Following up on last year’s attempt to overhaul how teachers are paid, the chairman of the Senate’s education policy committee filed a measure Monday that would partially base teacher salary increases on student test scores.

A push for struggling schools to lengthen the school day may become a part of a larger education reform debate that lawmakers have hinted will be a major part of the spring 2011 legislative agenda.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, unveiled his committee assignments Tuesday, assignments that will shape the course of Florida government for the next two years.

The highly contentious teacher merit pay proposal that was shot down by Gov. Charlie Crist last spring has re-emerged, but with some preliminary concessions to teachers and also perhaps to Gov.-elect Rick Scott, who -- as the father of a special education teacher -- voiced concerns about the proposal’s fairness to some educators.

Republicans and Democrats cast ballots in 10 state Senate districts across Florida Tuesday. While some incumbents faced primary challenges, all of them prevailed. And look for some different faces in the Senate -- even if they have familiar names.