Take Action Florida Senate Bill 376 Regarding Charter Schools – March 4 update.
This group of links provides a wide range of information related to national and Florida education and youth legislation. This information can be used to keep up with the rapidly changing legislation. Please keep informed and present your views to your legislators.
Link to:
The Legislative Priorities Brochure http://floridapta.org/advocacy/legislation/advocacy-tool-kit?task=document.viewdoc&id=2431
Stepping Up: Florida’s Top Juvenile Civil Citation Efforts 2016 http://floridapta.org/component/edocman/?task=document.viewdoc&id=2424&Itemid=0
FSBA – Florida School Board Association http://fsba.org/
Register for Voter Voice Legislative Alerts http://floridapta.org/advocacy/advocacy/capwiz-legislative-alerts
National PTA Advocacy page for Federal Updates http://www.pta.org/advocacy/
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice “Roadmap to System Excellence” Reports http://www.djj.state.fl.us/roadmap-to-system-excellence
Florida Children’s Council http://flchildrenscouncil.org/
Celita Wilson
leadership@dccpta.org
This group of documents provides information related to Florida education legislation. This information can be used to support your views when contacting your legislators.
Florida PTA would like to commend Governor Rick Scott for his foresight in requesting significant increases to education funding for the 2017-2018
fiscal year.
We are less than a week away from the start of the Legislative Session. The following is a synopsis of what happened in Tallahassee last week:
HB78- Recess Bill – the bill passed unanimously through the Senate Education Committee. The next committee of reference is the Appropriations Subcommittee on Pre-K-12 Education. Florida PTA participated in a press conference along with Senator Flores and Representative Plasencia discussing the importance of recess for elementary students.
HB 7027 – began as a committee bill and is a memorial urging the Federal Government to establish block grants for Title 1 and IDEA funding. The block grant would give control to the state on how to disperse these funds. It passed through committee. This bill is just a memorial and does not change any statutory language.
SB 376 – Charter School Funding – Authorizing school boards to levy specified amounts for charter schools; providing that charter school capital outlay funding consists of shared local capital outlay and state funding as provided in the General Appropriations Act; prohibiting a charter school from being eligible for a funding allocation under certain circumstances. This bill will require school districts to share local capital outlay dollars with charter schools. Currently, charter schools receive $75 million PECO dollars for their capital needs. It passed through the Education Committee.
SB604 – Education Funding – Revising the amount each school board may levy for certain purposes; revising the purposes for which a school district may levy additional millage by specified means to include fixed capital outlay. Senator Farmer filed an amendment which would allow school districts to levy up to a 2.25 millage rate. The amendment was adopted but the bill was temporarily postponed to amend this language into SB376.
SB1334 – Universal background checks – this bill will close the gun show loop hole and require that any person purchasing a gun from a private seller be subjected to a background check and the 3-day mandatory waiting period. This a Florida PTA priority and we will be participating in a press conference next week asking Florida Legislature for their support of this bill.
Federal bills:
We have received a few emails regarding H.R. 610, also called the “Choices in Education Act of 2017”, which would repeal every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and replace it with block grants for states to use for a voucher system. The bill also repeals a rule issued by the Department of Agriculture which would roll back school nutrition standards in schools if passed.
National PTA is monitoring the bill and will issue a statement if the bill moves forward.
Florida PTA Requests That Governor Vetoes Bill 7069
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1104540460460&ca=7e6ae0d9-eabd-43c8-a2a7-4dcc9aedb45c/
Take Action Today- Florida PTA Opposes Conformation Of Bill 7069
Please contact you state legislators on the Schools of Hope bill this week, from “Fund Education Now”. This email gives you important talking points .
Urge House & Senate to oppose “Schools of Hope/High Impact Charter Networks” 4-26-17
Duval County Public School Legislative Link
Please explore the Duval County Public School link to get additional information on how the legislation will affect the schools in Duval County. http://dcps.duvalschools.org/Page/10830
HB5103, HB5105 & SB376 File Library
Legislative Agenda
Legislative Initiatives Link
PTA News from the Capitol
Review and take action on this important education Bill 376.
Take action on this important education issue. Action needed now! Take action on Florida education bills – March 4 update.
Action needed now! Take Action .
Florida PTA has an amazing legacy of advocacy. This year’s “LegCon” attendees will celebrate the dedication of thousands of child advocates across Florida whose efforts work to make every child’s potential a reality. The 2017 Florida PTA LegCon will feature workshops on key education issues facing the Legislature, with discussions and trainings on how PTA advocates can shape public policy at home and in Tallahassee in 2017 and in the years to come. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to celebrate with PTA members statewide!Registration Fee: $55 per adult; $25 per student. For more information, click here.
When: Sunday March 26, 2017 at 7:00 PM EDT -to- Tuesday March 28, 2017 at 12:00 PM EDT Add to Calendar
Where: Tallahassee Center Conf Room,215 W. College Avenue,Tallahassee, FL 32301 Driving Directions
National PTA urges its members at all levels to monitor, support, and advocate for laws and programs in the following areas: child safety, juvenile justice, gun safety, violence prevention, and, mental health programs and services.
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Contact Information: Ms. Cindy Gerhardt, President, president@floridapta.org,407-855-7604, FAX 407-240-9577, www.floridapta.org September 14, 2016 PTA is the oldest and largest child advocacy group in the nation. PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality, by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. “All children” includes those who are displaced, are in foster care or who find themselves in the Juvenile Justice system.
PTA has long advocated for policies that would protect the rights of children and youth who come into contact with the Juvenile Justice System. Beginning in 1899, PTA was one of the first associations to encourage federal and state lawmakers to create a safe and rehabilitative justice system for children by establishing separate courts and probation systems from those serving adults. Today, PTA continues to support programs that work to prevent juvenile delinquency and provide youth currently in the system with services to help them become productive members of society.
PTA also monitors, supports, and advocates for laws and programs that:
As has been a priority for more than one hundred years, PTA remains deeply committed to working with decision makers to advocate for safe and supportive juvenile justice systems that help every child reach his or her full potential.
It makes sound sense that we provide a better option and outcome for youth who commit misdemeanor offenses and who have the ability and desire to rehabilitate. Arrest should not be the first answer; incarceration should be a last resort. This data clearly shows that the use of civil citations increases public safety, saves taxpayer money, and improves youth outcomes. The data is startling and statistics clearly show that not only is this a logical option for communities, but offers a cost savings over incarceration that can free up more revenue for education. What district and school could not benefit from more resources to get ahead of these issues and find means of prevention, rather than be reactive to the problem with an answer that promotes recidivism among our youth? The ability to issue civil citations, evaluate a child’s living environment and offer service to the community is by far a more valuable investment in our children and will benefit our state long term. This program promotes public safety and its success will rely on participation throughout the state.
Florida PTA is proud to support this important study and we will continue to work to bring awareness to the use of civil citations instead of arresting thousands of youth across the state of Florida. We will remain committed to finding and promoting better ways to keep communities safer, families stronger and children protected.
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For more information, please contact info@floridapta.org or call 407-855-7604.
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Florida PTA comprises hundreds of thousands of families, students, teachers, administrators and business and community leaders devoted to improving the lives of children/youth in our state. PTA is the oldest and largest child advocacy association in the state of Florida, as well as the nation. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children. More information is available by contacting Florida PTA (407/855-7604 or executive.director@floridapta.org).
For more information visit our website www.floridapta.org and/or our Facebook page for programs available in your community.
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