On this week’s “Florida NewsMakers” program, Education Commissioner Tony Bennett sits down with Sachs Media Group’s Alia Faraj-Johnson to discuss the state of Florida’s education system.

In the wake of changes to Florida’s school accountability system, education officials are bracing for a potentially big decline in school grades this year. “We are going to be challenging our students in a way that we’ve never seen before,” Commissioner Bennett said. “So, yes, we will likely see some performance drops because we are asking our students to operate at a much higher level that will allow them to be more competitive in the 21st century.” Bennett responded to critics who claim the state’s implementation of new learning standards – called Common Core – is a cram-down from the federal government. “These standards are much clearer and they require our students to function on a much deeper level, but these are state-driven.” Bennett also addresses teacher training, the state’s education success and more on “Florida NewsMakers.”

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