HB7091 Is Good for Students

“HB 7091 may just be one the best educational changes in many years.”

I want to take this opportunity to update you on what has been happening at the legislative level in Career and Technical Education (CTE), in the past often referred to as vocational education.

Florida House Representative Jimmie T. Smith, and his local Task Force on Career and Technical Education which I am honor to be Chair, developed a Constituency bill which Representative Smith made a priority during this session, HB 133 High School graduation options.  This bill was the start to making improvements in the current high school graduation requirements by providing more career and vocational options for high school students. Currently in Florida law all high school students must be “college ready” in order to graduate high school.  This past week we updated the Task Force about the progress of HB 133 and other educational legislation bills being proposed.

Representative Smith has been diligently communicating with Florida House Representatives and Senators informing them of the challenges and changes that need to be made to Florida’s educational system.  Representative Smith has been also working with Education K12 Subcommittee Chairman Janet Adkins regarding HB 133 and our Task Forces’ other CTE and high school graduation requirement concerns.  As a result we will not have to wait for HB133 to pass before getting the improvements necessary for our students. Two of the primary issues the Task Force has been focused on at this time has been modifying the pass/fail requirement for End of Course Exams (EOC), and providing multiple graduations option pathways.  These have been incorporated into Education K12 Subcommittee sponsored bill HB 7091.

Representative Smith explained to the Task Force that there was much reason to be encouraged this legislative session’s regarding formative changes in CTE for Florida high school students. Representative Smith is so pleased that much of what the Task Force has identified as needing improvements are being incorporated into HB 7091.  Some of these include multiple high school graduation pathways, significantly modifying or eliminating barriers for End of Course exams (EOC), providing for the development of custom career and vocational course options, and the elimination of a funding penalty for students that do not pass EOCs and much more.

One of the most important improvements would be moving away from Florida’s current law that “all high school students must be college ready” in order to graduate.    In HB 7091 puts in place three spate high school graduation pathway tracks for student to choose from.  These high school graduation tracks would be a College, Technical and Industrial Graduation Diploma at graduation.  The College and Technical tracks are similar to what is the present graduation standard, put into law in 2010 through Senate Bill 4.  It includes the requirements of high math and sciences of Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry and/or Physics in order to receive this high school diploma option.  The other is an Industrial diploma option which is a graduation standard similar to the pre 2010/SB4 standards.  This includes passing of Algebra 1 and Biology for math and science.  In all three options EOCs would no longer be a pass/fail but rather EOCs would count for 30% of the student’s grade, which is much more appropriate as it would allow for students daily work to be included in their grades.

HB 7091 would also provide each school district to establish Educational Task Forces like Representative Smith’s that would work with local school boards and local industries to develop custom career and vocational courses that would be alternative course options that would count towards required graduation courses for the Industrial diploma.  These are issues that the Task Force has been working on promoting to the legislators in Florida.

HB 7091 and its positive changes have become the priority of Florida House of Representatives Speaker Will Weatherford. I greatly value Representative Smith’s working to bring these necessary changes in education to the House Leadership and working with Speaker Weatherford, Chairman Adkins and others to see these changes take place for our students and schools.

Representative Smith has appropriately joined in Co-Sponsoring HB 7091.  I have expressed to Representative Smith our gratitude for his strong support in making CTE and high school graduation pathways a priority and for again putting the needs of his young constituents ahead of any personal agenda. When Representative Smith talked about HB 133 and the needs for our students, he made it clear he was not interested in who got the credit, but rather, that the formative changes identified by educators, industry representatives, parents and students of the Task Force, got accomplished and was successfully put into law.

HB 7091 is more than I could have hoped for.  HB 7091 may just be one the best educational changes in many years.

I am asking each of you to use your influence and resources to show your support so that this bill passes successful.  I will continue to keep you posted on this bill as it moves through the legislative session.

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Fast Times in Citrus Schools

I must first apologize for the lack of blog postings these past couple of weeks.  It has been a busy time in our schools and district.  I will be blogging about many of the individual happenings but I wanted to share with you a preview.

Last week and this week included several visits to our schools.  School visits always provide me with great insight of the needs of our students and teachers and I look forward to sharing about the visits with you.

In addition to the school visits, I will be sharing about our school board meeting, committee meetings, a Family Festival, a Career & Technical Task Force meeting with Rep. Smith and a special visitor at the Marine Science Station with the Regional Director for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson.  We also had the announcements by Principals retiring.

Look for these and other blogs soon!

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Camp Citrus 2013

Marine Science Station Summer Camp

for 7th* – 12th graders

The Marine Science Station will be hosting a summer camp experience, Middle schoolers will be June 3^rd through June 7^th 2013 and high schoolers  June 10^th through June 14^th, 2013.  Camp will be limited to 30 students per week.  (*Eligible students will have successfully completed the 6th grade and will be enrolled in Middle School for the 2013-2014 school year.)

The Marine Science Station facilities are located on a fifteen-acre marsh hammock that fronts the Salt River to the north with the remaining sides facing the tidal marsh.  Improvements to the site include two dormitories, dining hall, student classroom/wet laboratory with aquaria, assembly room with computer lab and an office.  A fifty-foot observation tower and a library are also available for student use.

Students enrolled in camp will live at the Marine Science Station for one week.  During that week the students will participate in various activities while exploring the unique coastal habitats of West Central Florida.  Daily boat excursions will take students on exciting explorations of the fresh water spring systems of the area, the estuary system as well as into the Gulf of Mexico, where they spend time snorkeling and swimming in order to experience these unique areas first hand.  The station has three 23-foot boats and one 27 foot boat, each capable of carrying 15 passengers for field studies and excursions.  All boats meet and exceed U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements and are operated by USCG licensed captains.  Also available are canoes, nets, trawls, and other collecting gear.

Fees
Summer Camp fees are $350 per student.  This fee includes all needed supplies, housing meals and an afternoon snack.  Also included are all daily trips, nighttime activities and a camp T-shirt.

Housing
Campers will reside in an air-conditioned dorm.  Campers will need to bring a sleeping bag or bedding (bunks with mattresses are provided) and a pillow.

Program Staff
The experience that students have during a visit to the Marine Science Station is enhanced by the fact that they are under the supervision of certified teachers 24 hours each day. The permanent staff includes the program director, resource teachers, custodian, secretary and food service workers.

Application
Applicants must be enrolled in Middle School for the 2013-14 school year. Interested students should complete the application packet and return it to the Marine Science Station at the address printed on the top of the application. Application review will begin April 1st and continue until all positions are filled.

For more information
Contact the Marine Science Station
352-795-4393
www.citrus.k12.fl.us/mss

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