Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota and a possible 2012 Republican presidential contender, told Florida lawmakers on Wednesday that he would have loved to have Senate Bill 6 come across his desk, and that he would have signed it. #
Former Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed the measure last year after it drew vocal opposition from teachers. #
The bill was one of the strongest pieces of education reform legislation in the nation, Pawlenty said, and Senate Bill 736 — this year’s updated version of the law, which eliminates “tenure” and bases teacher evaluations on “value-added” factors such as student performance, among other things — may be an even better bill. #
“Florida is in a position to lead the country on education,” he said. #
Pawlenty was the first of the possible Republican primary candidates invited to Tallahassee by Senate President Mike Haridopolos. Pawlenty said he’d make a decision on whether to formally declare his candidacy in the next month or two. #
