Episodes

  • Controversies in the Capitol: Vouchers, teacher pay, Common and more

    Controversies in the Capitol: Vouchers, teacher pay, Common and more
    Feb 6 2020
    If you ever had any question whether education is important in Florida, look no further than Tallahassee. Year after year, lawmakers and the governor have spent hours crafting policy ideas — good and bad — and even longer arguing about them. Even in the sessions when they announce they'll be giving the issue a rest. And 2020 is no different. So many controversies in the Capitol center on schooling subjects. Our Tallahassee bureau reporter Emily Mahoney joins education reporter Jeff Solochek to talk about the latest battles over vouchers, teacher pay, the Common Core and more.

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    23 mins
  • Student scientists send research to space

    Student scientists send research to space
    Jan 30 2020
    Who says the annual science fair has to be boring? Three Pasco County high school seniors took a challenge to devise a research project worthy of study in anti-gravity, and they now will send their effort to the International Space Station. Their teacher also is quick to point out that Krinn Technical students Amanda Marrero, Shelly Nonnenberg and Emily Null are women in a field dominated by men. What's on their minds? Marrero, Nonnenberg and Null talk about their studies, and the importance of science education, with reporter Jeff Solochek.

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    11 mins
  • Who cares who a school district's superintendent is?

    Who cares who a school district's superintendent is?
    Jan 23 2020
    Superintendent searches serve to remind us of the important role that a chief executive plays in leading a school district to success. Everyone wants a "unicorn" — that unique someone who can do it all. But it's not always easy to find that person, as politics, loyalties and other agendas can interfere. All that came into play as Hillsborough County, the nation's seventh largest school system, looked for its next leader. And it's at issue in Pasco County, which elects its superintendent, as well. Reporters Marlene Sokol and Jeff Solochek discuss superintendent appointments and elections, and why they matter.

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    30 mins
  • Why are Florida schools using the Baker Act more often?

    Why are Florida schools using the Baker Act more often?
    Jan 16 2020
    Florida's Baker Act wasn't intended to apply to school children when created in the 1970s. Lawmakers wanted to make it easier to help adults with mental health concerns get treatment closer to home. Over the years, though, schools have turned to the measure as justification to take into custody for evaluation children deemed a threat to themselves or others. And the numbers have grown, although oversight has not. Reporters Megan Reeves and Jack Evans have been investigating the situation. They talk about the issues with reporter Jeff Solochek, including what corrections might be forthcoming in the 2020 Florida legislative session.

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    26 mins
  • What education issues will dominate Florida's 2020 legislative session?

    What education issues will dominate Florida's 2020 legislative session?
    Jan 9 2020
    Florida's Legislature formally kicks off its 2020 session on Jan. 14. Several key education issues will hit the fan a day earlier. The Florida Education Association expects thousands of teachers to rally in Tallahassee for improved public school funding, while the Senate Education Committee is set to consider bills on several hot-button issues include teacher pay, voucher eligibility and charter school authorization. Will Monday foreshadow the tenor of Florida's education debate for the next few months? Reporters Emily Mahoney and Jeff Solochek discuss.

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    24 mins
  • Who will be Hillsborough County's next school superintendent?

    Who will be Hillsborough County's next school superintendent?
    Dec 19 2019
    The Hillsborough County school district, the seventh largest in the nation, is looking to hire a new chief executive before the current one retires in the spring. The School Board hasn't hired someone from outside the system to lead the district since the 1960s. But this time, the board appears intent on doing just that, to shake things up. Fifty-one hopefuls applied, from both near and far, and now comes the task of whittling down the list to the ones who will get an interview. How are things shaping up? Tampa Bay Times reporters Marlene Sokol and Jeff Solochek discuss the lay of the land as the search enters its next phase.

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    26 mins
  • There ought to be a law: One Florida student's civics lesson

    There ought to be a law: One Florida student's civics lesson
    Dec 12 2019
    As Florida government leaders look to enhance students' civics knowledge, they might want to talk to Hillsborough County senior Haley Manigold. She and some of her schoolmates at Armwood High identified a concern with the state's graduation requirements and how they affect teens still learning English. Rather than just complain, the group decided to urge the Legislature to action. This past week, Manigold was among those testifying before the state Senate Education Committee about the proposed legislation, which is being carried by former Senate president Tom Lee. In this podcast, Manigold explains her efforts, her views on the importance of civic education, and her suggestions for getting teens to better understand the system.

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    13 mins
  • What's coming in Florida education policy? A look at the 2020 legislative session

    What's coming in Florida education policy? A look at the 2020 legislative session
    Dec 5 2019
    Florida's 2020 legislative session begins Jan. 14, and in the months leading up to the annual event, it's been Gov. Ron DeSantis — not state lawmakers — who has led the charge in proposing new directions in state education policy. Improving teacher pay has become the driving topic of the discussion so far. But what else can we expect? Something major, like another expansion of voucher programs? Or is this the year that the Legislature finally takes its oft discussed breather from education issues, to let the schools get accustomed to all the latest requirements of the past few sessions? Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee bureau reporter Emily Mahoney joins Times education reporter Jeff Solochek to discuss the current lay of the land as lawmakers head into their final pre-session committee week.

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    23 mins