submitted by Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association
Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins speaks at the 2017 Orange County State of the Schools Address.
The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association partnered with Orange County Public Schools to produce the annual Orange County State of the Schools Address at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Downtown. More than 300 Central Florida community and business leaders were in attendance to hear OCPS Chairman Bill Sublette and Superintendent Barbara Jenkins discuss the recent accomplishments and future challenges facing OCPS.
Orange County Public Schools Chairman Bill Sublette (left) and Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association board member Jeff Swirsky of the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando-Lake Buena Vista attend the 2017 Orange County State of the Schools Address.
Rapid population growth in Orange County, paired with lackluster public education funding in Tallahassee, is proving to be one of the biggest hurdles for Orange County. Chairman Sublette mentioned that OCPS is building 40 new schools in the next 10 years, but funding shortages from the legislature is making it difficult to retain talented teachers, who Sublette stated are “underpaid.”
CFHLA President and CEO Rich Maladecki expressed his disappointment with the proposed public education funding figures coming out of Tallahassee and believes that not providing necessary resources for public schools will “negatively impact Central Florida’s workforce and economy.” ♥