Senate Passes SB 6 By a Vote of 21-17

Florida
The Senate passed a controversial bill Wednesday morning that will tie teacher pay directly to student performance. Senate Bill 6 was approved in a 21-17 vote. All 13 Democrats and four Republicans voted against it. “This is not a perfect bill; there are things in this bill that will change,” Sen. Don Gaetz told his fellow Senators moments before the bill was passed. “It is a framework for going forward.”
Florida Senate Bill 6 is not popular among Florida teachers. The education reform bill would eliminate existing teacher contracts and replace them with contracts that base more than 50 percent of a teacher’s wages on student achievement. The bill is sponsored by Sen. John Thrasher a Republican from St. Augustine. He says it intended to develop statewide teaching standards that will enhance students’ education and reward great teachers.