Tax money for vouchers but no accountability? How nice
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-0321fcatvoucher,0,2821876.story?coll=sfla-news-florida
Florida House votes down voucher school FCAT requirement
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press Writer
Posted March 21 2006, 5:18 PM EST
TALLAHASSEE -- The Republican-controlled Florida House rejected a Democratic proposal Tuesday that would have required voucher students who attend private schools at taxpayer expense to take the same standardized test as children in public schools.
It was offered as an amendment to a bill (HB 7041) that would let most students in an unconstitutional voucher program switch to another one that has not yet been challenged in court.
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The amendment would have required that voucher students, except those who are disabled, take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, which the state uses to grade public schools. It failed on a voice vote. The House is expected to take a final vote Thursday on the bill. It would require voucher students to take other standardized tests chosen by their private schools or voluntarily take the FCAT, said the sponsor, Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka.
``If it's good for public schools, why aren't we painting everybody the same way?'' asked Rep. Ron Greenstein, D-Coconut Creek. ``If the FCAT is the whole and mighty grail in student promotion and student graduation, why shouldn't it go ... to these other schools, too?''
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, responded: ``These are not schools that we run. We have difficulty running the schools that we need to run.''
The bill, however, would give the state a greater say in the operation of schools that take students in the two remaining voucher programs. That includes a requirement that teachers and others who come in direct contact with children undergo fingerprinting and criminal background screening.
A program supported by corporate tax credits provides vouchers to students from low-income families. Disabled students, including those with learning disabilities, can obtain vouchers through another program named for former Senate President John McKay.
Together the two programs have about 30,000 students. The Florida Supreme Court earlier this year declared the Opportunity Scholarship Program, with about 700 students, in violation of a state constitutional provision that requires a uniform system of free public schools.
Students from public schools that received an F on the state's grading system for two years in a four-year period were eligible for opportunity scholarships.
The vouchers were a cornerstone of Gov. Jeb Bush's 1999 A-Plus program for public school accountability. The threat of losing students to the voucher program was seen as an incentive for schools to improve.
Pickens said his bill would let opportunity scholarships students transfer to the corporate voucher program if they meet the income requirements. He said 75 percent -- about 525-- of the opportunity scholarship students could make the switch.
Lawmakers also have introduced a proposed state constitutional amendment that would get around the high court decision by letting the Legislature pass voucher programs for virtually any reason. It has not yet made it to the House or Senate floor.
Florida House votes down voucher school FCAT requirement
By Bill Kaczor
Associated Press Writer
Posted March 21 2006, 5:18 PM EST
TALLAHASSEE -- The Republican-controlled Florida House rejected a Democratic proposal Tuesday that would have required voucher students who attend private schools at taxpayer expense to take the same standardized test as children in public schools.
It was offered as an amendment to a bill (HB 7041) that would let most students in an unconstitutional voucher program switch to another one that has not yet been challenged in court.
LocalLinks
The amendment would have required that voucher students, except those who are disabled, take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, which the state uses to grade public schools. It failed on a voice vote. The House is expected to take a final vote Thursday on the bill. It would require voucher students to take other standardized tests chosen by their private schools or voluntarily take the FCAT, said the sponsor, Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka.
``If it's good for public schools, why aren't we painting everybody the same way?'' asked Rep. Ron Greenstein, D-Coconut Creek. ``If the FCAT is the whole and mighty grail in student promotion and student graduation, why shouldn't it go ... to these other schools, too?''
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, responded: ``These are not schools that we run. We have difficulty running the schools that we need to run.''
The bill, however, would give the state a greater say in the operation of schools that take students in the two remaining voucher programs. That includes a requirement that teachers and others who come in direct contact with children undergo fingerprinting and criminal background screening.
A program supported by corporate tax credits provides vouchers to students from low-income families. Disabled students, including those with learning disabilities, can obtain vouchers through another program named for former Senate President John McKay.
Together the two programs have about 30,000 students. The Florida Supreme Court earlier this year declared the Opportunity Scholarship Program, with about 700 students, in violation of a state constitutional provision that requires a uniform system of free public schools.
Students from public schools that received an F on the state's grading system for two years in a four-year period were eligible for opportunity scholarships.
The vouchers were a cornerstone of Gov. Jeb Bush's 1999 A-Plus program for public school accountability. The threat of losing students to the voucher program was seen as an incentive for schools to improve.
Pickens said his bill would let opportunity scholarships students transfer to the corporate voucher program if they meet the income requirements. He said 75 percent -- about 525-- of the opportunity scholarship students could make the switch.
Lawmakers also have introduced a proposed state constitutional amendment that would get around the high court decision by letting the Legislature pass voucher programs for virtually any reason. It has not yet made it to the House or Senate floor.
posted by TXatheist at 12:10 PM
2 Comments:
Hey, I was just reading that you used to be a JW and are now an apostate. Well, good for you! lol :) I used to be a JW and now I'm Deist. Anyway, I just wanted to say hello.
Hello Nona,
I was actually ready to be baptized, met with elders, passed the interview and then walked away. Never got dunked:) Funny as I was a rescue swimmer in the Navy and love water.
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