Latest news with #DannyBurgess
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers looking to backtrack on cuts to Advanced Placement, IB and AICE courses
Bonus funds offered to school districts for students who pass advanced and career technical courses may no longer be at risk. Action News Jax State and Local Government Reporter Jake Stofan was first to highlight the revised proposal included in the Senate's latest K-12 budget offer. For months, students have been raising concerns about the legislature's plan to cut the awards in half and calling on lawmakers to maintain funding at current levels. Now, Senate K-12 Appropriations Chair Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) has explained the bonus dollars will be fully funded. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Those dollars will however be split up, with districts permitted to spend 20 percent of the funds on discretionary spending, while 80 percent will go into a new categorical fund reserved for teacher bonuses, school bonuses and other district incentives. 'Basically, we are staying the course with how things are now, reverting from our original position during regular session and we're simply putting that money into a categorical that way we can just account for it more. But the same amount of money will be there,' said Burgess. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] House K-12 Budget Chair State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Fort Myers) also spoke to reporters after Tuesday evening's budget conference meeting. She indicated the House is also considering a categorical option like the Senate, though the two sides still need to agree on a final plan. 'By creating a categorical, we have transparency. You know what that pot of money looks like, and then we're looking at making sure we allocate that in a way that equates to what would be allocated using the add-on weight method,' Persons-Mulika said. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
DeSantis signs school safety bill, adds changes made since 2018 Parkland shooting
A bill that addresses a series of school safety issues, including training for school security guards, has been signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. This spring, the House and Senate unanimously passed the bill. It adds to safety changes made since the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that killed 17 people. "Every year, we are incorporating lessons learned and looking for improvements," Republican Senator Danny Burgess, who sponsored the bill, said. "Florida families expect us to get this right. We can't, and we won't let them down." As an example, the bill requires that training of school security guards be conducted by sheriffs or approved by sheriffs. As another example, the bill makes changes to requirements about perimeter and door security at schools. DeSantis signed the measure, which will take effect July 1, during an appearance in Winter Haven.
CBS News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Florida lawmakers approve barring elementary, middle school student cellphone use during school day, testing idea in high schools
Florida lawmakers late Friday approved barring students in elementary and middle schools from using cell phones during the school day — and testing the idea in high schools. Current law prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time, but the change would expand that prohibition to throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. Rep. Demi Busatta, a Coral Gables Republican who spearheaded the proposal, described it as "bell to bell." Rep. Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, led efforts to prevent cell phone use during the school day. News Service of Florida The cell-phone change was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105) that passed in the final hours of the last scheduled night of this year's legislative session. Lawmakers, however, did not finish a budget and are expected to return to the Capitol during the week of May 12 to negotiate a spending plan. While the bill would prohibit cell phone use throughout the day in elementary and middle schools, it would keep the current law about instructional time for high schools. But it also would create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools during the entire school day. Sen. Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican who led efforts to pass the bill in the Senate, said lawmakers were taking a hybrid approach and cited a "different dynamic" in high schools than in lower grades. The pilot would be in two small counties, two medium-sized counties and two large counties selected by the Department of Education. Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, raised concerns about how a ban would affect students who take part in such things as field trips during the school day. "If there's a field trip that's out of town and they go to some event and it's out of town, (and) the kids don't have their cell phones, parents won't have the ability (to reach them)," Gantt said. But Busatta pushed back against such arguments. "Just like we did it when we were in school and we didn't have phones and we didn't have smart phones, our parents were able to get a hold of us when they needed to," she said. "They would call the front desk, you go to the front desk, you make a call from the front office." The House voted 85-14 to pass the bill, with the Senate following in a 26-5 vote. The bill is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill also included changes that would help charter schools. For instance, it would require that charter schools get a cut if school districts receive sales-tax money through what is known as a local-government infrastructure surtax. Charter schools would receive proportionate shares based on school enrollment. Also, the bill would make it easier to convert traditional public schools to charter schools. Currently, such conversions must receive support from a majority of parents and a majority of teachers. The bill would remove the requirement for teacher support.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers turn off student cell phones in bill heading to DeSantis
Florida lawmakers late Friday approved barring students in elementary and middle schools from using cell phones during the school day — and testing the idea in high schools. Current law prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time, but the change would expand that prohibition to throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. Rep. Demi Busatta, a Coral Gables Republican who spearheaded the proposal, described it as 'bell to bell.' The cell-phone change was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105) that passed in the final hours of the last scheduled night of this year's legislative session. Lawmakers, however, did not finish a budget and are expected to return to the Capitol during the week of May 12 to negotiate a spending plan. While the bill would prohibit cell phone use throughout the day in elementary and middle schools, it would keep the current law about instructional time for high schools. But it also would create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools during the entire school day. Sen. Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican who led efforts to pass the bill in the Senate, said lawmakers were taking a hybrid approach and cited a 'different dynamic' in high schools than in lower grades. The pilot would be in two small counties, two medium-sized counties and two large counties selected by the Department of Education. Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, raised concerns about how a ban would affect students who take part in such things as field trips during the school day. 'If there's a field trip that's out of town and they go to some event and it's out of town, (and) the kids don't have their cell phones, parents won't have the ability (to reach them),' Gantt said. But Busatta pushed back against such arguments. 'Just like we did it when we were in school and we didn't have phones and we didn't have smart phones, our parents were able to get a hold of us when they needed to,' she said. 'They would call the front desk, you go to the front desk, you make a call from the front office.' The House voted 85-14 to pass the bill, with the Senate following in a 26-5 vote. The bill is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill also included changes that would help charter schools. For instance, it would require that charter schools get a cut if school districts receive sales-tax money through what is known as a local-government infrastructure surtax. Charter schools would receive proportionate shares based on school enrollment. Also, the bill would make it easier to convert traditional public schools to charter schools. Currently, such conversions must receive support from a majority of parents and a majority of teachers. The bill would remove the requirement for teacher support. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida lawmakers turn off student cell phones; bill heads to DeSantis
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers approve barring students from using cell phones
Florida lawmakers late Friday approved barring students in elementary and middle schools from using cell phones during the school day — and testing the idea in high schools. Current law prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time, but the change would expand that prohibition to throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. Rep. Demi Busatta, a Coral Gables Republican who spearheaded the proposal, described it as 'bell to bell.' The cell-phone change was included in a broader education bill (HB 1105) that passed in the final hours of the last scheduled night of this year's legislative session. Lawmakers, however, did not finish a budget and are expected to return to the Capitol during the week of May 12 to negotiate a spending plan. While the bill would prohibit cell phone use throughout the day in elementary and middle schools, it would keep the current law about instructional time for high schools. But it also would create a pilot program in six counties that would prevent cell phone use in high schools during the entire school day. Sen. Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican who led efforts to pass the bill in the Senate, said lawmakers were taking a hybrid approach and cited a 'different dynamic' in high schools than in lower grades. The pilot would be in two small counties, two medium-sized counties and two large counties selected by the Department of Education. Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, raised concerns about how a ban would affect students who take part in such things as field trips during the school day. 'If there's a field trip that's out of town and they go to some event and it's out of town, (and) the kids don't have their cell phones, parents won't have the ability (to reach them),' Gantt said. But Busatta pushed back against such arguments. 'Just like we did it when we were in school and we didn't have phones and we didn't have smart phones, our parents were able to get a hold of us when they needed to,' she said. 'They would call the front desk, you go to the front desk, you make a call from the front office.' The House voted 85-14 to pass the bill, with the Senate following in a 26-5 vote. The bill is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill also included changes that would help charter schools. For instance, it would require that charter schools get a cut if school districts receive sales-tax money through what is known as a local-government infrastructure surtax. Charter schools would receive proportionate shares based on school enrollment. Also, the bill would make it easier to convert traditional public schools to charter schools. Currently, such conversions must receive support from a majority of parents and a majority of teachers. The bill would remove the requirement for teacher support. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
