News & Public Affairs

Final debate of election season at Tampa Tiger Bay listen

10/31/08 Arielle Stevenson
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Tags: 2008 election, Adam Putnam, Doug Tudor, E.J. Ford, Yolie Capin, Faye Culp, Ed Homan, Tiger Bay, Amendment 2, Education, Military, Iraq

Although many have taken to the polls early, local Hillsborough congressional and house candidates debated one final time today at Tampa Tiger Bay Club.

Doug Tudor is running as the Democratic congressional candidate for District 12, his opponent is Republican Adam Putnum. Tudor spent 25 years in the Navy before retiring to run in his first campaign against Putnam. Longtime local activist Sidney Potter, asked Tudor about his feelings about the war in Iraq.

“Thank you sir, for the last ...

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New report: Florida must invest more in public education listen

10/23/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Education, education funding

A new report on public education in Florida says state must invest more in public education.

Yesterday the group Enlace Florida, in partnership with the Washington Economics Group, released a report on the impact of socio-economic indicators and the return of investment from public education in Florida.

In the report, the study estimates that a $1 billion increase in public funding for higher education yields a Social Return of Investment of 220 percent.

The study also demonstrates...

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Disability complaint filed against Hillsborough schools listen

10/01/08 Seán Kinane
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Tags: disabilities, Florida Board of Education, Hillsborough County Schools, NAACP, education, African American

Hillsborough County schools are violating federal requirements by not providing adequate services to students with disabilities, according to a coalition of advocacy groups.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities and the NAACP held a press conference in downtown Tampa this morning to announce they have filed a class-action administrative complaint against the Hillsborough County School system alleging systemic violations of a federal law.

The...

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Sustainable Living: Electrothon

09/08/08 Jon Butts
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Tags: Education, electric vehicles, Electrothon

The guests today were members of Electrothon of Tampa Bay, a program in the Hillsborough County School system in which the students design, build and compete Electric Vehicles.

The organizer of Electrothon Tampa Bay, Ken Fiallos, an employee of Hillsborough County Schools and an electrical engineer, was joined by Vic Nieves, a teacher at Tampa Bay Tech High school. They were joined by two students each from King High, Brandon High and Tampa Bay Tech High. The students brought with them a ...

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Judge: Amendment 5 too confusing for ballot listen

08/14/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Amendment 5, Legislature, tax swap, education

A judge in Tallahassee today struck the so-called tax swap from the Nov. 4 ballot, saying the language was "misleading" and didn't give voters "fair notice of the content and sweep of the proposal."

The amendment asked voters to eliminate the state-set school property tax forever and directed the Legislature to replace the education money with $9 billion to $11 billion gained from other taxes and budget cuts. But the replacement money, called the "education hold harmless amount," was only ...

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Florida joins No Child Left Behind program listen

07/02/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Education, No Child Left Behind Act

Florida has been included in a pilot program that allows schools in compliance with most areas of the No Child Left Behind Act to face less stringent penalties for struggling schools, and design its own methods for improving schools.

Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings made the announcement at a news conference in Texas yesterday.

Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, applauded the announcement.

Overall, 17 states were vying for a spot in the p...

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Heads could roll over Ethics in Education Act

06/30/08 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Education

Florida’s new Ethics in Education Act goes into effect tomorrow and it may force school districts to fire longtime employees. The law requires school districts to check the criminal records of teachers and other employees who are in contact with students. Employees who have been convicted of a felony in certain crimes may be disqualified for employment under the law.

The Ethics in Education Act was co-sponsored by panhandle Republican Sen. Don Gaetz. Gaetz is a member of the Senate's Educa...

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USF realigns departments, faces more cuts listen

06/13/08 Seán Kinane
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Tags: USF, education, economy, budget cuts, Africana Studies, Women's Studies

Florida’s universities received notice of further budget cuts this week – at the same time that the University of South Florida is announcing tuition increases, restructuring, and a dean’s resignation.

On Thursday USF announced a realignment of academic departments, colleges and schools. The university’s largest college was most affected. Under the restructuring, the College of Arts and Sciences will be divided into three schools: Behavioral and Social Sciences, Humanities, and Sciences. ...

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Hillsborough schools consider stricter cell phone policy listen

06/06/08 Seán Kinane and Kamala Chetty
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Tags: Hillsborough County Schools, Candy Olsen, education

This morning the Hillsborough County School Board held a workshop with principals from seven schools regarding student discipline issues, including the use of cell phones at school.

The School Board got input from two elementary, two middle and three high school principals on what they feel the district’s mobile phone policy should be.

Assistant Superintendent for Administration Lewis Brinson will give their recommendations to the superintendent who will present them to the Board during...

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Union officials uneasy about USF budget cuts listen

05/29/08 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Budget, Education

In recent weeks we’ve reported on the mandated budget cuts at some of Florida’s top Universities, particularly at USF and USF- St. Pete.

Last week, USF President Judy Genshaft said there would be 450 positions cut, but only 70 people or so would actually lose their jobs because those other positions hadn’t been filled.

Bill McClellan, president of Local 3342 AFSCME, told WMNF that much of his rank and file are working under the fear that they too may not have much job security at USF. ...

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