[novanative75]

I thought I would start a general thread about education in Florida where we all can share our opinions and thoughts and not be worried about going OT, the thread being closed, etc.
Hopefully all our goals are to make education in Florida the best it can be!!
I am an educator and am currently working in Florida schools and am very unimpressed with what I see. My experiences are relative, as all ours are, because I have worked in other states and think they are doing a better job in the edcuation field, but I don't know everything, that is for sure!
I would love to hear other's opinions about the positive things they have seen in Florida schools and also the negative.
What can we all do to make things better? What have you seen that needs improvement? What is Florida doing well with regard to education? What do you think matters in education? What does not?
Nothing is OT if it relates to education. Let's hear it, the good the bad and the ugly.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by novanative75

I thought I would start a general thread about education in Florida where we all can share our opinions and thoughts and not be worried about going OT, the thread being closed, etc.
Hopefully all our goals are to make education in Florida the best it can be!!
I am an educator and am currently working in Florida schools and am very unimpressed with what I see. My experiences are relative, as all ours are, because I have worked in other states and think they are doing a better job in the edcuation field, but I don't know everything, that is for sure!
I would love to hear other's opinions about the positive things they have seen in Florida schools and also the negative.
What can we all do to make things better? What have you seen that needs improvement? What is Florida doing well with regard to education? What do you think matters in education? What does not?
Nothing is OT if it relates to education. Let's hear it, the good the bad and the ugly.

All, you can discuss the topic as novanative asked, but maintain a civil and productive discussion. Remember this is not a debate forum. Our rules must be observed. If you all want a more intense debate, go to Education forum and get more feedback nation wide....
Education - City-Data Forum: Relocation, Moving, Local City Discussions

[Alphaman]

I would like to know what makes Florida schools not as good as say New york.

Can someone please list the differences between what Florida offers vs a state with better schools.

[TouchOfWhimsy]

The thing that concerns me most is that FCATs seem to be the prime focus. Driving by the schools during "FCAT" season, we see billboards that say "22 days left until FCAT!" This is beyond absurd. Last year we hosted a German exchange student, who was in 11th grade in our public high school. She was told that in order to graduate, she'd need to take all of the FCATs that she "missed" in 9th and 10th grade, as well as the 11th grade tests. I called the school to complain (she was not attempting to graduate, she was only going for the one year), and was told that "it's the policy." So our student, who was not being challenged in our American high school, by the way, had to sit through hours and hours of testing for the sake of "policy."

I bring this up because I imagine it's statewide policy, not this individual school's policy. There were other things that irked me, but they may have just been applicable to this one particular school, so I don't want to generalize that it's due to being a school in Florida.

We homeschool our children, and there is a HUGE community of homeschoolers in Florida. As far as education goes, that's one thing I can say that is very positive about Florida: the state makes it fairly easy for homeschoolers; we have a lot of educational freedom with our children. We run into homeschoolers all the time while out and about, so there is a large support network. The largest homeschooling convention in the country is held in Orlando each year. Perhaps this has nothing to do with the state of public education, but it tells me that many parents are dissatisfied with the public schools here.

[nohope]

well i'm definitely not supporting Gov.Crist property tax proposal.....

"The amendment is expected to cut property taxes by $8 billion over four years. If approved, tax collections for schools are expected to drop by $1.8 billion next year -- which lawmakers have said they will offset with state dollars. But that will prove difficult, as a sour state economy will likely require more spending cuts on top of the $1.1 billion legislators may cut next month."

i did not vote him because i knew he'll make this state's economy worse and i've only been in florida for almost 2 years now....
And do think they should discontinue the FCAT......it seems like all the focus on is the FCAT and stressing the students out with this crap......why can't they teach a well rounded curriculm that will prepare these kids for college ........the "A" schools down here would be a "D" school up north hands down...it's absolutely pathetic.....i feel sorry for the teachers.....i have a friend that is a teacher at a F school in south florida....and she even thinks these test are nonsense......seems like the schools down here are graduating about of dummies.....just my opinion and observation.......since this is a tourist state for the most part ....i doubt that they will improve the schools down here....since i'm pregnant...i'm seriously thinking about moving back to MD/VA/DC area because the schools up there are 100% better academically wise.....

[hickspic]

Education in Florida...you get out of it what you put into it.
I have a daughter in 8th grade (gifted program) and a first
grader who struggles. In both cases, I feel the schools are doing an adequate job, however having 2 students in school is the same as having a part time job. We put in no less than 3 hrs per evening with our kids and their work from helping to instructing to discussing concepts. If people expect the schools to handle 100% of the educating then they are not being an effective parent. That being said, I too have a problem with the FCAT. My understanding is the $$$$ each school receives from the state is directly associated to the way the school performed on the FCAT and how the school is graded ( ie an a school or an f school ) I find this system to be a major conflict of interest as it focuses the schools away from educating and more on the track of how to pass a test. The state needs to remove the incentives tied to the FCAT and treat all public schools equally with the state funds. This is why each year you find teachers from various schools disciplined for helping the students cheat on the test.
Schools need to get back to basics and parents need to be more involved.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by nohope

well i'm definitely not supporting Gov.Crist property tax proposal.....

"The amendment is expected to cut property taxes by $8 billion over four years. If approved, tax collections for schools are expected to drop by $1.8 billion next year -- which lawmakers have said they will offset with state dollars. But that will prove difficult, as a sour state economy will likely require more spending cuts on top of the $1.1 billion legislators may cut next month."

i did not vote him because i knew he'll make this state's economy worse and i've only been in florida for almost 2 years now....
And do think they should discontinue the FCAT......it seems like all the focus on is the FCAT and stressing the students out with this crap......why can't they teach a well rounded curriculm that will prepare these kids for college ........the "A" schools down here would be a "D" school up north hands down...it's absolutely pathetic.....i feel sorry for the teachers.....i have a friend that is a teacher at a F school in south florida....and she even thinks these test are nonsense......seems like the schools down here are graduating about of dummies.....just my opinion and observation.......since this is a tourist state for the most part ....i doubt that they will improve the schools down here....since i'm pregnant...i'm seriously thinking about moving back to MD/VA/DC area because the schools up there are 100% better academically wise.....

Who cares, all they do is pi$$ away what they get now. How about they actually try to run on a budget instead of blank check spending with no accountability. Schools are now the largest recipient of tax dollars, so where is all that money going? Screw them, make them accountable.

[novanative75]

Originally Posted by hickspic

Education in Florida...you get out of it what you put into it.
I have a daughter in 8th grade (gifted program) and a first
grader who struggles. In both cases, I feel the schools are doing an adequate job, however having 2 students in school is the same as having a part time job. We put in no less than 3 hrs per evening with our kids and their work from helping to instructing to discussing concepts. If people expect the schools to handle 100% of the educating then they are not being an effective parent. That being said, I too have a problem with the FCAT. My understanding is the $$$$ each school receives from the state is directly associated to the way the school performed on the FCAT and how the school is graded ( ie an a school or an f school ) I find this system to be a major conflict of interest as it focuses the schools away from educating and more on the track of how to pass a test. The state needs to remove the incentives tied to the FCAT and treat all public schools equally with the state funds. This is why each year you find teachers from various schools disciplined for helping the students cheat on the test.
Schools need to get back to basics and parents need to be more involved.

Unfortunately, standardized testing is happening in all states but hopefully with the new president, whoever it may be, they will get rid of NCLB and we can do away with all of this testing or at least the importance of it.
I completely agree with parental involvement being necessary but I will say that I have lived and worked in places where there was no need for all of that additional work at home from the parents. Not that I am saying you should rely on the schools for everything but in some places, the schools are doing a great job and additional teaching at home is not necessary. Instead parents can spend time with their kids reading, playing outdoors, doing other activities.
I am all for parents spending time with their kids at night but I strive for it to be doing fun things and letting the kids have a break from work! Sadly, in some areas, what you are doing is needed to keep kids on track.

[HockeyMom72]

I agree with everything you have said on this and in all your previous posts. Our experiences are very similar. Our reasons for moving here are also.

I work for the Collier County School District too. Again, you are absolutely right.

I cannot add anything to what you have already said.

[121804]

hickspic, hockeymom & novanative...great posts....

Being a teacher & parent...well, I could go on & on about parental involvement, standarized testing, & just the overall world of education....

Has the FCAT proved to do anything but stress everyone out?

The best thing this country can do is eliminate the horrors caused by NCLB & get rid of things such as the FCAT.

There does need to be accountability in education & some form of standarized testing...but how it is being done now is pointless.

What state isn't suffering from the shadow of NCLB & standarized testing?

There are so many other ways to teach & evaluate children. Hopefully one day teachers will be allowed to be teachers & kids allowed to be kids in school.