From the Palm Beach Post
By Jac Wilder Versteeg
Gov.-elect Rick Scott should get ready to call in the Home School Police. Such a force will be necessary if the vouchers-for-all dream of his transition advisers comes true.
Mr. Scott's education team proposes to give vouchers worth thousands of dollars to parents who can use them at the public or private school of their choice, but also for "private tutoring" and "private virtual schooling." It also proposes separate state aid for home schooling. But if it happens, expect lots of "private tutoring" and "private virtual schooling" money to go for what otherwise would have been called "home schooling."
Some parents would spend that money on materials to enhance their child's at-home schooling. Other parents would stick their kid in front of a TV and spend the money on drugs.
How are we going to catch parents who do that? "Open up! It's the Home School Police!"
Gov.-elect Scott's education brain trust is guided by Patricia Levesque, one of the leading thinkers in shaping former Gov. Jeb Bush's education agenda. Mr. Bush and Ms. Levesque accomplished a great deal of what they set out to do, including a growing acceptance of vouchers and a growing reliance on standardized testing to measure every aspect of public education. Don't underestimate Ms. Levesque's ability to achieve her vision.
A major flaw in that vision has been a double standard for accountability. Private schools paid through Florida's corporate voucher programs do not have to give the FCAT and report their performance for all the world to see. They do have to administer an achievement test, but individual private schools have not been required to report their progress or lack thereof.
The rationale for exempting private voucher schools from FCAT accountability continues to be that parents know what is best for their child. Seems to me that if private-school parents are empowered to judge a school that doesn't use the FCAT, public-school parents deserve the same courtesy. I always have suspected that Gov. Bush and Ms. Levesque, in pushing for vouchers, were afraid to make it easy for Floridians to make an apples-to-apples comparison between student achievement at public schools vs. student achievement at private schools.
Voucher proponents counter that such comparisons wouldn't be fair because voucher schools often take students who have not done well in traditional public schools. The attitude that Florida should have different standards for struggling students is jarring, though, coming as it does from groups that tend to criticize public schools for having low expectations for some children.
I'll concede that many private schools prepare their students well for college and life. The trouble is that there's no easy way to judge which schools are in that category and which private schools keep parents happy through grade inflation. A parent naturally is going to be happier with a private school that gives his daughter A's, compared with a public school that doled out C's. And that choice would be none of the public's business except that, for voucher students, private school tuition is being paid for by "donations" from corporations that are able to write off the entire amount from their Florida taxes.
At least the voucher schools have been subjected to a gradual increase in accountability. Most of the schools give their students the Stanford Achievement Test or the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Starting next year, the public will be able to see how voucher schools are doing overall on those tests. Of course, if the results turn out to be awful, the schools still won't lose their eligibility to receive vouchers. Contrast that with public schools that can be closed if they don't improve state scores.
How is "private virtual schooling" going to be accountable? I don't see the Scott team or the Legislature requiring those students to show up at the public school to take the FCAT. I suppose they could require some kind of national test . But what is the penalty if students fail it? Will the state then require those students to go to public school or a private school of their choice? Imagine the outcry among home-schooling parents if they could lose the right to a home-school voucher based on the results of one high-stakes test.
But then imagine the outcry on that day when The Post publishes the first exposé of parents ripping off the home-school voucher program.
Gov.-elect Scott wants to kick down traditional structures of public education. He'd better be prepared for Home School Police to kick down some doors as well.
Jac Wilder VerSteeg is the deputy editor of editorial page of The Palm Beach Post. His e-mail address is jac_versteeg@pbpost.com. Randy Schultz's column will return next week.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/columnists/versteeg-scotts-vouchers-for-all-plan-still-has-1154837.html
Showing posts with label florida lagislature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label florida lagislature. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Cutting taxes to fund education?
By Dave Weber, Orlando Sentinel
When the Florida Legislature meets in March and April, Sen. David Simmons is expected to be in the thick of education reforms proposed by new Gov. Rick Scott. The Maitland Republican, 58, who chairs the Senate's budget subcommittee on education for public schools, talked with Orlando Sentinel education reporter Dave Weber about school funding and related issues that are expected to be at the center of debate.
Question: Gov. Scott wants to reduce school property taxes, federal subsidies are running out and state economists predict a $3.5 billion budget shortfall for next year. Are schools in for more budget cuts?
Answer: There are certain things that need to be prioritized and one of them is education. To the extent we can, I hope we will be able to hold education funding harmless — keep it stable. But there still needs to be a significant reallocation of resources within the education budget.
Q: School officials complain that the costs of the state's Class Size Amendment are unbearable. What changes do you propose to reduce the need for hiring teachers and building classrooms to meet requirements?
A: We need to really define the core classes subject to the amendment. Why would Advanced Placement classes be considered core classes and you are capped at 25 students when you have a class full of over achievers? And we don't need to be measuring the class caps every second of every day. That was never intended.
Q: Gov. Scott is considering asking the Legislature to approve a voucher program that would let all parents send their children to private schools at state expense, or even reimburse them for home schooling expenses. Are you on board?
A: I am a firm believer in choice and the right to reasonable choice. But I am cautious about such a proposal. I am going to look at what is proposed and look at the details. And any kind of voucher plan or anything that looks like a voucher plan must meet constitutional muster.
Q: Former Gov. Jeb Bush and his conservative Foundation for Florida's Future have heavily influenced Gov. Scott's education reform plans. Should the Legislature be attentive?
A: Some of Bush's ideas are very good ideas and they are worth listening too. His foundation has no more influence than many other reputable think tanks.
Q: You have suggested that Florida students have a longer school day — a costly proposal. What's the benefit?
A: We have been trying to shove 25 pounds of sugar in a 10-pound sack. When you have children with so much to learn and not enough time to learn it, you won't succeed. If you want to see the most dramatic improvement in education in Florida, then add one hour to the school day at schools that have Cs, Ds or Fs for state grades.
Q: Republicans say they like less government interference or control, yet the Republican-led Legislature is putting more and more controls on public education. Why?
A: I don't believe Republicans are putting what you would call more regulations on the schools. We are refining the existing rules and changing the existing rules.
Q: In Seminole County, which you represent, annual surveys of parents indicate widespread satisfaction with public schools. Why should high performing districts such as Seminole have to meet state mandates designed to improve student achievement in poorly performing schools?
A: This year we hope to further relax control over districts such as Seminole. But it is obvious that Seminole is thriving under the state requirements. If you don't measure, you don't care. We are measuring and we are getting excellent results.
Q: Another teacher merit-pay and tenure proposal is in the works. Last year's failed legislation was considered too harsh by many. What do you favor?
A: I suggest we have performance pay in an equitable fashion and I suggest that we have a mechanism that will provide stability to teachers so they feel they have a job — but at the same time provide a mechanism for those who don't belong in the teaching profession to move on. Obviously the tenure system we have does not work.
Q: Many Florida teachers feel like they have become punching bags for critics of public education. Are teachers to blame for shortcomings of public schools — and is it fair?
A: Most teachers — 90 percent or more — dedicate their lives to changing the lives of our children. To the extent that they have been wrongly castigated by some people, I can only say that is unfortunate. But I suspect that 10 percent of teachers are causing 50 percent of our problems and need to be given the opportunity to find something else to do.
Q: Some say constant criticism of public schools by lawmakers is doing more harm than good. What's your opinion?
A: If someone is complaining about lawmakers demanding excellence, those complaints are not justified. Our lawmakers are nothing but a reflection of the beliefs and aspirations of our citizens.
Dave Weber can be reached at dweber@orlandosentinel.com or 407-883-7885.
From the Orland Sentinel:http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-simmons-education-qa-20110103,0,7120539.story
When the Florida Legislature meets in March and April, Sen. David Simmons is expected to be in the thick of education reforms proposed by new Gov. Rick Scott. The Maitland Republican, 58, who chairs the Senate's budget subcommittee on education for public schools, talked with Orlando Sentinel education reporter Dave Weber about school funding and related issues that are expected to be at the center of debate.
Question: Gov. Scott wants to reduce school property taxes, federal subsidies are running out and state economists predict a $3.5 billion budget shortfall for next year. Are schools in for more budget cuts?
Answer: There are certain things that need to be prioritized and one of them is education. To the extent we can, I hope we will be able to hold education funding harmless — keep it stable. But there still needs to be a significant reallocation of resources within the education budget.
Q: School officials complain that the costs of the state's Class Size Amendment are unbearable. What changes do you propose to reduce the need for hiring teachers and building classrooms to meet requirements?
A: We need to really define the core classes subject to the amendment. Why would Advanced Placement classes be considered core classes and you are capped at 25 students when you have a class full of over achievers? And we don't need to be measuring the class caps every second of every day. That was never intended.
Q: Gov. Scott is considering asking the Legislature to approve a voucher program that would let all parents send their children to private schools at state expense, or even reimburse them for home schooling expenses. Are you on board?
A: I am a firm believer in choice and the right to reasonable choice. But I am cautious about such a proposal. I am going to look at what is proposed and look at the details. And any kind of voucher plan or anything that looks like a voucher plan must meet constitutional muster.
Q: Former Gov. Jeb Bush and his conservative Foundation for Florida's Future have heavily influenced Gov. Scott's education reform plans. Should the Legislature be attentive?
A: Some of Bush's ideas are very good ideas and they are worth listening too. His foundation has no more influence than many other reputable think tanks.
Q: You have suggested that Florida students have a longer school day — a costly proposal. What's the benefit?
A: We have been trying to shove 25 pounds of sugar in a 10-pound sack. When you have children with so much to learn and not enough time to learn it, you won't succeed. If you want to see the most dramatic improvement in education in Florida, then add one hour to the school day at schools that have Cs, Ds or Fs for state grades.
Q: Republicans say they like less government interference or control, yet the Republican-led Legislature is putting more and more controls on public education. Why?
A: I don't believe Republicans are putting what you would call more regulations on the schools. We are refining the existing rules and changing the existing rules.
Q: In Seminole County, which you represent, annual surveys of parents indicate widespread satisfaction with public schools. Why should high performing districts such as Seminole have to meet state mandates designed to improve student achievement in poorly performing schools?
A: This year we hope to further relax control over districts such as Seminole. But it is obvious that Seminole is thriving under the state requirements. If you don't measure, you don't care. We are measuring and we are getting excellent results.
Q: Another teacher merit-pay and tenure proposal is in the works. Last year's failed legislation was considered too harsh by many. What do you favor?
A: I suggest we have performance pay in an equitable fashion and I suggest that we have a mechanism that will provide stability to teachers so they feel they have a job — but at the same time provide a mechanism for those who don't belong in the teaching profession to move on. Obviously the tenure system we have does not work.
Q: Many Florida teachers feel like they have become punching bags for critics of public education. Are teachers to blame for shortcomings of public schools — and is it fair?
A: Most teachers — 90 percent or more — dedicate their lives to changing the lives of our children. To the extent that they have been wrongly castigated by some people, I can only say that is unfortunate. But I suspect that 10 percent of teachers are causing 50 percent of our problems and need to be given the opportunity to find something else to do.
Q: Some say constant criticism of public schools by lawmakers is doing more harm than good. What's your opinion?
A: If someone is complaining about lawmakers demanding excellence, those complaints are not justified. Our lawmakers are nothing but a reflection of the beliefs and aspirations of our citizens.
Dave Weber can be reached at dweber@orlandosentinel.com or 407-883-7885.
From the Orland Sentinel:http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-simmons-education-qa-20110103,0,7120539.story
Monday, January 3, 2011
Gov.-elect Rick Scott eyes 'game-changing' education overhaul
By Leslie Postal and Dave Weber, Orlando Sentinel
Gov.-elect Rick Scott wants Florida parents in the driver's seat when it comes to their children's education, and he's considering a number of ways to put them there despite questions and criticism from school leaders.
Scott's plans might include allowing parents to choose which schools their kids attend, regardless of attendance zones or county lines.
Parents might be able to use state tax money to send their kids to private school or to cover home-schooling expenses — or, perhaps, to tuck the money away for college.
Parents also could be given direct power to make major changes at poorly performing schools. A "trigger" option would allow parents to design a fix when a majority agree that change is needed. That might include replacing the school's administration, converting to a charter school and other options.
These ideas are among a long menu of potential reforms that Scott's education transition team calls "game-changing proposals." Others include merit pay for teachers, more online learning and a new state funding plan based on what students learn rather than how much time they spend in school.
Scott is mulling all of them, but it's still not clear how many new education reforms lawmakers will embrace.
The boldest idea creates "education savings accounts" that parents would tap for private schools, home schooling or even college if they want to opt out of public schools.
School choice for all has been discussed among educators for quite some time, but Scott's proposal would be the first pushed by a governor, said Paul Peterson, director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University.
"That's really planting a national flag out there," said Peterson, who supports many of Scott's ideas.
Local educators, who would have to carry out any changes, are much less enthusiastic.
"It's a great idea if you want to do away with public schools," said Judy Conte, a member of the Volusia County School Board.
They say many of Scott's ideas are unworkable, counterproductive and poorly thought out.
Dede Schaffner, chairman of the Seminole School Board, wonders how that highly regarded school system would handle a crush of students from neighboring Orange, Lake and Volusia counties if students were permitted to freely cross county lines to attend whatever school they chose.
"Are we going to get state funding for all of the students that come to us?" asked Schaffner, pointing out that county taxpayers cover a large share of school costs. "And are we going to have the facilities?"
Candace Lankford, a Volusia School Board member who heads the Florida School Boards Association, is concerned that Scott might send dwindling state tax dollars to private schools or home schools but require no accountability. It's a paradox, she said, to demand proof that public schools are succeeding while paying for students to attend private or home schools where no one knows what they are learning.
It remains to be seen whether Scott, who takes office Tuesday, can turn his far-reaching agenda into law. Florida's divisive battle last spring over a teacher-merit-pay bill proved the difficulty of transforming controversial proposals into state law.
The Legislature last session approved a sweeping merit-pay bill, but Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed it.
Even Florida lawmakers supportive of education reform are leery of school choice and other Scott initiatives with high price tags when the state faces a budget shortfall expected to run as high as $3.5 billion next year.
Legislators and educators also are concerned by Scott's vow to reduce school property taxes. Although he has said he will find replacement funding for the schools, many suspect it will be lost.
"If we have any more money taken away from us, we cannot continue to have the kind of school system we offer," said Darvin Boothe, lobbyist for Seminole County Public Schools.
Scott campaigned to expand reforms championed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and has relied heavily on his ideas. Bush ushered in A-to-F school grades, state-financed tuition vouchers and increased reliance on standardized tests — controversial moves he credits with academic gains among Florida schoolchildren.
Bush's influence continues with the head of his education-advocacy foundation, Patricia Levesque, leading Scott's education-transition team. The group devised a 10-point education plan centered on "reform and innovation" that even suggested the Florida Department of Education be renamed the Florida Department of Education Innovation.
Republican Scott is expected to push the GOP-controlled Legislature to pass much of his education agenda during the upcoming legislative session, which starts in March.
Other key ideas suggested by Scott's team include:
Expanding high-performing charter schools, giving universities the power to sponsor charters and beefing up charter-school funding.
Expanding Florida's two existing voucher programs — the McKay Scholarship program for children with disabilities and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship for those from low-income families.
Passing a merit-pay law that changes how teachers are evaluated and paid, with their students' academic performance a key factor in both.
Ending tenure for newly hired teachers and speeding removal of ineffective teachers.
Offering higher pay to those who teach in a "high-need" school or subject area.
But the idea of giving parents access to 85 percent of the money the state would spend on their child in a public school is causing the most debate. Already, many have decried Scott's savings plan as an unconstitutional and fiscally irresponsible effort to dismantle public schools.
The Florida Education Association, the state's teachers union, fears the education savings accounts would bring an exodus of students to private or home schools and leave only a "shadow public-school system" remaining.
The union waged a successful court battle to overturn Florida's first school-voucher program, which offered private-school scholarships to students in persistently failing public schools.
"We've been down this road before. It's just a fight that the courts have already ruled on," said Andy Ford, FEA president.
Even some voucher proponents agree. Andrew Coulson, director of the Cato Institute Center for Educational Freedom, favors vouchers but does not believe the education-savings plan will pass review by the Florida Supreme Court, which in 2006 struck down Jeb Bush's Opportunity Scholarship program.
Coulson said a push to expand vouchers to all could jeopardize the state's two remaining voucher programs, which have not been challenged in court.
State Sen. David Simmons, R- Maitland, chairman of the Senate budget subcommittee on education, said he is a "firm believer in school choice" but remains cautious about the savings plan.
"The assurance that children are going to receive a quality education from such a proposal is obviously one of the main questions that has to be answered," Simmons said.
For Dwight Bullard, much about Scott's education agenda is cause for worry. He is a teacher at a Miami high school and a Democratic representative in the Florida House.
He thinks the governor-elect's plans push Florida schools hard in the wrong direction, and expects others will join in protest as the Legislature debates Scott's education proposals.
"Just put your seat belt on," Bullard said. "It's definitely going to be the likes that we haven't seen in a while."
Leslie Postal can be reached at lpostal@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5273. Dave Weber can be reached at dweber@orlandosentinel.com or 407-883-7885.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/state/os-governor-rick-scott-education-20110102,0,2853711.story?page=2
Gov.-elect Rick Scott wants Florida parents in the driver's seat when it comes to their children's education, and he's considering a number of ways to put them there despite questions and criticism from school leaders.
Scott's plans might include allowing parents to choose which schools their kids attend, regardless of attendance zones or county lines.
Parents might be able to use state tax money to send their kids to private school or to cover home-schooling expenses — or, perhaps, to tuck the money away for college.
Parents also could be given direct power to make major changes at poorly performing schools. A "trigger" option would allow parents to design a fix when a majority agree that change is needed. That might include replacing the school's administration, converting to a charter school and other options.
These ideas are among a long menu of potential reforms that Scott's education transition team calls "game-changing proposals." Others include merit pay for teachers, more online learning and a new state funding plan based on what students learn rather than how much time they spend in school.
Scott is mulling all of them, but it's still not clear how many new education reforms lawmakers will embrace.
The boldest idea creates "education savings accounts" that parents would tap for private schools, home schooling or even college if they want to opt out of public schools.
School choice for all has been discussed among educators for quite some time, but Scott's proposal would be the first pushed by a governor, said Paul Peterson, director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University.
"That's really planting a national flag out there," said Peterson, who supports many of Scott's ideas.
Local educators, who would have to carry out any changes, are much less enthusiastic.
"It's a great idea if you want to do away with public schools," said Judy Conte, a member of the Volusia County School Board.
They say many of Scott's ideas are unworkable, counterproductive and poorly thought out.
Dede Schaffner, chairman of the Seminole School Board, wonders how that highly regarded school system would handle a crush of students from neighboring Orange, Lake and Volusia counties if students were permitted to freely cross county lines to attend whatever school they chose.
"Are we going to get state funding for all of the students that come to us?" asked Schaffner, pointing out that county taxpayers cover a large share of school costs. "And are we going to have the facilities?"
Candace Lankford, a Volusia School Board member who heads the Florida School Boards Association, is concerned that Scott might send dwindling state tax dollars to private schools or home schools but require no accountability. It's a paradox, she said, to demand proof that public schools are succeeding while paying for students to attend private or home schools where no one knows what they are learning.
It remains to be seen whether Scott, who takes office Tuesday, can turn his far-reaching agenda into law. Florida's divisive battle last spring over a teacher-merit-pay bill proved the difficulty of transforming controversial proposals into state law.
The Legislature last session approved a sweeping merit-pay bill, but Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed it.
Even Florida lawmakers supportive of education reform are leery of school choice and other Scott initiatives with high price tags when the state faces a budget shortfall expected to run as high as $3.5 billion next year.
Legislators and educators also are concerned by Scott's vow to reduce school property taxes. Although he has said he will find replacement funding for the schools, many suspect it will be lost.
"If we have any more money taken away from us, we cannot continue to have the kind of school system we offer," said Darvin Boothe, lobbyist for Seminole County Public Schools.
Scott campaigned to expand reforms championed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and has relied heavily on his ideas. Bush ushered in A-to-F school grades, state-financed tuition vouchers and increased reliance on standardized tests — controversial moves he credits with academic gains among Florida schoolchildren.
Bush's influence continues with the head of his education-advocacy foundation, Patricia Levesque, leading Scott's education-transition team. The group devised a 10-point education plan centered on "reform and innovation" that even suggested the Florida Department of Education be renamed the Florida Department of Education Innovation.
Republican Scott is expected to push the GOP-controlled Legislature to pass much of his education agenda during the upcoming legislative session, which starts in March.
Other key ideas suggested by Scott's team include:
Expanding high-performing charter schools, giving universities the power to sponsor charters and beefing up charter-school funding.
Expanding Florida's two existing voucher programs — the McKay Scholarship program for children with disabilities and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship for those from low-income families.
Passing a merit-pay law that changes how teachers are evaluated and paid, with their students' academic performance a key factor in both.
Ending tenure for newly hired teachers and speeding removal of ineffective teachers.
Offering higher pay to those who teach in a "high-need" school or subject area.
But the idea of giving parents access to 85 percent of the money the state would spend on their child in a public school is causing the most debate. Already, many have decried Scott's savings plan as an unconstitutional and fiscally irresponsible effort to dismantle public schools.
The Florida Education Association, the state's teachers union, fears the education savings accounts would bring an exodus of students to private or home schools and leave only a "shadow public-school system" remaining.
The union waged a successful court battle to overturn Florida's first school-voucher program, which offered private-school scholarships to students in persistently failing public schools.
"We've been down this road before. It's just a fight that the courts have already ruled on," said Andy Ford, FEA president.
Even some voucher proponents agree. Andrew Coulson, director of the Cato Institute Center for Educational Freedom, favors vouchers but does not believe the education-savings plan will pass review by the Florida Supreme Court, which in 2006 struck down Jeb Bush's Opportunity Scholarship program.
Coulson said a push to expand vouchers to all could jeopardize the state's two remaining voucher programs, which have not been challenged in court.
State Sen. David Simmons, R- Maitland, chairman of the Senate budget subcommittee on education, said he is a "firm believer in school choice" but remains cautious about the savings plan.
"The assurance that children are going to receive a quality education from such a proposal is obviously one of the main questions that has to be answered," Simmons said.
For Dwight Bullard, much about Scott's education agenda is cause for worry. He is a teacher at a Miami high school and a Democratic representative in the Florida House.
He thinks the governor-elect's plans push Florida schools hard in the wrong direction, and expects others will join in protest as the Legislature debates Scott's education proposals.
"Just put your seat belt on," Bullard said. "It's definitely going to be the likes that we haven't seen in a while."
Leslie Postal can be reached at lpostal@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5273. Dave Weber can be reached at dweber@orlandosentinel.com or 407-883-7885.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/state/os-governor-rick-scott-education-20110102,0,2853711.story?page=2
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Scott has sights set squarely on education deform
The article talks about Scott's education team. You should only one member of the team is a teacher and he teaches at a virtual school. Furthermore Jeb Bush's Heritage Foundation talks about all the progress Florida has made but at the same time seeks to help dismantle our public schools. -cpg
By Catherine Whittenburg of the Tampa Tribune
TALLAHASSEE - Should Florida offer to pay for any public school student to attend a private one instead?
That's just one of the policy debates brewing in Tallahassee about Florida's K-12 education system, which Gov.-elect Rick Scott appears ready to turn on its head.
From the moment he is sworn in Tuesday, Florida's new "Let's Get to Work" governor will be under pressure to create jobs and invigorate the economy. But those aren't Scott's only priorities. The governor-elect is also talking up education reforms, some of which borrow substantially from his predecessor-before-last, Jeb Bush.
Bush aggressively pursued conservative reforms of Florida's school system, partly by creating private school tuition "vouchers" for children in various categories of need.
Last month, Scott signaled his desire to take school choice in Florida to the next level, possibly by making vouchers available to all students. At a school vouchers rally in St. Petersburg, he called the upcoming legislative session an opportunity to "give every child in the state every opportunity that you've had -- to make sure you go to whatever school you want to."
Scott's team of education advisers then released its recommendations, including one for a voucher-like program called "educational savings accounts." Such a program would offer every public school student in Florida a private school tuition subsidy, equal to 85 percent of the amount that Florida would spend to educate him or her in the public system.
The remaining 15 percent, according to the report, would represent direct savings to the state. Families could also spend their subsidies on options like private tutoring, private virtual schooling or college savings plans.
It's an idea promoted by Patricia Levesque, Bush's former deputy chief of staff who now directs his Foundation for Florida's Future, the advocacy organization that Bush formed to continue pressing his brand of education reform. Levesque is also head of Scott's K-12 education advisory group.
Jean Clements, president of the teachers union in Hillsborough County, said she hopes statewide educational savings accounts are "an idea that dies on the vine."
"Even the conservative leaders in the House and Senate, who have been big proponents of vouchers for a long time, have the ability, the experience and the insight to see what a flawed concept that would be," she said. "It leaves public schools still having to provide all of the services required by law … but they would be operating on a ghost budget from year to year. How would they provide those services? It would create great instability from year to year."
The notion of vouchers-for-all "contradicts what the message has been from voucher supporters over the last few years," said Democratic Rep. Martin Kiar of Davie, who sits on two House education committees.
Florida's existing voucher programs have enjoyed bipartisan support because they were created to help students with specific needs, he said.
"Providing a voucher to every child doesn't make much sense. You could have a child coming from a well-off family who could afford to send them to a private school; they could be surrounded by 'A' schools, yet they will have the opportunity to get a voucher from the state."
On a practical level, he said, "I don't know how it could be implemented, or how the state could afford it. It would, I believe, potentially close up to half of our public schools."
State Rep. Will Weatherford, who sponsored legislation in 2010 that expanded an existing voucher program for low-income children, said that's just scare talk from voucher opponents.
"I don't see how empowering a parent could be damaging to any education system. People need to stop talking about the education 'system' and start talking about students."
Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said he had yet to read the details of the proposed educational savings accounts. Advocates would have to develop such a program carefully, he said, given the court challenge that ended a Bush-era voucher program in 2006 on grounds it violated constitutional protections of public education.
"But I applaud the fact that the governor wants to continue the state of Florida's great record of expanding school choice."
Levesque did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Scott's staff, though they have stressed that all recommendations from the governor-elect's advisers remain just that at this point.
Another of Scott's education advisers, former state education commissioner Frank Brogan, said that "much of what you will hear by way of wailing and gnashing of teeth is probably overblown. I think most parents are probably very happy with where their child goes to school."
If such a reform passes, "it would clearly be, on a national scale, the expansive choice effort in the country," said Brogan, who was Bush's lieutenant governor.
But its practical effect would not be so dramatic, he said. Even if vast numbers of parents did want to enroll their children in private education, "there would not be room … simply because most of the schools in the state of Florida are full today -- that's both public and private. So the belief that this perceived mass exodus would occur, I think is wrong."
Another schools policy in the works could ignite even more fireworks this spring, if last year's fight over it is any indication.
Angry teachers and parents persuaded Gov. Charlie Crist to veto Senate Bill 6, a bill that would have phased out tenure for K-12 teachers and ushered in a new era of paying teachers based on their students' performance on tests.
Among other things, opponents complained it relied too much on testing, eroded local control of schools and could harm special-needs teachers whose students would not likely make the learning gains required to trigger pay raises and certification renewals.
During the campaign, Scott noted repeatedly that his daughter teaches children with disabilities, indicating a sensitivity to the challenges faced by such educators. But he also said that he would have signed SB 6 and considers the next version of the bill a priority.
Levesque, heavily involved in the new bill's drafting, briefed lawmakers in November on its progress. No legislation has yet been filed, but a recent draft includes changes like evaluation guidelines to accommodate special-needs teachers and potential salary boosts for those teaching in low-income schools or "critical teacher shortage" areas like science and math.
Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, called the changes he has seen so far "minor tweaks."
"We're seeing an awful lot of the same ideas," he said. "Pretty much, it's what was in SB 6."
Key components of the bill likewise appear among the recommendations from Scott's education advisers, none of whom is a K-12 public school teacher. The closest is MaryEllen Elia, Hillsborough County's reform-minded schools superintendent who has worked closely with the teachers union to overhaul the district's methods of evaluating and paying teachers.
"From my perspective, the whole concept of merit pay -- and support -- for teachers is absolutely critical," she said.
In an interview, Elia downplayed the absence of traditional teachers on Scott's team, saying she still considers herself one. But she also noted that Hillsborough's success thus far in reforming its system is rooted in collaboration with local educators.
Asked this week about including more teachers in future discussions, Scott said he talked to teachers all the time during the campaign.
"I told them that teachers ought to come up with a bill they support," he said. "Do you know how many teachers have come up with a bill? Zero. We have to listen to them, but they have to come up with how they want to be measured."
cwhittenburg@tampatrib.com
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/02/021017/incoming-governor-has-sights-set-squarely-on-educa/news-breaking/
By Catherine Whittenburg of the Tampa Tribune
TALLAHASSEE - Should Florida offer to pay for any public school student to attend a private one instead?
That's just one of the policy debates brewing in Tallahassee about Florida's K-12 education system, which Gov.-elect Rick Scott appears ready to turn on its head.
From the moment he is sworn in Tuesday, Florida's new "Let's Get to Work" governor will be under pressure to create jobs and invigorate the economy. But those aren't Scott's only priorities. The governor-elect is also talking up education reforms, some of which borrow substantially from his predecessor-before-last, Jeb Bush.
Bush aggressively pursued conservative reforms of Florida's school system, partly by creating private school tuition "vouchers" for children in various categories of need.
Last month, Scott signaled his desire to take school choice in Florida to the next level, possibly by making vouchers available to all students. At a school vouchers rally in St. Petersburg, he called the upcoming legislative session an opportunity to "give every child in the state every opportunity that you've had -- to make sure you go to whatever school you want to."
Scott's team of education advisers then released its recommendations, including one for a voucher-like program called "educational savings accounts." Such a program would offer every public school student in Florida a private school tuition subsidy, equal to 85 percent of the amount that Florida would spend to educate him or her in the public system.
The remaining 15 percent, according to the report, would represent direct savings to the state. Families could also spend their subsidies on options like private tutoring, private virtual schooling or college savings plans.
It's an idea promoted by Patricia Levesque, Bush's former deputy chief of staff who now directs his Foundation for Florida's Future, the advocacy organization that Bush formed to continue pressing his brand of education reform. Levesque is also head of Scott's K-12 education advisory group.
Jean Clements, president of the teachers union in Hillsborough County, said she hopes statewide educational savings accounts are "an idea that dies on the vine."
"Even the conservative leaders in the House and Senate, who have been big proponents of vouchers for a long time, have the ability, the experience and the insight to see what a flawed concept that would be," she said. "It leaves public schools still having to provide all of the services required by law … but they would be operating on a ghost budget from year to year. How would they provide those services? It would create great instability from year to year."
The notion of vouchers-for-all "contradicts what the message has been from voucher supporters over the last few years," said Democratic Rep. Martin Kiar of Davie, who sits on two House education committees.
Florida's existing voucher programs have enjoyed bipartisan support because they were created to help students with specific needs, he said.
"Providing a voucher to every child doesn't make much sense. You could have a child coming from a well-off family who could afford to send them to a private school; they could be surrounded by 'A' schools, yet they will have the opportunity to get a voucher from the state."
On a practical level, he said, "I don't know how it could be implemented, or how the state could afford it. It would, I believe, potentially close up to half of our public schools."
State Rep. Will Weatherford, who sponsored legislation in 2010 that expanded an existing voucher program for low-income children, said that's just scare talk from voucher opponents.
"I don't see how empowering a parent could be damaging to any education system. People need to stop talking about the education 'system' and start talking about students."
Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said he had yet to read the details of the proposed educational savings accounts. Advocates would have to develop such a program carefully, he said, given the court challenge that ended a Bush-era voucher program in 2006 on grounds it violated constitutional protections of public education.
"But I applaud the fact that the governor wants to continue the state of Florida's great record of expanding school choice."
Levesque did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Scott's staff, though they have stressed that all recommendations from the governor-elect's advisers remain just that at this point.
Another of Scott's education advisers, former state education commissioner Frank Brogan, said that "much of what you will hear by way of wailing and gnashing of teeth is probably overblown. I think most parents are probably very happy with where their child goes to school."
If such a reform passes, "it would clearly be, on a national scale, the expansive choice effort in the country," said Brogan, who was Bush's lieutenant governor.
But its practical effect would not be so dramatic, he said. Even if vast numbers of parents did want to enroll their children in private education, "there would not be room … simply because most of the schools in the state of Florida are full today -- that's both public and private. So the belief that this perceived mass exodus would occur, I think is wrong."
Another schools policy in the works could ignite even more fireworks this spring, if last year's fight over it is any indication.
Angry teachers and parents persuaded Gov. Charlie Crist to veto Senate Bill 6, a bill that would have phased out tenure for K-12 teachers and ushered in a new era of paying teachers based on their students' performance on tests.
Among other things, opponents complained it relied too much on testing, eroded local control of schools and could harm special-needs teachers whose students would not likely make the learning gains required to trigger pay raises and certification renewals.
During the campaign, Scott noted repeatedly that his daughter teaches children with disabilities, indicating a sensitivity to the challenges faced by such educators. But he also said that he would have signed SB 6 and considers the next version of the bill a priority.
Levesque, heavily involved in the new bill's drafting, briefed lawmakers in November on its progress. No legislation has yet been filed, but a recent draft includes changes like evaluation guidelines to accommodate special-needs teachers and potential salary boosts for those teaching in low-income schools or "critical teacher shortage" areas like science and math.
Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, called the changes he has seen so far "minor tweaks."
"We're seeing an awful lot of the same ideas," he said. "Pretty much, it's what was in SB 6."
Key components of the bill likewise appear among the recommendations from Scott's education advisers, none of whom is a K-12 public school teacher. The closest is MaryEllen Elia, Hillsborough County's reform-minded schools superintendent who has worked closely with the teachers union to overhaul the district's methods of evaluating and paying teachers.
"From my perspective, the whole concept of merit pay -- and support -- for teachers is absolutely critical," she said.
In an interview, Elia downplayed the absence of traditional teachers on Scott's team, saying she still considers herself one. But she also noted that Hillsborough's success thus far in reforming its system is rooted in collaboration with local educators.
Asked this week about including more teachers in future discussions, Scott said he talked to teachers all the time during the campaign.
"I told them that teachers ought to come up with a bill they support," he said. "Do you know how many teachers have come up with a bill? Zero. We have to listen to them, but they have to come up with how they want to be measured."
cwhittenburg@tampatrib.com
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/02/021017/incoming-governor-has-sights-set-squarely-on-educa/news-breaking/
Monday, December 27, 2010
School funding: Should Georgia parents follow Florida's parents lead and sue?
by Luis A. Velez, the parent of two children in the Coweta public schools.
A political firestorm regarding public education in Florida may soon hit Georgia.
What do you do if you’re a public school parent who is fed up with the inferior quality of education your children are receiving? How do you deal with budget cuts that are crippling the system and even forcing teachers to beg for essential supplies, like crayons and pencils? If you’re a public school parent in Florida, you sue the state.
The Florida Supreme Court recently made history by holding that the Florida legislature can be held accountable for the quality of the state’s public schools. Specifically, the Court held that citizen-plaintiffs had stated a claim worth pursuing at trial, namely, that the Florida legislature is violating its “paramount duty” to provide and fund a “high quality” system of free public schools, as required by Article IX, Section 1 of Florida’s Constitution.
The Florida lawsuit promises to be instructive to Georgians on several fronts. First, Florida’s “paramount duty” to provide a “high quality” public education for its children sets one of the highest standards for state support of public schools in the nation. Most states only guarantee an “efficient” system of public education. In comparison, Georgia’s Constitution requires the provision of an “adequate” education. The suit might help clarify the differences in each standard.
The lawsuit also calls into question the crucial issue of whether public school education represents a fundamental right, like Free Speech. If not, what is the state’s legal duty to educate its children? The answers to these questions are of great interest to many disaffected Georgian parents of public school students who wonder what kind of education their children are being “guaranteed,” and are prepared to challenge the “adequacy” of the education their children are being provided.
These issues were previously litigated. In the 1973 case of San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, the U.S. Supreme Court held that education is not a fundamental right and the Equal Protection Clause does not require absolute equality in school funding or prohibit “rational” disparities in educational funding. Thus, it refused to overturn Texas’ educational funding system that provided public schools with a “foundation” level of state funding, and enabled districts to augment state public school funding using revenues from local property taxes. This created funding disparities between wealthy and poor school districts.
It may be time for the Court to revisit these issues. Part of what is driving the Florida suit is that the state’s share of education funding has dropped from nearly 62 percent to about 44 percent, as lawmakers have shifted the responsibility for funding public schools to local communities through property taxes. This has made it virtually impossible for poor school districts to provide a “high quality” education. Even wealthy school districts are balking at their ever increasing funding burden.
What does all of this mean to Georgians? Before the parents of Georgia’s public school students rush to file comparable suits, they should understand a few things. First, Georgia’s Constitution only calls for the state to provide an “adequate” education, which is a much easier standard for the state to meet than in Florida. Also, in Georgia, state funds still account for over 60 percent of public education expenses, much higher than in Florida.
Nonetheless, the overall quality of public education in Georgia remains poor and its high school graduation rate is dismally low. Also, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in Rodriguez that education is not a fundamental right, the Court has consistently stated that education is, “perhaps the most important function of state and local government…and the very foundation of good citizenship.” One wonders how can an uneducated populace properly exercise fundamental rights, such as First Amendment freedoms or the right to vote? Doesn’t this place the right to an education on the same footing as these other fundamental rights? They seem inexorably linked.
Given the anti-government furor that is sweeping the nation, this may be enough for Georgian parents to have a Howard Beale moment, in which they throw open their windows and shout, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” To borrow a metaphor from Sarah Palin, perhaps it’s time for Georgia’s Mama (and Papa) Bulldogs, Panthers, and other public school parents to test the legal waters again to ensure our children receive an adequate public education. Some argue our kids deserve at least that much.
– From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog: http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2010/12/27/school-funding-should-georgia-parents-sue-the-state/
.
A political firestorm regarding public education in Florida may soon hit Georgia.
What do you do if you’re a public school parent who is fed up with the inferior quality of education your children are receiving? How do you deal with budget cuts that are crippling the system and even forcing teachers to beg for essential supplies, like crayons and pencils? If you’re a public school parent in Florida, you sue the state.
The Florida Supreme Court recently made history by holding that the Florida legislature can be held accountable for the quality of the state’s public schools. Specifically, the Court held that citizen-plaintiffs had stated a claim worth pursuing at trial, namely, that the Florida legislature is violating its “paramount duty” to provide and fund a “high quality” system of free public schools, as required by Article IX, Section 1 of Florida’s Constitution.
The Florida lawsuit promises to be instructive to Georgians on several fronts. First, Florida’s “paramount duty” to provide a “high quality” public education for its children sets one of the highest standards for state support of public schools in the nation. Most states only guarantee an “efficient” system of public education. In comparison, Georgia’s Constitution requires the provision of an “adequate” education. The suit might help clarify the differences in each standard.
The lawsuit also calls into question the crucial issue of whether public school education represents a fundamental right, like Free Speech. If not, what is the state’s legal duty to educate its children? The answers to these questions are of great interest to many disaffected Georgian parents of public school students who wonder what kind of education their children are being “guaranteed,” and are prepared to challenge the “adequacy” of the education their children are being provided.
These issues were previously litigated. In the 1973 case of San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, the U.S. Supreme Court held that education is not a fundamental right and the Equal Protection Clause does not require absolute equality in school funding or prohibit “rational” disparities in educational funding. Thus, it refused to overturn Texas’ educational funding system that provided public schools with a “foundation” level of state funding, and enabled districts to augment state public school funding using revenues from local property taxes. This created funding disparities between wealthy and poor school districts.
It may be time for the Court to revisit these issues. Part of what is driving the Florida suit is that the state’s share of education funding has dropped from nearly 62 percent to about 44 percent, as lawmakers have shifted the responsibility for funding public schools to local communities through property taxes. This has made it virtually impossible for poor school districts to provide a “high quality” education. Even wealthy school districts are balking at their ever increasing funding burden.
What does all of this mean to Georgians? Before the parents of Georgia’s public school students rush to file comparable suits, they should understand a few things. First, Georgia’s Constitution only calls for the state to provide an “adequate” education, which is a much easier standard for the state to meet than in Florida. Also, in Georgia, state funds still account for over 60 percent of public education expenses, much higher than in Florida.
Nonetheless, the overall quality of public education in Georgia remains poor and its high school graduation rate is dismally low. Also, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in Rodriguez that education is not a fundamental right, the Court has consistently stated that education is, “perhaps the most important function of state and local government…and the very foundation of good citizenship.” One wonders how can an uneducated populace properly exercise fundamental rights, such as First Amendment freedoms or the right to vote? Doesn’t this place the right to an education on the same footing as these other fundamental rights? They seem inexorably linked.
Given the anti-government furor that is sweeping the nation, this may be enough for Georgian parents to have a Howard Beale moment, in which they throw open their windows and shout, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” To borrow a metaphor from Sarah Palin, perhaps it’s time for Georgia’s Mama (and Papa) Bulldogs, Panthers, and other public school parents to test the legal waters again to ensure our children receive an adequate public education. Some argue our kids deserve at least that much.
– From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog: http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2010/12/27/school-funding-should-georgia-parents-sue-the-state/
.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Enhanced graduation requirements dumb down education
The suits, dumb down education…again
When I read about the increased graduation requirements for all of Florida, I first thought to myself, how the suits, the far off policy makers, the vast majority who had never been teachers or had anything to do with education until by virtue of being elected they somehow became experts on the subjects had once again got it wrong. Then I thought to myself, self how often do you think our legislators use advanced algebra, physics or chemistry in their everyday lives, I thought this even though I already knew the answer.
I think I can safely say they do as often as I and the vast majority of you do which is never. However that fact did not prevent them from passing a law requiring public school students to pass algebra II and one of the two sciences before they graduate.
My mind them meandered back to the mundane as I also wondered where they were going to put these new classes. At my high school and at most “low performing” high schools many of the classrooms are already occupied by reading and remedial math classes. We have 12 reading teachers at my high school. That’s 12 teachers, teaching 72+ classes of reading to over a thousand students. Think about this, most of our kids can’t read at grade level but at the same time we expect them to take and pass algebra II and chemistry. We also have a half dozen intensive math teachers, one of whom told me the other day, he would be happy if his kids learned long division by the end of the year. However once again, we expect these kids to take and pass algebra II and chemistry or physics. Does anybody else see the insanity here?
Once again (if you have read my stuff before) I am not saying advanced math’s and sciences don’t have a place in education. What I am saying is they are not the end all be all, panacea that our legislatures think will solve the ills of education. Look at Duval County for instance. Years ago the powers-that-be at 1701 Prudential drive became caught up in the success of Stanton and Paxon, annually regarded as two of the best schools in the nation and thought, if kids can do it there they can do it at any school and increased the graduation requirements accordingly. This despite the fact the typical kid at the accademic magnet school is greatly different from the typical kid at the neighborhood school. Why am I teaching algebra II to a kid who wants to drive a truck a colleague once lamented.
And Let me tell you Duval County after a temporary drop has been graduating kids with these enhanced graduation requirement too, and like how no good deed goes unpunished, and there is an admitted inherent goodness in wanting kids to do well in advanced subjects, many of these kids however, through a lack of skills have paid the price for it. You see just because these students have been graduating it definitely does not mean they have all been learning. To the contrary many have just been shuffled from one grade to the next, teachers under pressure from administrators to pass them along. How much evidence do you need that this is going on? How about the fact that most of our high school kids don’t read at grade level and barely half can do math. How about the fact that Florida State College at Jacksonville reports seventy percent of our grads have to take remedial classes or businesses report having trouble finding qualified workers from the pool of recent graduates? What is it going to take to convince you? How about walking through the hallways of a neighborhood school or sitting in a few of its classes. Ask a principal if you can sometime as it may be eye opening. Don’t just take my word or it, but likewise don’t just believe that the legislature is getting it right either.
Think about it this way, the economy is terrible right now and many people who want to work can’t find a job but what should also have you and me concerned is the amount of people who are working but are underemployed. They have jobs but aren’t working at the level their education would normally dictate nor as many hours as they normally would. If we were to count them then then our unemployed/underemployed rate would be about 25%. Well like the economy has the underemployed, Duval County and now I fear so too will the rest of the state have great numbers of the under educated. Sure they will have graduated but what will they be prepared for? If you answered college or the workforce, you are probably both a lot more optimistic than me and/or not a public school teacher. If our graduation rate is sixty-six percent, imagine what our percentage of kids prepared for college or the job force is. Where I have no empirical figures as nobody I know studies it, I would bet the true percentage of kids prepared for what comes next to be under fifty.
Friends it’s even worse than that. You hear all the times in the halls and in the teachers’ lounge about the extreme measures that teachers go to, to get kids to pass. 0-20 is an F in my class a former teacher of the year said, 21-40 is a D and a 41 is a C, passing. My study guide is basically the test and I let them use the study guide on the test is another teachers strategy. Some teachers give extra credit for just showing up. If you come and don’t get a referral you will walk out of my class with a C. Another teacher gives points for professional dress, you can literally get a C in my class if all you do is wear a tie daily, I was told. I could go on and on and on. Then there is learning recovery which says, if a kid for any reason fails a class, and that includes bad behavior, lack of effort or failing to attend, they can turn an F into a C if they complete some assignments on the computer.Would any o that lown 20 years ago coincidently when we didn't have to take algebra at all and the United States education standing was much higher?
Friends we have dumbed down education to the point it is nearly unrecognizable. None of the kids in one of my science classes new their states, in another nobody could identify Australia and in a third I had to explain to the kids that the chemical formula for water was H2O. These are all things I learned in middle school as I was passing through Duval Counties school system, and then the so called education experts’ answer to the problems we are having is to raise the graduation requirements. I feel like education has become a Dilbert cartoon, where the engineer says he doesn’t know anything about nuclear power and the pointy haired boss instructs him to build a nuclear powered whatsit. Can somebody with a straight face who isn’t going to profit from the big business that education has become explain to me how this isn’t madness. By the way look out friends somebody is going to get rich creating end of course exams, just like somebody got rich on the FCAT.
We don’t need to ratchet up the requirements, if anything we need to tone them down and make sure what’s important is both rigorous and legitimate. Kids don’t need a half baked algebra II class they need a legitimate algebra I class. A colleague told me only about half of his algebra II kids could pass a legitimate algebra I class. We need to slow things down and make sure we get the basics right first before we push kids into classes, which quite frankly, like you and me and our legislatures, will never use.
Then don’t believe the hype that these so called experts have come up with. It’s a disingenuous argument that the advanced classes will help children think and figure things out even if they never use what they “supposedly learn” again; that these classes provide critical thinking skills. Well won’t learning a trade or a skill develop the same skills? Furthermore doesn’t leaning about the arts open up a child’s creative side and aren’t these skills and classes ones that children will use again. You think classes teaching skills, trades and the arts are already in short supply now; well just wait until a school needs a dozen more science and math teachers but wasn’t been given any money to pay for them.
Furthermore we are not going to have a society of just engineers and doctors no matter how much the legislature wants it, no matter how high they set the bar. After all we don’t have the children they wish we had, we have the children we do and it’s time we stated acting accordingly. If not more and more children despite the fact they “managed to graduate” won’t manage to do much more.
I get it though, we want kids to meet their potential and we want that potential to be sky high. I just wish the people who worked with the kids who are forced to implement these edicts from far off ivory towers and the kids themselves were sometimes consulted about what was best for them and what they wanted to do with their lives. These far off suits, who look at an idea like enhanced graduation requirements and then don’t apply any of the same critical thinking that they want kids to have, shouldn’t be making these future altering decisions after all they don’t have to take algebra II or chemistry and physics.
When I read about the increased graduation requirements for all of Florida, I first thought to myself, how the suits, the far off policy makers, the vast majority who had never been teachers or had anything to do with education until by virtue of being elected they somehow became experts on the subjects had once again got it wrong. Then I thought to myself, self how often do you think our legislators use advanced algebra, physics or chemistry in their everyday lives, I thought this even though I already knew the answer.
I think I can safely say they do as often as I and the vast majority of you do which is never. However that fact did not prevent them from passing a law requiring public school students to pass algebra II and one of the two sciences before they graduate.
My mind them meandered back to the mundane as I also wondered where they were going to put these new classes. At my high school and at most “low performing” high schools many of the classrooms are already occupied by reading and remedial math classes. We have 12 reading teachers at my high school. That’s 12 teachers, teaching 72+ classes of reading to over a thousand students. Think about this, most of our kids can’t read at grade level but at the same time we expect them to take and pass algebra II and chemistry. We also have a half dozen intensive math teachers, one of whom told me the other day, he would be happy if his kids learned long division by the end of the year. However once again, we expect these kids to take and pass algebra II and chemistry or physics. Does anybody else see the insanity here?
Once again (if you have read my stuff before) I am not saying advanced math’s and sciences don’t have a place in education. What I am saying is they are not the end all be all, panacea that our legislatures think will solve the ills of education. Look at Duval County for instance. Years ago the powers-that-be at 1701 Prudential drive became caught up in the success of Stanton and Paxon, annually regarded as two of the best schools in the nation and thought, if kids can do it there they can do it at any school and increased the graduation requirements accordingly. This despite the fact the typical kid at the accademic magnet school is greatly different from the typical kid at the neighborhood school. Why am I teaching algebra II to a kid who wants to drive a truck a colleague once lamented.
And Let me tell you Duval County after a temporary drop has been graduating kids with these enhanced graduation requirement too, and like how no good deed goes unpunished, and there is an admitted inherent goodness in wanting kids to do well in advanced subjects, many of these kids however, through a lack of skills have paid the price for it. You see just because these students have been graduating it definitely does not mean they have all been learning. To the contrary many have just been shuffled from one grade to the next, teachers under pressure from administrators to pass them along. How much evidence do you need that this is going on? How about the fact that most of our high school kids don’t read at grade level and barely half can do math. How about the fact that Florida State College at Jacksonville reports seventy percent of our grads have to take remedial classes or businesses report having trouble finding qualified workers from the pool of recent graduates? What is it going to take to convince you? How about walking through the hallways of a neighborhood school or sitting in a few of its classes. Ask a principal if you can sometime as it may be eye opening. Don’t just take my word or it, but likewise don’t just believe that the legislature is getting it right either.
Think about it this way, the economy is terrible right now and many people who want to work can’t find a job but what should also have you and me concerned is the amount of people who are working but are underemployed. They have jobs but aren’t working at the level their education would normally dictate nor as many hours as they normally would. If we were to count them then then our unemployed/underemployed rate would be about 25%. Well like the economy has the underemployed, Duval County and now I fear so too will the rest of the state have great numbers of the under educated. Sure they will have graduated but what will they be prepared for? If you answered college or the workforce, you are probably both a lot more optimistic than me and/or not a public school teacher. If our graduation rate is sixty-six percent, imagine what our percentage of kids prepared for college or the job force is. Where I have no empirical figures as nobody I know studies it, I would bet the true percentage of kids prepared for what comes next to be under fifty.
Friends it’s even worse than that. You hear all the times in the halls and in the teachers’ lounge about the extreme measures that teachers go to, to get kids to pass. 0-20 is an F in my class a former teacher of the year said, 21-40 is a D and a 41 is a C, passing. My study guide is basically the test and I let them use the study guide on the test is another teachers strategy. Some teachers give extra credit for just showing up. If you come and don’t get a referral you will walk out of my class with a C. Another teacher gives points for professional dress, you can literally get a C in my class if all you do is wear a tie daily, I was told. I could go on and on and on. Then there is learning recovery which says, if a kid for any reason fails a class, and that includes bad behavior, lack of effort or failing to attend, they can turn an F into a C if they complete some assignments on the computer.Would any o that lown 20 years ago coincidently when we didn't have to take algebra at all and the United States education standing was much higher?
Friends we have dumbed down education to the point it is nearly unrecognizable. None of the kids in one of my science classes new their states, in another nobody could identify Australia and in a third I had to explain to the kids that the chemical formula for water was H2O. These are all things I learned in middle school as I was passing through Duval Counties school system, and then the so called education experts’ answer to the problems we are having is to raise the graduation requirements. I feel like education has become a Dilbert cartoon, where the engineer says he doesn’t know anything about nuclear power and the pointy haired boss instructs him to build a nuclear powered whatsit. Can somebody with a straight face who isn’t going to profit from the big business that education has become explain to me how this isn’t madness. By the way look out friends somebody is going to get rich creating end of course exams, just like somebody got rich on the FCAT.
We don’t need to ratchet up the requirements, if anything we need to tone them down and make sure what’s important is both rigorous and legitimate. Kids don’t need a half baked algebra II class they need a legitimate algebra I class. A colleague told me only about half of his algebra II kids could pass a legitimate algebra I class. We need to slow things down and make sure we get the basics right first before we push kids into classes, which quite frankly, like you and me and our legislatures, will never use.
Then don’t believe the hype that these so called experts have come up with. It’s a disingenuous argument that the advanced classes will help children think and figure things out even if they never use what they “supposedly learn” again; that these classes provide critical thinking skills. Well won’t learning a trade or a skill develop the same skills? Furthermore doesn’t leaning about the arts open up a child’s creative side and aren’t these skills and classes ones that children will use again. You think classes teaching skills, trades and the arts are already in short supply now; well just wait until a school needs a dozen more science and math teachers but wasn’t been given any money to pay for them.
Furthermore we are not going to have a society of just engineers and doctors no matter how much the legislature wants it, no matter how high they set the bar. After all we don’t have the children they wish we had, we have the children we do and it’s time we stated acting accordingly. If not more and more children despite the fact they “managed to graduate” won’t manage to do much more.
I get it though, we want kids to meet their potential and we want that potential to be sky high. I just wish the people who worked with the kids who are forced to implement these edicts from far off ivory towers and the kids themselves were sometimes consulted about what was best for them and what they wanted to do with their lives. These far off suits, who look at an idea like enhanced graduation requirements and then don’t apply any of the same critical thinking that they want kids to have, shouldn’t be making these future altering decisions after all they don’t have to take algebra II or chemistry and physics.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Hoodwinked
Hoodwinked, bamboozled, had the rug pulled out from under or just plain lied to all fit for what the state did to thousands of teachers the other day. With little fanfare the Florida Department of Education announced they ended the Critical Teacher Shortage (CTS) loan forgiveness and tuition reimbursement program. They did so because the legislature decided not to fund it anymore.
This is the same legislature that told thousands of people in the business world and prospective teachers that if they joined the profession and taught in areas of critical needs, math, science and special education that they would have their loans forgiven. Now all of these people are going to be saddled with debt that they were told that if they did the right thing that they wouldn’t have to pay. Though it’s not only the unfulfilled promise that’s the problem here but why would teachers stay or go into the most challenging areas of education now?
This happened during the same legislative session where they capped the amount of taxes that the buyers of new yachts have to pay.
This happened during the same legislative session where they tried (and may still do) to circumnavigate the will of the people by rolling back the class size amendment.
This happened during the same legislative session where it took a veto from the governor to stop from passing, the punitive towards teachers and badly written senate bill six.
This happened during the same legislative session where they continued to violate the constitution of Florida by refusing to fund education in a first class manner.
This happened during the same legislative session that approved increased tax breaks to companies that finance vouchers taking even more money away from the already cash starved public school system.
This happened during the same legislative session where they dramatically increased graduation requirements despite the fact that thousands ands upon thousands of students can’t reach the requirements already in place.
The other day thousands of teachers who counted on the promise of having their student loans forgiven if they agreed to teach in an area of critical need were hoodwinked but they weren’t the only ones. Parents who believed the legislature had the best interest for and actually cared about their children had the wool pulled over their eyes too.
Hoodwinked, bamboozled, had the rug pulled out from under, the wool pulled over their eyes or were just plain lied to all fit for what the state did to thousands of teachers the other day. Sadly that’s the same thing they have been doing to parents, children and the citizens of Florida for a while.
This is the same legislature that told thousands of people in the business world and prospective teachers that if they joined the profession and taught in areas of critical needs, math, science and special education that they would have their loans forgiven. Now all of these people are going to be saddled with debt that they were told that if they did the right thing that they wouldn’t have to pay. Though it’s not only the unfulfilled promise that’s the problem here but why would teachers stay or go into the most challenging areas of education now?
This happened during the same legislative session where they capped the amount of taxes that the buyers of new yachts have to pay.
This happened during the same legislative session where they tried (and may still do) to circumnavigate the will of the people by rolling back the class size amendment.
This happened during the same legislative session where it took a veto from the governor to stop from passing, the punitive towards teachers and badly written senate bill six.
This happened during the same legislative session where they continued to violate the constitution of Florida by refusing to fund education in a first class manner.
This happened during the same legislative session that approved increased tax breaks to companies that finance vouchers taking even more money away from the already cash starved public school system.
This happened during the same legislative session where they dramatically increased graduation requirements despite the fact that thousands ands upon thousands of students can’t reach the requirements already in place.
The other day thousands of teachers who counted on the promise of having their student loans forgiven if they agreed to teach in an area of critical need were hoodwinked but they weren’t the only ones. Parents who believed the legislature had the best interest for and actually cared about their children had the wool pulled over their eyes too.
Hoodwinked, bamboozled, had the rug pulled out from under, the wool pulled over their eyes or were just plain lied to all fit for what the state did to thousands of teachers the other day. Sadly that’s the same thing they have been doing to parents, children and the citizens of Florida for a while.
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