In Depth: Rick Scott Intimately Involved In FCAT Rollout PR Effort
May 23, 2012
As the Florida Department of Education tries to handle the fallout of the collapse in FCAT writing scores, the office of Gov. Rick Scott has been intimately involved in efforts to roll out the test scores, according to staff emails.
Showing an interest often reserved for issues like economic development, one of the governor’s priorities, Scott’s top staff has played a key role in coordinating the state’s response after a dramatic drop in test scores prompted a scramble by officials to temporarily lower the passing grade on the writing portion of the assessment.
After a first year in which creating jobs was his stated main priority, Scott has added education to his agenda in the past several months.
The test crisis began when passing scores on the writing test plummeted from 81 percent to 27 percent for fourth graders and showed similar drop in eighth and 10th grades. The Florida Board of Education eventually met in emergency session to lower the passing grade from 4.0 to 3.0 while they develop a longer-term answer.
In the meantime, Scott’s office has been closely involved in helping to craft the public-relations effort in the wake of the renewed focus by the governor on public education, including a successful push for $1 billion in new state education funding during the last legislative session.
At one point, the governor’s communications team and Carrie O’Rourke, a deputy chief of staff who handles education issues, made extensive comments and suggestions about a press release announcing reading and math scores.
“MORE IMPORTANTLY – what is the takeaway you want the media to have?” wrote Scott communications director Brian Burgess in one email in response to a draft of the press release. “From reading this, it appears you just want the media to know that FCAT results have been released. But why squander an opportunity to point out that we are raising standards? I don’t see that until the second paragraph.”
By then, the writing scores were already sparking questions about the move to boost performance and how it might affect schools. The governor’s office approved a draft of the press release announcing the change in cut scores for the writing test.
The agency had also sent a plan to Scott’s office for handling the FCAT results, a three-page document entitled “Higher Standards: The Right Thing to Do.”
The purpose of the plan is “[t]o win support and understanding for higher standards in our state as we move through a volatile period of rolling out the results of new, more rigorous assessments (FCAT 2.0) and higher achievement levels (cut scores),” DOE said in one email.
The department envisioned a “Full-Court Press,” including everything from efforts to get letters to the editor written by organizations allied with the governor and DOE, like the Florida Chamber and the Council of 100, to having Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson record on-hold phone messages. The plan also suggested a hash-tag on Twitter.
The blueprint caught the attention of outgoing Chief of Staff Steve MacNamara, who wrote a simple and typically cryptic response to O’Rourke: “Let’s discuss…”
Scott’s office was also working to head off questions about the job security of Robinson, who got the job after Scott reportedly pushed out former Education Commissioner Eric Smith. The governor’s office issued a statement to the Miami Herald in response to a question about whether Robinson was under pressure to resign.
“The Florida Board of Education selected Gerard Robinson after conducting a nationwide search for a commissioner who would bring a reform-based agenda, who is committed to raising Florida’s education standards and the expectations of our students, and I believe Commissioner Robinson is working to do those things,” said the statement, emailed by Burgess.
Other state officials have also expressed support for Robinson, and Senate Education Chairman Steve Wise, who has spoken to some board members, said he also believes the commissioner is okay.
“I think that he’s bright and he’s knowledgeable and he’s got connections, and he ought to be okay,” Wise, R-Jacksonville, told the News Service.
By The News Service Of Florida
Tate Student Facing Felony Charges For Stealing Student’s Debit Card
May 23, 2012
A Tate High School student is facing several charges — including two felonies — for allegedly stealing and using another student’s debit card.
Xavier Shacour Stallworth, 18, was charged with two felony counts of fraud, three counts of credit card fraud, one count of larceny of a credit card, one count of second degree petit theft, one count of possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Last Friday, a Tate student reported to the school’s resource officer that she was unable to locate her debit card. She checked her account online and found six fraudulent purchases at businesses near the school that were made before 8 a.m. on Friday — two at McDonalds, one at Winn Dixie and three at the SpeedMart convenience store.
Stallworth appeared on surveillance video making at least one of the purchases, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
About 11 a.m., the school resource officer reported seeing Stallworth checking into school late — wearing the same clothes that he had on in the surveillance videos. On Stallworth’s person, the deputy found multiple items purchased with the stolen card, a burnt marijuana cigarette, Swisher Sweet Cigarillos, and rolling papers.
Early Wednesday morning, Stallworth remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $12,500.
Byrneville Elementary Team Wins In “Battle Of The Books”
May 23, 2012
The Escambia Reading Teachers’ Association sponsored their first Battle of the Books recently. There were over 250 elementary, middle and high school students competing in the Battle — including a winning team from Byrneville Elementary School.
Battle of the Books is a district-wide program designed to increase reading motivation and comprehension. The goals are to encourage reading for enjoyment, broaden reading interests, increase reading comprehension, and promote cooperative learning.
Battle of the Books began in August 2011 with teachers telling students about the event and introducing books to students. In September 2011, students began reading books and continued reading until February 2012. Team members were chosen in March 2012, with teams practicing in April for the May event.
From the North Escambia area, Byrneville Elementary School took second place among fourth graders. Byrneville fourth grade team members were Ian Gifford, Dadrian Washington, Nicky Trump, Alex Glidewell and Lainey Ward.
Pictured above: Byrneville Elementary School fourth grade Battle of the Books team members (top row, L-R) Ian Gifford, Dadrian Washington, Nicky Trump, (bottom, L-R) Alex Glidewell and Lainey Ward. Submitted photo for NortheEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names May Students Of The Month
May 23, 2012
Ernest Ward Middle School has named their Students of the Month for May. They are (pictured L-R) Fisher Spence, sixth grade; Harmoni Till, eighth grade; and Mitchell Singleton, seventh grade. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Home Sales Steady, Price Up, Backlog Down
May 23, 2012
Florida home sales fell slightly in April, but state Realtors were quick to say Tuesday that median price and pending sales rose dramatically during the month.
Figures compiled by the Florida Realtors also showed the inventory of homes available for sale shrunk further as buyers continued to whittle away at the state’s post-crash backlog of existing homes.
“Here in Florida, we’re seeing some strong numbers that show positive momentum for the state’s housing recovery and our economy,” said 2012 Florida Realtors President Summer Greene, in a statement.
Sale closings of existing homes fell 0.7 percentage points from April 2011, while condominium sales were off about 4.9 percent.
Nationally, sales of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 10 percent in April from a year ago.
“A return of normal home buying for occupancy is helping home sales across all price points, and now the recovery appears to be extending to home prices,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, in a statement. “The general downtrend in both listed and shadow inventory has shifted from a buyers’ market to one that is much more balanced, but in some areas it has become a seller’s market.”
Median prices for homes rose significantly in Florida. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in April was $144,350, up 10.2 percent from the year-ago figure. The statewide median for townhome-condo properties was $108,000, up 16.1 percent over April 2011. Nationally, median prices increased by 1.9 percent.
Part of the increase in home prices is due to a shrinking inventory of homes and condos on the market, said Florida Realtor chief economist John Tuccillo. The backlog of available single family homes fell to a supply of just under six months – in most cases less than half what it was in late 2007.
Inventories in the Tampa area fell more than 30 percent between April 2011 and last month. Inventories in Orlando and Miami fell 27 percent and 23 percent respectively during the same period.
“The housing numbers for the state of Florida continue to signal recovery,” Tuccillo said in a statement. “Sales in 2012 are above where they were in 2011, a harbinger of a third straight year of improvement.”
Pending sales were also up sharply, climbing 38 percent statewide from a year ago. Pending sales are those deals that are signed but have yet to close, a process that usually takes one to three months.
The interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.91 percent in April 2012, down from the 4.84 percent average during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac.
By The News Service of Florida
Tate Grad Zach Price Soaring Academically In Patriot League
May 23, 2012
Army senior second baseman Zach Price is the 2012 Patriot League Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and the Tate High School graduate one of 10 student-athletes named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team.
The Academic All-Patriot League Team was added for all sports beginning in the 2010-11 season to honor additional student-athletes who excel both on and off the field.
“I came to West Point to challenge myself as a person and become the man that God has called me to be. I also came to strive toward my academic and leadership goals. West Point is the best leadership institution in the world, and one of the best academic institutions in the nation. The life lessons learned and friendships made here will last a lifetime,” Price said.
Price becomes the seventh student-athlete from Army and the fourth consecutive Black Knight to win the prestigious Scholar-Athlete award. He also becomes a member of the Academic All-League Team for the second time in his career.
Price, a native of Cantonment, has a 3.732 GPA in systems engineering. He has been named to the Dean’s List every semester since arriving at West Point (earning 3.0 GPA or better each semester). He received the Superintendent’s Award (top 20 percent of his class) each semester and he’s currently ranked 157th of 1,037 cadets in the West Point senior class. Price was named a Distinguished Cadet (GPA of 3.67 or better) each semester and he’s a member of the New York Alpha Zeta Chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the National Honorary Mathematics Society.
He was a member of the inaugural All-Patriot League Baseball Academic Team and has been named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll each of his first three seasons. Price is a finalist for this year’s Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and he was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America District I second team each of the past two seasons.
Price earned All-Patriot League First Team honors for the third time in his career, ranking eighth in the League with a .323 batting average. He led the League with 44 runs scored and ranks third in stolen bases with 14. He also has 23 RBIs.
Price is the son of Lesa and Greg Price.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gas Pipeline ‘Bleeding’ On Kingsfield
May 22, 2012
Gulf South will be “bleeding” a natural gas pipeline of air near the intersection of West Kingsfield Road and Racer Lane starting at 9:00 this morning. The “bleed” should last approximately an hour, according to a release from Escambia County.
Gulf South has a crew on site.
Two People Pushing Pickup Struck By Vehicle On Hwy 29
May 22, 2012
Two people pushing a vehicle on Highway 29 in Ensley were critically injured when they were struck by a SUV Monday night.
Matthew William Faessel II, 22, and Nicholas Ray Snelson, 18, were pushing a 1997 Ford Ranger in a Highway 29 turn lane at Broad Street. The vehicle was rear-ended by a 2000 Ford Explorer driven by Eric Lee McCuistion, 36, about 11:15 p.m.
Both pedestrians were transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital where they were listed in critical condition. McCuistion suffered only minor injuries.
Charges are pending in the crash, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Century Chamber Can’t Afford 4th Fireworks, But The Show Will Go On
May 22, 2012
The Century Chamber of Commerce can’t afford their share of a planned Flomaton-Century Fourth of July Fireworks show, but the show will go on. The Town of Century is stepping up and paying the chamber’s portion of the cost.
Back in March, the towns of Century and Flomaton agreed to chip in $1,500 each toward a $5,000 fireworks show to be held at Century’s Showalter Park. The remaining $2,000 cost was to be split between the Flomaton and the Century chambers of commerce.
“The Century Chamber is broke,” Mayor Freddie McCall told the Century Town Council Monday night as he asked the town to cover another $1,000 for the show. McCall said the other option would be to ask for business donations, but he did not like that idea because businesses are “dollared to death” with others asking for money.
The Century council voted 5-0 to pitch in another $1,000 on top of their previously approved $1,500 for the show, bringing the town’s total contribution to $2,500. The additional $1,000 will be re-appropriated from the town’s telephone expense account, which is expected to run over $1,000 less than budgeted this fiscal year.
McCall also announced that the show will be held Tuesday night, July 3, at Century’s Showalter Park because Flomaton was concerned about Wednesday, July 4 being a “church night”.
Pictured: The 2011 Fourth of July Fireworks Show at Hurricane Park in Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Wanted Flomaton Man Busted For Drugs, Resisting Arrest In Florida
May 22, 2012
Deputies in Florida say they found drugs and thousands in cash on a Flomaton man as they arrested him on an outstanding warrant from Alabama.
The Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office responded to Mapleleaf Circle to arrest Bryan Daniel Griffis, 23, on an outstanding Alabama felony warrant. When the deputy identified him and put his hand behind his back, Griffis “turned around in a fighting stance, therefore Griffis was taken to the ground”, according to an arrest report. After being handcufffed, Griffis began pulling away from the deputy, and Griffis was once again taken to the ground.
Inside his left front pants pocket, deputies reported finding three baggies with 6.3 grams of methamphetamine and a glass pipe with residue. In the same pocket, deputies reported finding about $4,200 in cash.
Griffis was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest without violence. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond. He will also face extradition to Escambia County, Ala., to face a felony domestic violence assault charge.