Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/93854
CLEAR ON PRIORITIES TOP STORIES Community Alliance calls on state lawmakers to stop fighting the feds — Cooper Levey-Baker The Community Alliance of Sarasota County presented its 2012 legislative priorities to one incumbent state represen- tative and staffers for other Florida lawmakers Tuesday morning, Nov. 13, and one message stood out: Stop fighting Obamacare. (Side note to interested readers: We can call the Affordable Care Act "Obamacare" now that President Obama himself is cool with it, right? Good. Carry on.) The Alliance, a coalition of nonprofit health and human services organiza- tions, held its Second Annual Legislative Breakfast to directly communicate its legislative goals to the Sarasota County delegation. Representatives from organizations such as the National Association of Social Workers, First Step of Sarasota and the Early Learning Coalition lined up to lay out their hopes for the Florida Legislature's spring session, which convenes March 5. (Full story here) EMPHASIS ON CTE Sarasota County Schools superintendent to propose consolidation of career and technical education in Sarasota County — Scott Proffitt On Nov. 20, Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Lori White will present to the School Board a plan to consoli- date the array of district programs relating to career and technical education under the management of one person, school officials have announced. That person — Todd Bowden — would report directly to White, a district news release says. Bowden is the director of the Sarasota County Technical Institute (SCTI), the Suncoast Polytechnical High School (SPHS) and the Adult and Com- munity Education program (ACE) in the district. The CTE, or career and technical programs, are offered at all of the public middle schools and high schools in Sarasota County, according to the CTE website. (Full story here) AT A GLANCE