Below are news briefs from the Leon County School Board agenda review/workshop meeting that was held on January 15, 2025.
The Board heard a presentation from the Florida Civil Rights Museum, Inc. Conceptualized in 2013, the Florida Civil Rights Museum has been working both in Tallahassee and across Florida to educate and inform about the evolution of civil rights in Florida. Most recently there have been lecture series held at Leon County Libraries and Tallahassee State College. The Florida Civil Rights Museum is helping to publish a children’s book on Miss Lilyan Spencer, a Tallahassee native who won 10 state tennis championships playing with Lincoln High School and FAMU. In 1937, she won the national tennis title at the Southern Open Championship. On January 16th, 2025 at 7:00pm in the Tallahassee State College Student Union Ballroom, the Florida Civil Rights Museum will honor her alongside other individuals for their contributions to civil rights and education.
The Board discussed at-length school choice and vouchers. Bill Mattox from the James Madison Institute, a conservative think tank, went in front of the board to talk about the benefits of the school choice and vouchers. Mr. Mattox explained that not all public schools fit all students, and that parents should have the ability to put their kid in a school that best fits them. Mr. Mattox described school choice as an “Education Freedom Movement”, and that it is here to stay in Florida. Superintendent Rocky Hanna pushed back on Mr. Mattox, arguing against school choice. Superintendent Hanna explained that Leon County has spent $60 million in charter school payments in the last 5 years, and that the county should not spend taxpayer dollars on schools that don’t have accountability. According to Superintendent Hanna, Florida is already near the bottom of per pupil funding, indicating there is not enough money to go around.
The Board discussed policy updates for the upcoming School Board meeting. Many of the amendments to existing policies are due to new state statutes that require changes in language. For Policy 5730, the policy was amended to ensure equal access for non-district sponsored student clubs and activities. In regard to Policy 8407, individuals who are to become Safe-School Officers must satisfy background screenings, psychological evaluations, and drug test requirements that are all approved by a sheriff before beginning any training.
School Vouchers Discussed During LCS Workshop added by Staff on
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Perhaps the Leon County Screwl Board and their Stupidintendant should turn their attention away from fighting School Choice and focus on trying to become the School of Choice.
Parents have had enough of the damage caused by the Public Indoctrination System. Wake up and smell the burnt rancid Starbucks coffee in your cups…
I just want people to know that Charter schools ARE MOST DEFINITELY held to the SAME standards county schools are. We teach to the standards AND still take ALL the same tests a public school does. PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS have students go to schools that do not require accountability. If you totaled the amount of students that Charter schools in Leon County schools serve…I imagine LCS would actually have to invest in building new schools. Finally, the amount of money that our state is paying for all of this testing…THAT is where the money is going. And for what?!? We have students that are COMPLETELY discouraged from going to school period…because of a test that is NOT IMHO…developmentally appropriate. If you are reading this, I implore you to actually go to the FAST practice test in reading that you can find online. Look at the third grade test and tell me if you think it is a reliable measure of a third grader? Plus, at the elementary level…testing throws out entire schedule off for at least 12 days out of the year. That is over two full weeks where we could actually be teaching. I have a MASTERS in education…I know who can read and who is struggling. I know why they are struggling and would love MORE TIME to teach!!! Sadly…we are OVER TESTING AND OVER SPENDING on this testing. Teachers are leaving in droves because instead of investing in the teachers…we are investing in Tests that are NOT NECESSARY!!! Not here to argue but to educate on what the TRUTH is! You may think that money would be spent on helping lower level schools if Charters did not exist…I am letting you know what it would need to be spent on building new schools if the Charters did not exist. You want to help lower performing schools? Take the money from testing, invest in keeping amazing teachers, start FREE dynamic QUALITY after school programs with tutoring etc included, and help take some of the burden off the families trying to raise these children. Stop putting children in front of screens in school all day long!!! Let’s STOP the money we are investing in TESTING and invest that in our schools, children and families!!!
I would like to see Rocky Hanna explain to parents who have taken advantage of Florida’s school choice programs why they are bad and why every child should go to public schools. If public schools are so great parents would not seek out other school options. As far as tax money goes it’s not the school boards money, it’s the taxpayers money and should follow the student wherever they choose to attend school.
“Leon County has spent $60 million in charter school payments in the last 5 years?”
SERIOUSLY? That’s $12,000,000 a YEAR. That money could have done so much good for the C,D & F Schools. If we build up the C,D & F Schools to where they are also B & A Schools, we wont need Charter Schools or School Choice. That $12,000,000 would help ALOT.