Seminole county leads the fight against vouchers. Duval silent as usual.

From the Orlando Sentinel's School Zone

by Dave Weber

Florida’s controversial Tax Credit Scholarship Program would get a big boost under tweaks to funding already making their way through the just-started legislative session.

The Senate Pre-K -12 Committee has approved an increase in the amount of tax dollars that can be diverted into the voucher program that sends low income students to private schools at taxpayer expense.

Current law allows the maximum to increase by 25 percent a year, and the program could have snagged $219 million in tax dollars for next school year. Under the proposal, the program could take $250 million in taxes next year.

The law allows companies and others to divert corporate income taxes, alcoholic beverage taxes and certain other taxes to the fund.

Those supporting the hike, including former Gov. Jeb Bush and his lobbying group called the Foundation for Florida’s Future, characterize the increase as “a one time bump in the statewide tax credit cap.”

However, the extra cash actually will be handed out every year. The proposal provides that the 25 percent annual increase continue from the new $250 million base.

Meanwhile, Seminole school district officials continue to criticize the program as “a travesty” because of the limited accountability on how students getting the vouchers and the schools they attend are performing. Public schools and the students who attend them are tested and graded and evaluated from head to toe. What’s up with the voucher kids and schools, they ask?

Seminole also is upset, officials say, because the program drains students – and funds – from public schools.

Some officials in other school districts, including Orange, are critical as well, but have not been as outspoken against the voucher program, a favorite of the Republican dominated state power structure.

As a footnote, the Senate committee approval of the proposed voucher funding increase brought the first of the somewhat creepy “Jeb Is Watching” news releases from Bush’s lobbying group. During the annual legislative sessions the foundation inundates the media and others with news releases congratulating lawmakers for actions he approves and chastizing those who disagree with Bush’s agenda.