Big news from Florida (per my last email: http://edreform.blogspot.com/2010/04/conservatives-hail-fla-teacher-bill-as_16.html): Gov. Crist caved t o union pressure and vetoed the bill. The bill was a huge, bold step in the right direction, but as I noted earlier it probably placed too much emphasis on testing, especially in subjects where there currently aren't any tests at all (or any good ones), so I hope the legislators come back with a bill that incorporates a robust teacher evaluation system:

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday vetoed the most far-reaching education bill of its kind in the nation, legislation that would have made it easier to fire teachers and linked their pay to student test scores.

The veto put him at odds with Republican legislative leaders and former Gov. Jeb Bush, who worked hard for the bill's passage and touted it in national media interviews.

Crist denied the veto was a signal he's about to drop out of the Republican U.S. Senate primary, where he badly trails in the polls, and instead campaign for that seat as an independent.

He said the veto was not about politics but about the state's children though he acknowledged an outpouring of opposition by teachers, parents and local school officials around the state had an affect. Phone calls and e-mail ran 65,259 against to 3,090 for the bill.

Crist once favored the legislation and said he still supports the concept of pay for performance and holding teachers accountable.

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