Letters to the Editor

Posted on 17 February 2011 by LeslieM

FL Legislature:  Clarke-Reed gets committee assignments

Dear Editor:

As I promised, I can now tell you my committee assignments. I have education as my focus. The committees are Education Committee, Pre K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, K-20 Competitiveness Subcommittee (Ranking Member), Health & Human Services Access Subcommittee. These committees have met and are now preparing PCB’s.

Education is where the biggest changes will come for me. Teacher quality and how to evaluate the classroom teacher is what will change. Needing to understand that the word “tenure” will disappear from contracts. There will be no automatic renewal of contracts. And if for any reason there needs to be changes in staff, the last hired-first out (LIFO) will not be in play.  How this will happen is what the committee is working on.  The evaluation piece is being researched and new assessment tools are being developed.

The budget for education has been reduced by $703 per student over last year’s budget. This cannot be allowed to happen. Pre-K funding was left at last year’s funding. I resubmitted my bill for some of the Powerball Lottery dollars to be used in pre-k classrooms (H.B.33).

There is a big push for Charter Schools to receive more funding and capital outlay dollars. I have a bill that will give more transparency to Charter Schools.

Healthcare is another big issue. The Medicaid transfer of services from the present four-tier system to managed care (HMO) is unacceptable and needs to be watched through the waiver process.

We need to hear from you about what is happening in Tallahassee. Please contact your representatives on these most important issues. My office number is 954-786-4848 or e-mail gwyn.clarke-reed@myfloridahouse.gov.

Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed

State Representative, District 92

Deerfield Beach

RE: These are the times that try men’s souls

Dear Editor:

Chaz Stevens served for one month [April 20, 2010 to May 28, 2010] on the Board of the Deerfield Beach Housing Authority. Jean Robb served as mayor of Deerfield Beach for 13 years [1980-1993.] Who are you going to believe?

Lillian Lorraine

Deerfield Beach

Editor’s note: Jean Robb and Chaz Stevens wrote a point/counterpoint that ran in the Feb. 3, Feb. 10 editions of the Observer newspaper, Letters to the Editor.

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