As a group of lawmakers watched the school-reform documentary "Waiting for Superman" on Tuesday, Florida educators are waiting to see what the Legislature has in store for schools.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos has thickened the plot by saying Republicans would resurrect the teacher pay and accountability bill that was vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist last session.
"We're going to remove the punitive portions and leave in the rewards," Haridopolos told Sunshine State News.
The Florida Education Association and Democratic lawmakers bridled at Senate Bill 6, which sought to link teacher performance with compensation while abolishing tenure in the K-12 system.
Now, with Republicans gaining supermajorities in both the House and the Senate, and Crist leaving office, GOP leaders are confident they can enact an SB 6-style reform bill.
Incoming Gov. Rick Scott -- a vocal proponent of performance-based compensation and competition-driven school initiatives -- is on the same wavelength.
Haridopolos says he has taught at the college level for 17 years. "I never had tenure. No job should have a lifetime guarantee," said the Merritt Island Republican, who said he favors "two- or three-year contracts, like they have in sports."
In the meantime, Haridopolos says he is open to suggestions about rewarding excellent teachers.
"If we care about our kids, there should be bipartisan agreement about recruiting and retaining the best teachers," he said.
The teacher-centered agenda dovetails with a national initiative announced this week by former Washington, D.C. school chancellor Michelle Rhee.
Rhee, who negotiated a tough, performance-based contract with that city's teachers' union, has launched StudentsFirst, a national school-reform organization.
Among Rhee's chief goals: Clear out the worst teachers.
"If you remove the bottom 6 percent of teachers from the classroom, we can propel our schools to the top," Rhee told Oprah Winfrey on national television Monday.
Rhee, who is heading Scott's education advisory committee and was rumored to be on the incoming governor's short list for state education commissioner, appeared in "Waiting for Superman."
The film tells the story of five children as they make their way through dangerous and failing public schools.Davis Guggenheim's documentary assails the low expectations and dismal student achievement at many K-12 campuses today.
House President Pro-Tem John Legg, who attended the "Superman" screening at Tallahassee's Miracle 5 Theater, said, Florida has long been viewed as a leader in education reform, yet there is much progress to be made to ensure that our states students receive a world-class education."
The Port Richey Republican who carried the House version of SB 6, said, The Florida Legislature aims to continue the discussion among Florida lawmakers about our schools, the achievement gap that remains a part of the system, and the steps that Florida must take to reform our public school system.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Steve Wise was also among the legislators who watched Guggenheim's film Tuesday evening. The Jacksonville Republican was not available for comment.
Another "Superman" attendee was Patricia Levesque, from Jeb Bush's Foundation for Floridas Future. Proponents of K-12 reform suggest that the former governor and the incoming governor -- along with the Republican-controlled Legislature -- will push performance-based innovation much more aggressively now that Crist is out of the way.
We are excited about the potential for passing education reforms during the 2011 session that will prepare students for success in the 21st century.Effective teaching is the most important factor in student success and excellent teachers should receive professional compensation, so teacher tenure reform and merit pay is a priority," said Jaryn Emhoff, spokeswoman for Foundation for Floridas Future.
"We also look forward to working with Gov.-elect Scott and House and Senate leaders to harness the power of technology in classrooms, expand access to quality schools and maintain Floridas investment in education.
Pointing to Rhee for inspiration as a prototypical reformer, Enu Mainigi, chairwoman of Scott's transition team, told the Orlando Sentinel: "She reflects what we hope to do. What we particularly like about her is her proven track record implementing reform quickly."
Editor's Note: This story is part 2 in a Sunshine State News series analyzing how the conservative swing in the Senate will affect policies, including tort reform, education and health. Stay tuned on Monday for the installment on health.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 801-5341.
