Legislative Report #3

From Emergent Design and Development, Inc.
Legislative Update #3
November 17, 2009

We have completed two of the eight Committee weeks which are scheduled prior to the opening of the regular session on March 2, 2010. The only clear direction that has been signaled by Legislative Leaders is the agreement on the major shortfall of revenue that will face the Appropriations Committees. The Recession continues in Florida and it will take much longer than anticipated to recover and return to the “good old days” when revenue increased each year.

1. THE FLORIDA FINANCIAL PICTURE LEADS TO BUDGET DEFICITS
A. Next year’s revenue projection is less than the current year’s actual revenue. Recent reports indicate that Florida is among 10 states facing budget disasters.
- Appraised value of property …down
- Home prices …down
- Sales Tax collections…down
- Doc. Stamps, fee collections, etc….less than expected
- School Taxable Values…down by 11%
- Unemployment…up

B. Impact on the Budget
- Two years ago the State Budget was $72.2 billion
- Current State Budget is $66 billion
- The next State Budget could be $ 62.6 billion or less
- This year we used Stimulus money and Reserves to balance the Budget (reserves gone)

C. Impact upon Education?
- Possibly a reduction in the Base Student Allocation
- Special projects will not be funded
- PECO (construction) funds will be much less
- District costs will rise (unemployment insurance, salaries, and benefits)

2. The National Recession is ending ( the longest recession since the Great Depression)
A. The nation is in the 23rd month of an expected 28 month recession

B. The recovery will probably be delayed in Florida as much as 1 year due to:
- Reliance upon Tourism
- Reliance upon Home Sales and new Construction
- Reliance on sales tax

C. Florida’s economy will improve only after people in other states have expendable income

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3. “Race to the Top” Impact upon Florida
A. The “Pillars” of the Program:
1. Improving standards and assessments
2. Increasing the effectiveness of teachers and leaders
3. Building and using data systems to inform educator’s decisions
4. Turning around the countries lowest performing schools

B. Expect teacher evaluation to be tied to student achievement
C. Expect Salaries to be tied to evaluations
D. Relocation of “Excellent Teachers” to low performing schools?
E. Florida is in category 1 for potential funding ($350‐700 Million)

4. New High School Grading System Required by SB 1908
A. Current system 100% FCAT, new system 50% FCAT
B. Points for participation in accelerated coursework, e.g., AP, Dual Enrollment, IB, AICE.
C. Points for performance in accelerated coursework
D. Points for postsecondary readiness
E. Points for the graduation rate of at‐risk students
F. RECALCULATION OF THE GRADUATION RATE AS FOLLOWS:

In 2009‐10 and 2010‐11 non‐graduates are dropouts, recipients of certification of completion, GED recipients, and non‐on‐time graduates. In 2011‐12 and onward, non‐graduates include the above , plus Special diplomas and transfers to adult education or Division of Juvenile Justice who are not standard diploma recipients

G. The system has rewards for growth and penalties for decline, in components

5. Proposed for 2010 Session ‐ HB 61 (a similar bill failed to pass last year)
A. Requires that students must be advised of the AP, IACE, Career Academy coursework that leads to National Industry certification, and dual enrollment courses as well as courses offered by the Florida Virtual School.

B. Phases in the higher level Mathematics requirements from the current Alg. I requirement to include Geometry for 9th graders entering in 2011‐12 and to additionally include Alg. II for 9th grade students entering in 2013‐14.

C. Phases in the higher level Science requirements from the current Biology I requirement, to include one credit of Physical Science for 9th graders entering in 2011‐12 and to additionally include one credit in Chemistry or Physics for 9th graders entering in 1013‐14.

D. These new requirements have caused several interesting discussions centering on:
1. Will this increase the dropout rate?
2. Will it lead to a shortage of teachers (Certified and Qualified for higher level courses)?
3. Will it lead to discussions regarding differentiated diplomas?
4. Will it lead to the increased use of Virtual Education?

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6. Interim Committee Meeting Schedule for 2010‐11
December December 7‐11
January January 11‐15
January 19‐22
February February 1‐5
February 8‐12 (appropriations only)
February 15‐19

Special Session, if called would be held during one of the above scheduled weeks. The call for a Special Session has not been given. If issued ,it would only address the high speed rail system proposal for Central Florida. Oil drilling and the Seminole gaming contract will probably be addressed in the regular session.

7. Common Standards and Common Assessments
The Obama administration has proposed giving states that adopt common standards an advantage in seeking “Race to the Top funds”. Governors and chief state school officers in 51 states and territories have agreed to work on common standards. The U.S. Department of Education is now looking at assessments to match the development of common standards. The
USDOE has $350 million in economic stimulus money to aid consortia of states in developing common assessments in reading and mathematics. A display of the standards development process is available at:
http://www.corestandards.org/Files/CCSSIProcess.pdf