Florida Department of Education
 Seal of the State of Florida | |
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1870 |
| Jurisdiction | Florida |
| Headquarters | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Employees | 2,500+ (2006-7) |
| Annual budget | $23 Billion |
| Department executive | |
| Website | http://www.fldoe.org/ |
The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies (school boards). It is headquartered in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee.[1]
The Florida Commissioner of Education manages the day-to-day operation of the department. The office of Commission of Education was originally a Cabinet-level position filled by direct election and directly responsible for education in Florida. The 1998 Florida Constitution Revision Commission submitted a revision to the Florida Constitution, amending Article IV, Section IV to reduced the Cabinet from six elected officials to three. The voters approved the changes and it became effective January 7, 2003; after this time, the Commissioner of Education became an appointed position and the FLDOE became the overall responsibility of the Governor. The revised constitution also created a new Florida Board of Education with seven members (one of whom is the Commissioner of Education), appointed by the Governor to oversee the Department of Education.
The department supports 2.6 million students, 3,800 public schools and 318,000 full-time staff and more than 180,000 teachers.
State exams
The State of Florida requires students to take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT 2.0) each year in grades 3-11. Students' results from the FCAT are compiled to generate a grade for each public school under former Governor Jeb Bush's "A+ Plan." Under this plan, public schools receive a letter grade from A to F, depending on student performance and the degree to which the bottom 25% of the school has improved compared to its past performances. The higher a public school scores, the more funding it receives.
Students in third grade are required to pass the reading portion of the test in order to be promoted to the fourth grade.
Students in Florida must also pass the tenth grade FCAT in reading and mathematics, in order to be eligible to receive a high school diploma.
Teacher certification
The department paid bonuses to teachers certified by the federal government. Up until 2010, the bonus was a much as $3,800 annually. This is expected to diminish with diminished income to the state.[2]
Commissioners
| Florida Commissioners of Education | |
|---|---|
|
See also
- Education in Florida
- Florida College System
- Florida Board of Governors
- State University System of Florida
- Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
- List of colleges and universities in Florida
References
- ^ "Contact Information." Florida Department of Education. Retrieved on August 31, 2009.
- ^ Spitzer, Michelle (16 December 2010). "5 Brevard teachers get national certification". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 1A.