School leaders answer Governor Scott's challenge to come up with their own reforms

TAMPA - Governor Rick Scott’s plan to abolish teacher tenure and expand vouchers for schools outside the public system has made educators wary of the future.

Today and Thursday, education leaders from around Florida will meet in Tampa to shape their own vision of Florida’s education future.

Hillsborough County School Superintendent Mary Ellen Elia has invited her counterparts in all 67 Florida counties, along with state and national union leaders, to a 2-day conference at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Tampa. The conference is funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“With all the changes that are coming, this is a chance for superintendents and union leaders to sit down collaboratively and help shape school reform in Florida,'' said Superintendent Elia.

It’s also a chance to answer Governor Rick Scott’s challenge to teachers to come up with their own way to measure success and hold themselves accountable else he and the legislature impose their own system.

The conference, called “Leading the Way: Strategies for Transforming Florida Schools,” will also include national education figures including American Federation of Teachers President, Randi Weingarten.