During the past decade, the State of Florida has aggressively addressed the issue of improving its public schools. Recent school improvement strategies have included the enactment of legislation that strives to reduce the number and scope of state education regulations that many educators believe serve to stymie educational innovation and act as barriers to improved teaching and learning in Florida's public schools.

During the 1998 legislative session, the Florida Legislature enacted HB 4837, amending Section 229.58, Florida Statutes to create a pilot program for deregulating Floroda's public schools. During the 1998-99 school year, six districts are authorized to participate in the pilot program including Citrus, Leon, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Seminole, and Walton Counties. The pilot districts may include no more than two elementary, two middle and two high schools in the deregulated school project.

The Center for the Study of Teaching and Learning will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the first year experience of the schools that are participating in the Deregulated Schools Pilot Project.

The evaluation will focus upon two major aspects of Florida's Deregulated Pilot School Project:  the manner in which the pilot schools address the major purposes of the project as defined by the Legislature, and the extent to which the flexibility of the deregulated schools serves as a catalyst for improved student learning.