100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future

by Marco Rubio

Overview

The 100 ideas contained in this book reflect the thoughts of thousands of Floridians who have taken the time to offer their personal insights into what it will take to preserve the state's legacy of opportunity. This book is a written commitment that will detail Florida's vision for the future, and how to make it a reality. 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future shows how every Floridian can enjoy freedom, opportunity, and the pursuit of happiness and leave for their children a better life than their own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596985117
Publisher:	Skyhorse Publishing
Publication date:	11/01/2006
Pages:	169
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

MARCO RUBIO served in the Florida House of Represen­tatives from 2000 to 2008 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. His committee assignments currently include Commerce, Science and Transportation; For­eign Relations; Intelligence; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He and his wife, Jeanette, have four young children and live in West Miami.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Introduction
Learning, Growing, and Competing in the 21st Century
Student Learning-Preparing Our Students for the Global Marketplace
Enhance the value of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) by raising the curricular standards it measures and using its results to reward high performance
Systematically and sequentially replace the Sunshine State Standards with a new, world-class curriculum comparable to those found in the leading education systems in the world
Ensure student mastery of the appropriate knowledge at each grade level by developing statewide end-of-course examinations to match new, more challenging standards
Begin administering the FCAT as late in the school year as possible with results still returned before the end of the school year
Make Florida's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program a global model for school readiness
Encourage trained and certified curriculum leaders in reading, math, and science, and in the new curricular standards in every school
Provide strong incentives to identify gifted elementary school children and require our elementary schools to allow these children to work at a suitably challenging academic level
Provide our elementary school children with the advantages of learning a second language by encouraging and incentivizing a foreign language curriculum in all elementary schools
Encourage the establishment of certified ninth grade success centers as "schools within a school."
Create career academies and career training programs that allow students to become industry certified in a technical field, both as part of and after their high school education
Achieve America's best meaningfulgraduation rate by adding a new component to our accountability system's reward program-the School Recognition Program-that introduces additional rewards to high schools that achieve measured rising graduation rates based on test score outcomes
Ensure the full implementation of policies relating to credit transfers, the expansion of articulation policies, and the elimination of any unnecessary barriers or impediments to postsecondary students
Make public funding of universities contingent on university performance and outcomes
Develop strategic fiscal policies that address the scope of each program for which state universities and community colleges will receive state support
Commit to having a Top 10 public university in Florida
World-Class Teachers and Principals Make World-Class Schools
Pay teachers and principals based on performance and merit
Require the statewide development and delivery of improved professional development courses for teachers and principals-offered online, through virtual means, or by satellite/cable-that emphasize new curricular standards and have measurable outcomes based on both student assessment and teacher statewide competency tests
Encourage collaboration among universities, businesses, education colleges, and specialty public-private partnerships to provide excellent principal preparation programs
Create statewide competency tests based on new curricular standards for both new and veteran teachers at each grade level and subject area
Fully certify any teacher who passes a background check and holds a bachelor's degree and demonstrates substantive competence by having the relevant college degree in a specified area, or by passing a rigorous test
Increase the probationary period for teachers from three to five years
Protect our teachers by insulating them from liability
Consider piloting student-based funding programs
Empowering Parents and Students
Continue to add options for student and parent choice in education
Increase virtual schooling
Identify professions in high demand that are currently experiencing shortages and provide incentives for students to remain in Florida and enter these professions
School System Reforms
Provide voters with the option of dividing large school districts into smaller districts
Create and fund an Inspector General or other watchdog to track specific incidents of fraud, waste, and abuse that occur each year in Florida public schools
Require all schools that accept state funds, including community colleges and universities, to send parents annual notices delineating school content, performance, and spending
Charge the Department of Education with annually evaluating the performance of the graduates of state-approved teacher preparation programs
Streamline the traditional state-approved teacher preparation programs offered by colleges of education by revising mandatory, uniform core curricula and pre-service field experience requirements
Provide incentives to create innovative public-private partnerships that will expand after-school programs
Pursue public-private partnerships to provide classroom construction, leasing, maintenance, and school services
Restoring Accountability and Delivering Results
Florida Government Accountability Act
Create and empower a Sunset Advisory Committee to increase the effectiveness of the review process of state agencies and programs
Policy Choices Should Drive Budget Choices
Combine fiscal and substantive committees into a single committee that will develop and fund the most appropriate policy issues for Florida
Design an e-budget website that will display a detailed, issue-level budget and allow the public to comment on the budget
Securing Florida's Place on the National Stage
Move up the timing of Florida's presidential primary
Protecting the Citizen Initiative Process from Special Interests
Enact legislation to reduce the growth of the paid petition business and the influence of moneyed special interests in the citizen initiative process
Safe Homes, Safe Streets, Safe Communities
Life Without Exception for Sexual Predators
Expand the dangerous sexual felony offender law
Expand DNA collection by 2012 to include all those convicted of felony offenses and those who have exhibited a propensity for sexually deviant behavior through commission of specified misdemeanor offenses
Enact laws to deny registered sex offenders and stalkers access to popular Internet networking sites mostly used by underage children and install tracking equipment on their computers to monitor their use
Florida Anti-Pornography Plan
Increase the risk and penalties for those engaged in the business of promoting sex crimes
Afford whisdeblower status to everyone who reports sex crimes, even if they were involved in the act
Gaag/Hate Group Elimination
Increase funding for additional law enforcement resources to combat gang activities
Increase the numbers of specialized prosecutors and gang-related law enforcement officers, and establish training programs for them to develop better methods to combat gang and hate group activity
Curb Endless Appeals by Convicted Felons
Limit the time convicted felons have to appeal their sentences
Keep Florida Moving...Forward
Improving Florida's Roadways through Private Sector Involvement
Partner with private companies to build a model transportation system.
Lease existing toll roads to private companies.
Privatize the Division of Drivers' Licenses
Allow private companies to operate the Division of Drivers' Licenses
Offer multiple-year vehicle registrations
Protection from Identity Theft
Enhance penalties for identity theft crimes that affect persons sixty-five years or older
Make any unauthorized possession of another's personal identity information a felony
Adopt an "opt in" policy that requires government and business to receive permission from citizens before distributing any of their personal information
Affordable Homeowners' Insurance for Florida
Increase funding of home inspections and grants to upgrade homes to better withstand hurricanes by creating a recurring source of funding
Ensure all insurance companies provide appropriate, easily understood credits or discounts to homeowners engaging in hurricane mitigation
Consider adopting a uniform grading system for evaluating the hurricane strength of homes, allowing homeowners to become insured by the private market or to take full and appropriate advantage of the measures undertaken to fortify their homes
Adopt a uniform statewide building code
Allow the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to give companies the option to buy more reinsurance from the fund below the current retention and charge near-market rates
Allow insurers to offer all homeowners policies with higher hurricane deductibles
Permit policyholders to reduce their hurricane deductible if they implement meaningful and verifiable mitigation measures
Create a comprehensive package of consumer protections that should include, among other provisions, requiring a "Truth in Premium Billing" statement delineating the various components and prices of changes in premiums
Ensure that insurance companies expedite payments for damages and consider expanding the short-term, no-interest bridge loan program
Advocate for the federal government to establish a Federal Natural Catastrophe Reinsurance Fund, allow insurers to accumulate tax-deferred reserves for catastrophes, and create "Hurricane Savings Accounts"
Putting Families First
Improved Access to Affordable Housing
Increase incentives for developers to not only provide the land for affordable housing, but also construct the housing units themselves
Protecting Florida's Children
Limit the number of passengers who can be transported by drivers age eighteen and under
Require social networking sites to set up verification systems to require parental notification and consent for minors to use these sites
Require schools to include in their codes of conduct clear instructions to students about what information is acceptable to post on social networking websites
Localize and Streamline the Department of Children and Families
Enhance independence and flexibility for community-based care
Create a statutory mechanism for communities to create "Children's Zones"
A Cleaner, Safer, Healthier Florida
Energy-Efficient Buildings Reward Program
Implement a voluntary statewide incentive program for energy efficiency
Create an Energy Efficiency Fund to offer loans to public schools, public hospitals, cities, counties, special districts, and public care institutions
Provide tax incentives to encourage homeowners and businesses to purchase energy-efficient appliances and systems
Build energy-efficient buildings
Environmental "Gold Star" Recognition
Create a performance-based permitting program that rewards top environmental performers
Promote the Development of Alternative Energy Sources
Foster the development and use of alternative energy sources and ethanol production
Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Reward Program
Offer additional incentives for clean alternative-fueled vehicles and hybrid passenger vehicles
Convert state government vehicles into a high fuel efficiency fleet
Quality Healthcare at an Affordable Price
Expanded Choice in Medicaid
Give Medicaid participants control over their own health while encouraging healthy habits
Value-Based Financial Support for Florida's Hospitals
Secure accountability for quality and costs from hospitals receiving tax support
Improve efficiency and performance at state-owned and operated hospitals by evaluating outsourcing and other potential operational changes
Coordinated Care for Florida's Seniors
Implement Florida Senior Care to allow Florida seniors to remain independent and receive the care they need at home and in their communities
Use Transparency to Foster Value-Based Healthcare Decisions
Reward healthcare providers and plans that demonstrate better outcomes at lower cost
Create a "one-stop" source of information on assistance for Florida's uninsured
Reward physicians who use technology like e-prescribing to reduce errors and improve efficiency
Improve patient care through technology by expanding electronic health records and regional health information networks
Accountable, Accessible Healthcare
Make it easier for qualified, uninsured children to get coverage through Florida KidCare
Launch a marketplace of affordable health insurance
Encourage healthcare providers to expand preventive services and walk-in care for uninsured Floridians
Help hospitals serve patients with immediate medical problems to avoid emergency departments while still receiving the necessary care
Opportunity and Prosperity for the Next Generation
Create a Family-Friendly Hollywood in Florida
Create a tax incentive program aimed at attracting more film production and TV series to the state
Business Development
Establish a nationally recognized business investment program to encourage creation of more high-wage jobs for Floridians
Loser Pays for Frivolous Lawsuits
Expand the "loser pays" or "prevailing party" attorneys' fee statutes, strengthen the "offer of judgment" statute, and ensure that any case, claim, or defense not supported by necessary facts or law results in the right to claim attorneys' fees
Give Citizens Greater Control over Government Taxing and Spending Policies
Adopt a constitutional amendment prohibiting Florida governments from growing faster than the incomes of their taxpaying citizens
Require a supermajority vote for any tax increases
Reduce the tax on phone, cable, cellular, and satellite services
Constitutionally Eliminate or Cap Skyrocketing Property Taxes
Amend the Florida Constitution to either place caps on all property taxes or, alternatively, abolish the property tax in whole or in part
Standardized Business Courts
Establish a business specialty court
Economic Civil Rights for Communities
Institute a pilot program that creates a tax-free zone in Florida's most economically depressed areas
Establish Housing First as an alternative to the prevalent system of emergency shelter/transitional housing
National Idea Bank
Create a nationwide web-based "Idea Bank" that documents programs and initiatives that have succeeded
Acknowledgments
Index