Education bills will benefit Sarasota County's school district

As we begin the new year, it's an opportune time to reflect on the positive strides in Tallahassee, especially regarding the upcoming legislative session starting Jan. 9.

A significant focus has been the Florida Senate's forward-thinking push for deregulating public schools, which promises to bring refreshing changes to our educational landscape.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo articulated a clear and pragmatic approach to deregulation. Her framework, based on three insightful questions, is a testament to a thoughtful and constructive legislative process.

These questions aim to streamline regulations and ensure they are necessary, but they also strive to make sure those regulations don't compromise student safety and can be effectively managed on the local level.

More autonomy

This approach signals a shift toward more autonomy and flexibility for public schools –and it would align public schools more closely with their private counterparts.

The proposed Senate bills – CS/SB 7000, CS/SB 7002 and CS/SB 7004 – address critical areas: personnel management, district operations and instructional practices. These bills have made commendable progress in the Senate and are poised to bring about significant positive changes that include:

• More flexibility in teacher contracts.

• Eased financial reporting for districts.

• A more rational approach to instructional materials and testing.

This period represents a unique opportunity for educators to engage with these positive changes. By staying informed and involved, we can help steer these developments in directions that best serve our students, educators and communities.

The upcoming year is set to be a milestone in Florida's educational history, marking a shift toward a more streamlined, efficient and responsive educational system. Deregulation in public schools is paramount to ensure they remain competitive and responsive to changing demands.

As other school choice options, such as charter and private schools, operate more flexibly, public schools must also be empowered to be as nimble and agile.

Deregulation can streamline processes, reduce bureaucratic constraints and foster innovation, allowing public schools to adapt quickly to new educational trends, technological advancements and the diverse needs of students and families.

Public schools can focus more on personalized learning, operational efficiency and robust teacher support by easing regulatory burdens. Such agility is crucial for public schools to continue being a top choice for quality education, responding effectively to the competition and maintaining their pivotal role in the broader educational system.

An even playing field

As a dedicated servant leader of public schools, I fully support school choice; I recognize its importance in fostering dynamic educational options for every student. However, it is essential to emphasize the need for an even playing field.

For our public schools to compete effectively and be the top choice for families in Sarasota County, we need equitable resources, flexibility and opportunities akin to those available to private and charter schools. This level playing field is not just a matter of fairness – it is also crucial for cultivating an environment where all students, irrespective of their backgrounds, have access to the highest quality education.

Ensuring every school has the necessary tools and support to innovate, adapt and excel is vital in making them a preferred and competitive option for families seeking the best educational outcomes for their children.

As the superintendent of schools for Sarasota County, I express my appreciation to Senate President Passidomo and state Sens. Alexis Calatayud, Travis Hutson and Corey Simon – and also to the Senate Education Pre-K-12 and Fiscal Policy committees and the Florida Department of Education.

Their efforts in drafting and advancing the education deregulation bills align with our 2024 legislative platform, which aims to enhance public education in Sarasota County.

These bills foster our ability to attract and retain outstanding teachers, and we endorse the 10-year renewable professional certificate for teachers consistently rated highly effective. This recognition is crucial, as highly effective teachers are pivotal in delivering top-tier education.

Forward-thinking bills

In addition, the proposal to designate educators with Exceptional Student Education (ESE) certificates as in-field for self-contained classrooms expands our hiring pool, and it will encourage more educators to pursue these vital roles.

We support the removal of the Department of Education's approval for our personnel evaluation systems, enabling us to apply local metrics for assessing our instructional staff and leaders. This flexibility will allow for a more tailored evaluation, including how we incorporate student performance data.

Regarding CS/SB 7002, we advocate for removing the cost-per-student construction limit. This change is essential in an era of escalating costs, allowing us to design facilities that meet community needs and compete with private schools.

We also back the proposal to eliminate the annual facilities work plan and the five-year plant survey requirements, giving us more flexibility to align facility projects with our educational strategy.

We favor the proposal in CS/SB 7004 for the state's education commissioner to publish the list of adopted instructional materials earlier and extend the authorization to purchase these materials. Additionally, we agree that changes to the school grades model should only be effective in the following school year, providing ample time for adjustment.

The proposal to remove the uniform assessment calendar is also beneficial, as local control over student assessments ensures better alignment with our district's needs.

We support authorizing district school boards to determine how to make capacity determinations for controlled open enrollment and reduce required capacity determinations from every 12 weeks to twice annually. This will allow us to provide the best opportunities for our families to take advantage of our education options.

Also, we support the proposal to enable districts to publish required public notices on their websites instead of in the newspaper or on a county website.

While these bills may evolve through the legislative process, we urge lawmakers to consider retaining these provisions. Their inclusion in the final legislation will grant districts greater flexibility to meet the diverse needs of our communities.

Our district looks forward to collaborating with the Florida Legislature to address these vital educational matters in the upcoming session.

Terry Connor is the superintendent of the Sarasota County school district.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County's schools will benefit from education proposals