Florida legislators are being bombarded by some parent groups urging them to stop the state from implementing new education standards called Common Core. But the leader of Sarasota County schools had a sobering message for area lawmakers about stopping the standards.
Sarasota Schools Superintendent Lori White
“We have been working in Common Core for the last three years,” Sarasota Schools Superintendent Lori White told Sarasota County’s delegation to the Florida Legislature. “We have students that are now in the second grade who have known nothing more than Common Core.”
Rather than being a future program on the cusp of being applied, White said last week, the standards are already being employed in classrooms throughout the county and the rest of the state.
Common Core is a set of standards in language arts and mathematics aimed at making sure students are prepared for college, White said. Though critics have complained Common Core is a nationalized curriculum that exerts too much influence on local schools, White said that is not the case.
White told lawmakers the standards do not specify how schools accomplish getting to the benchmarks or dictate how teachers build their lesson plans.
The political pressure over Common Core has ignited over the last three months. Anti-Common Core groups have already successfully protested enough to stop implementation of new assessment tests tied to the Common Core standards. And they have convinced some state legislators, such as Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, to publicly call for killing the new standards.
But given how far along the schools already are in implementation, state Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said it is unlikely lawmakers are going to try to undo the standards that she said will push students to be better prepared for college.
“There are flaws with the testing that we are going to have to look at,” Detert said. “But I think we still will keep Common Core.”
Buchanan more secure
With no Democratic candidates even rumored as potentially taking on U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in 2014, national political analysts are increasingly reclassifying his once-competitive district as a safer one.
Two national publications, the Cook Political Report and Rothenberg Political Report, no longer even have Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, listed among those involved in races to watch next year.
The Cook Political Report lists 67 districts that are considered competitive, including six in Florida. Buchanan’s is not among them.
The Rothenberg Political Report lists 49 House districts among “seats in play.” Again Buchanan’s is not included, though four other Florida districts are.
Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball is the latest to change its outlook of Buchanan’s 2014 chances, moving the 16th Congressional District from the “likely Republican” category to “Safe Republican.”
“Democrats have long hoped ethical troubles would bring down Rep. Vern Buchanan (R), but those problems — involving his financial disclosures — are largely receding in the auto dealer’s rearview mirror, and he’s raising a ton of money to deter potential challengers,” writes Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
It’s a big change for Buchanan, who has had big battles to hold his seat in three of his four elections. Last year, Buchanan won just under 54 percent of the vote to defeat Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald. It was Buchanan’s closest race since his first campaign in 2006 when he defeated Sarasota Democrat Christine Jennings by just 369 votes.
Hannity in Sarasota
Sarasota Republican Party officials expect a big turnout Friday when they present conservative radio personality Sean Hannity with their annual Statesman of the Year Award.
County GOP chairman Joe Gruters said he’s moved the event to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to accommodate the anticipated audience. It’s the first time the party has rented the Van Wezel for a speaker.
Besides Hannity, Gruters said Attorney General Pam Bondi, elected Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will be featured.
Tickets start at $30. Visit SarasotaGOP.com for more ticket information.
Future president
If any doubt remained that Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, is in line to become the Florida Senate president, that was cleared up on Thursday night.
State Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, introduced Galvano at a private fundraiser in Manatee County as the future Senate president with Pasco County Sen. Wilton Simpson in the crowd. Simpson was thought to be Galvano’s chief rival for the top slot.
Earlier this summer, Galvano locked up enough pledges from Republican state senators to ensure that he will assume the office in 2018 — provided the GOP retains the majority of seats.
Though Galvano does not have an announced opponent for 2014 yet, the Bradenton attorney is raising campaign donations early to be prepared. Thursday’s fundraiser was at Dolphin Aviation near the Sarasota-Manatee border.
Area political events
Monday. The Manatee Democratic Executive Committee holds its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Manatee Central Library, 1301 Barracota Blvd., West, Bradenton.
Thursday. The Sarasota Republican Club holds a discussion on proposed changes to the county’s land-use policies with Control Growth co-founder Dan Lobeck, Sarasota Council of Neighborhood Associations president Lourdes Ramirez, former Sarasota County planning commissioner Jody Hudgins, and land use attorney Casey Colburn taking part in the panel discussion starting at 6 p.m. at Marina Jack, 2 Marina Plaza.
