FLORIDA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM SHINES NLU Tampa faculty weigh in on how the state is evolving its approach to the classroom by Kaitlin Weiss and Mark Loper
With Florida ranked first in the southern region for graduation rate and degrees awarded by the Florida College System and second in the nation for educational progress by the Harvard journal Education Next, we asked Jim Schott, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Practice; Stuart Carrier, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Educational Leadership; and Dan Buckman, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, to comment on the state of education in Florida and how NLU is helping it stay ahead of trends to better serve students. The three collaborated on the following responses. In your opinion, what is the current state of public education in Florida? Florida public education is in a dynamic state of profound change. Florida has instituted a new teacher evaluation system, a new school leader evaluation system, and a massive transition from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) system to end-of-course (EOC) exams from kindergarten through 12th grade. These deep systemic changes are creating many new opportunities for classroom leadership and school leadership. How do you think the political climate is affecting students and low-income students? NLU graduate students working in schools tell us that parents and students are broadly aware of the fact that the FCAT testing system will “sunset” in 2014, and there is significant interest in what’s next. End-of-course exams started with algebra, so parents and students are looking at the impact of these finals. Common Core State Standards bring in dual emphases on both college preparation and career preparation, and the Florida legislature just presented the governor with a bill to create two parallel types of high school diplomas. [Here Schott adds: When once asked by a member of the news media, “What is the single, most critical issue facing today’s schools?” I replied with one word: poverty. There is a real possibility that the heavy emphasis on grading schools and high- stakes testing results in the delivery of a very narrow curriculum for students of poverty.] This has implications for helping all teachers become
capable of teaching reading and math skills at some minimal level. It seems that to make sure all curriculum goals are addressed, there needs to be an integration of math and reading instruction into all courses in some way, for at least those with the greatest needs. Students and parents — especially families struggling in poverty — are
“When once asked by a member of the news media, “What is the single, most critical issue facing today’s schools?” I replied with one word: poverty.”
more reliant than ever on supportive educators who provide stability and safe learning environments while prompting all
—Jim Schott, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Practice
students to extend their reach and believe in themselves. Florida educators are responding with voluntary, extra efforts at schools to help with nourishment, clothing, tutoring and emotional support. How are you preparing students to enact change? The NLU faculty stays current on statutory and regulatory updates in Florida, meeting twice a year with state officials and our faculty peers from other Florida universities. We participate in school district leadership councils and meet regularly with district superintendents to assure that our program is aligned with state and district changes. NLU’s Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) shapes opportunities for its students to do valuable practitioner research in schools and districts. Jim Schott works with PRISM and Junior Achievement, organizations that promote corporate support of science-math initiatives and development of student leaders. Dan Buckman and Stuart Carrier work with school districts that have created large-scale, multi-tier leadership development programs that cultivate new leaders in roles from assistant principal to principal mentor. Professors Buckman and Schott also serve as clinical internship supervisors for all of our Ed.D. candidates. Professor
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