Will larger bonuses cure Florida's teacher shortage?

| 2/14/2019

Will larger bonuses cure Florida's teacher shortage?

Governor Ron DeSantis is proposing changes to the state’s Best and Brightest program that he says will result in sizable bonuses for highly rated teachers. The move comes amid a teacher shortage that has made recruitment a necessity. DeSantis has expressed interest in implementing a teacher recruitment program that gives tuition forgiveness in exchange for committing to the job for 5 years. The price tag on that is reportedly $10 million dollars. [Source: WUSF]

Donald R. Eastman III to retire as president of Eckerd College after 18 years

After nearly 18 years, Donald R. Eastman III, the president credited with transforming St. Petersburg’s Eckerd College, has announced his retirement. The news came Wednesday afternoon during a campuswide meeting. His last day will be June 30, 2020. But the search for his replacement is already in the works. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

As USF steers closer to consolidating, a big decision remains

After months of brainstorming, a complex effort to consolidate the University of South Florida system into one university enters a new phase this week. The USF board of trustees will take the reins of a process that has been under way since the fall as faculty, staff and civic leaders across the three USF campuses hashed out ideas in dozens of meetings. [Source: Tampa Bay Times ]

Opinion: Technical education vital to career building and future of Florida

The truth is that few of us know what we want to be when we’re still teenagers. Many stumble into careers based on what’s available or the influence of a parent or mentor. With the world changing faster than ever, a new, more structured approach is needed. [Source: Fort Myers News-Press ]

Arming teachers was a non-starter in Florida. But that was last year

After the proposal to allow teachers to carry guns sparked a backlash, lawmakers chose to arm some school personnel but not classroom instructors. This year, lawmakers have revived the idea of arming teachers — and it is gaining support. [Source: Miami Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› University of South Florida named the nation's top producer of Fulbright Scholars [Florida Trend]
The University of South Florida (USF) is the number one producer of Fulbright Scholars in the United States for 2018-2019, according to a new list released Monday. With 12 faculty members earning the highly competitive awards, USF finished ahead of other major research institutions including Florida State University, University of Arizona, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, UCLA and Notre Dame.

› Broward schools hires former Google leak investigator [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
The Broward School Board hired a new security chief whose background includes investigating employees who divulged secrets at Google. Brian Katz was recommended by Superintendent Robert Runcie for the newly created position of chief of safety, security and emergency preparedness.

› By the numbers: Florida ranks No. 3 in K-12 education analysis [Florida Watchdog]
Florida was rated third best for the performance of its K-12 public education system in a study by the Cato Institute that challenges other influential rankings of student achievement. The study authors say their rating provides a less biased evaluation of state public education systems than the more traditional rankings.

› University of Florida gets 800 boxes of Bill Nelson’s papers [AP]
A collection of papers and other historical material spanning the 46-year career of former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has been sent to the University of Florida’s George A. Smathers Libraries. The university announced Tuesday that the collection includes 800 boxes of papers and more than six terabytes of electronic records.

Tags: Education eNews

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