU being YOU.

You are loved, you are admired, every day a new heart you inspired.

So during this week where we can't thank you enough, we send our greatest gift, we send you our love.

The Florida Legislature is on track to make education and environmental issues a top priority this session. This is great news.

The advocacy for teachers to receive a pay increase for a fair and working wage has been a long hard fight here in Florida, now we are about to see this come to fruition.

Red tide and other environmental issues such as the Piney Point catastrophe have also made funding the environment a top priority.

The environment and education have always been at the forefront for Governor Ron DeSantis since he became Governor of Florida. With the State Legislature on board, funding these all important issues will lay the groundwork for hope, prosperity and renewal for years to come.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/state/2021/04/07/florida-house-and-senate-move-ahead-budget-spending-plans/7114987002/

Winners and losers emerging as state budget plans advance in Florida House and Senate The Florida Legislature is advancing budget plans, but the House and Senate are still far apart on some issues.

Education News around the State of Florida. March 5 - 11, 2021

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2021/03/05/florida-gets-closer-to-education-savings-accounts/

Florida gets closer to education savings accounts A roundup of Florida education news from around the state.

SUPPORT TEACHERS AND EDUCATION. THE TIME IS NOW TO PLACE YOUR PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS TO STATE LEGISLATORS.

The article below gives you a great perspective into the life of a teacher during the past year with their normal duties plus all of those added due to the pandemic. Here in Florida, the TIME IS NOW to advocate and speak up, contact your Legislators today! Within the next 60 plus days, the teacher pay raises will be decided by your elected officials, so please check our recent posts *See the last few posts for links* and contact your State Legislators and support education and teacher increases in pay for a fair and equitable salary.

Governor Ron DeSantis said he's proposing $550 million, an increase of $50 million from this year, in the 2021-2022 state budget “to continue raising the minimum K-12 teacher salary to the goal of getting the average minimum salary statewide to be $47,500. A key concept of this increase "SHOULD" provide experienced teachers with their "due" and respect which they deserve, working all these years, many holding down two and three jobs to make ends meet, while serving the public and the community.

This is where the public needs to voice their opinions now. A few weeks from now will be too late as Legislators will be slashing and making cuts to the proposed amounts. Please take this into consideration before we end our post today. You have already read in our previous posts that State Legislator(s) have stated the Governor's budget related to education is a pipe dream and they will make the final call, aka the final "SLASH" cutting these amounts. Certainly, the balancing of a budget is a priority and is the hallmark of many politicians, however, you CAN NOT keep your promise to teachers while slashing these amounts. You will cut directly into the increase "portion" which will allow teachers who have been working 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and 20 years to make more than just the same amount or between $1,000 to $3,000 more than entry level teachers.

When you consider what is fair and equitable and reflect upon all of the great teachers in all of your lives and in your family, how hard they work and the sacrifices they had to make each and every day for their students and their own families, this is an easy decision to make. Call up your Legislators now and support the FULL BUDGET proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner Richard Corcoran and show teachers who have spent their lives serving your children that they matter.

Upcoming Dates of Importance related to the Florida Legislature:

February 26, 2021 5:00 p.m., deadline for approving final drafts of general bills and joint resolutions,
including companion bills

March 2, 2021 Regular Session convenes (Article III, section 3(b), State Constitution)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/teachers-remote-in-person-simultaneously/2021/02/20/8f466ff8-6bb9-11eb-9ead-673168d5b874_story.html

More teachers are asked to double up, instructing kids at school and at home simultaneously Many educators say concurrent teaching is the hardest thing they’ve ever done.

CONTACT YOUR FLORIDA LEGISLATORS NOW AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR EDUCATORS.

Voice your support for Governor DeSantis' budget regarding TEACHER pay raise proposals. Let your Representatives hear from you. The links to contact them can be found below.

In our last post, we informed our readers of the importance to use your voice for support of this very important piece of legislation. We brought to your attention comments by some Legislators who look to slash the promise made to Educators across the Great State of Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner Richard Corcoran to make Education a priority. You can check out our previous post as a reference.

To give you an idea that decisions are being made or will be made very soon, look at the Florida Senate Schedule and timeline:

February 26, 2021 5:00 p.m., deadline for approving final drafts of general bills and joint resolutions,
including companion bills

March 2, 2021 Regular Session convenes (Article III, section 3(b), State Constitution)
12:00 noon, deadline for filing bills for introduction (Rule 3.7(1))

April 17, 2021 Motion to reconsider made and considered the same day (Rule 6.4.(4))
All bills are immediately certified (Rule 6.8)

April 20, 2021 50th day – last day for regularly scheduled committee meetings (Rule 2.9(2))

April 30, 2021 60th day – last day of Regular Session (Article III, section 3(d), State Constitution)

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND HELP MAKE EDUCATION PAY A PRIORITY BY SUPPORTING THE FULL EDUCATION BUDGET PROPOSAL WITH NO CUTS OR SLASHES.

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx

https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators

Senators - The Florida Senate Senators are chosen by the citizens of Florida to represent them and the area (district) where they live. Each member of the Senate must live in the district that he or she represents. Senators are elected to serve four-year terms. Currently, 40 Senators serve the people of Florida.

Governor Ron DeSantis proposes another $550 Million towards teachers increased payraises and continues environmental promises with funding.

This is great news as we look forward to the coming session of the Florida State Legislature which begins its two month session on March 2, 2021.

With this said, please look at the quote which was recently posted in the Herald-Tribune on January 28, 2021.

House Democratic co-leader Evan Jenne of Dania Beach said DeSantis’ spending plan will have a short shelf life. He questioned both the governor’s math and his policy approach.

“The governor’s proposed budget, and this is not a knock of Ron DeSantis, it’s every governor, it’s a fable. It has nothing to do with reality,” Jenne said. “Some things will be priorities because the Senate president and House speaker will want to make him happy, but the Legislature will be writing the budget.”

Comments like these are a problem for all of the educators across this Great State of Florida. It is the State Legislators, as you can see from this comment, who can upend the teacher pay raise proposals or drastically cut into Governor Ron DeSantis proposed budget.

You read and follow these posts because EDUCATION and equity for teachers is a priority, it is up to you to use your voice NOW to start reaching out to your local Legislators and make sure you are heard regarding this issue. DO NOT let the State Legislators slash the promise which was made last year to educators across the State of Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner Richard Corcoran.

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/politics/state/2021/01/28/florida-budget-proposal-gov-ron-desantis-proposal-includes-22-million-education-teacher-pay-hikes/4287011001/

Helped by federal aid, DeSantis spends on schools, teachers and environment in budget plan The governor also is budgeting another $500 million for teacher pay raises and an extra $110 million for mental health programs in schools.

Celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPeJOdX5SsY

MLK, Jr. Remembered | National Geographic Thanks to the efforts of a humble Baptist preacher, Martin Luther King, Jr., the law is bound to uphold equal rights for all people across the country, regar...

Schools will remain open for the Spring Semester. An edict requiring accountability is put forth which many school districts already have implemented, asking struggling students to switch from remote to in-person learning. The discussion by Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Corcoran paves the way for a FULL slate of Testing and accountability come Spring, 2021.

School Districts have already been testing students for deficiencies from the last school year. Teachers have worked double and triple time to close gaps with student deficits in their learning.
Administrators have worked tirelessly year round since the March, 2020 shut down. This has been a team effort by all School district personnel.

In this past legislative session, legislators approved an increase in the Education Budget. Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Corcoran led the way to make this happen with the votes from politicians. This led to an increase in entry level teacher salaries. This was a very good move to help recruit new teachers into the system. The second part of this whole proposal is set to take place in the upcoming year 2021 which would increase veteran teacher pay through the vote by the Florida Legislature. The pending issue will be to address the deficits which will be faced as a result of the Covid-19 crisis and its effect on the Florida Budget. Hopefully Florida can complete the "Trifecta" and WIN in this regard.

The Great State of Florida has already pulled off a "MASSIVE" increase in teacher pay for all entry level teachers. They are about to pull off a smooth Testing Season when everyone else across the Country is shutting down at a moments notice. The third piece of this puzzle would be for Politicians to find the funding, despite all odds and deficits, to keep their promise to Veteran Teachers next year during the Legislative Session. This would be the true "Christmas Miracle".

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/11/30/gov-desantis-says-schools-will-remain-open-remote-learning-will-continue-next-semester/

Gov. DeSantis: Schools will remain open, remote learning to continue next semester Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced that remote learning will continue into the next semester and schools will continue to be required to be open five days a week.

REMOTE LEARNING EXECUTIVE ORDER FORTHCOMING.

Both of these articles are good reads related to an upcoming Executive Order related to Remote learning for the Spring Semester in schools!

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/11/18/school-districts-await-decision-from-education-commissioner-on-future-of-virtual-learning-options/

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/11/18/florida-board-of-education-meeting-underway-in-tallahassee/

Remote learning will be allowed in spring, Florida education commissioner says Members of the Florida Board of Education met in Tallahassee Wednesday to discuss suggestions made by school district superintendents to keep their students safe in the coming year amid the ongoing pandemic.

Education Roundup. Week of November 9-13.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2020/11/12/schools-out-for-hurricane-eta-or-is-it/

School’s out for Hurricane Eta. Or is it? A roundup of Florida education news from around the state.

Interesting article with good information.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2020/10/31/unemployment-claims-spike-for-florida-school-districts-no-one-knows-why/

Unemployment claims spike for Florida school districts. No one knows why. Despite the pandemic, schools haven’t had major layoffs, so it’s a mystery and a huge unexpected expense. Districts plan to contest many claims.

Teachers, have a great week. You are respected and loved! You make a huge difference in a child’s life, never forget that.