Scott Kicks Off Education Summit in Clearwater

BRADENTON -- As the state legislature resists the transition to common core standards and the governor considers a replacement for his recently-resigned education commissioner, Rick Scott has gathered a group of lawmakers, education leaders and business interests in Clearwater for a three-day summit beginning today, in order to try and hash out a forward plan.

"Florida's education accountability system has become a national model, but we are at a critical point in our history," Scott wrote in a statement last week.

The summit will focus on the new Common Core education standards; repalcing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests; taking a look at the school grading system; and teacher evaluation methods.

Board of Education chairman Gary Chartrand; Florida Education Association president Andy Ford; Florida School Boards Association executive director Wayne Blanton who assisted Manatee Schools in its recent superintendent search; Florida Charter School Alliance board member John Kirtley; and Patricia Levesque, executive director of Jeb Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future are among the 36 guests invited by the governor.