The Florida legislature thinks that you can never have too much choice. Their one abiding goal is to destroy completely the traditional neighborhood school, which they think is the root of all evil. They would rather have kids go to a basement school in a rundown church than attend a neighborhood school.
Now, the legislature has passed a law to allow high school students to transfer to any high school in the state, so long as they provide their own transportation, a seat in the receiving school is available, and the student has not been suspended or expelled. Wow! Just think! A student in Miami can transfer to a school in Orlando, or Jacksonville, or just anywhere at all. What’s next: full choice for any elementary school student in the state? Some really deep thinking going on here about improving education.
Florida also recently passed legislation that included the “best and brightest” plan that gives a bonus to teachers based on their high school SAT scores. Veteran teachers must have both their high school SAT scores (from 25 years ago?) and be rated highly effective to qualify. This is essentially a bonus designed for TFA temp teachers. The law was widely denounced as the stupidest legislation ever, but there is nothing that is too stupid for the Florida legislature when it comes to choice or harassing teachers.
SB7029 was amended by the House last night. Session due to close by 4 today. Bill likely stalled. One of those times that no bill may be best.
This bill in Florida grew out of districts wanting to be able to recruit super star athletes from neighboring districts. I can foresee lots of abuse from this bad idea, not just in athletics, but also in academics. We know that “choice” results in families choosing schools where the students look like them. This measure will result in increased segregation, and it will be unfair to students whose families lack the means to transport them to other districts.
“The law was widely denounced as the stupidest legislation ever.”
Such a scholarly analysis.
Could you possibly provide a citation for this conclusion?
JD Hollowell:
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune referred to the “best and brightest” legislation as “the worst and dumbest” legislation. Does that make it the stupidest legislation ever? Some Floridians think so.
Why are new teachers, who can easily get access to their SAT scores eligible, but veteran teachers–who might have trouble locating the scores of tests they took 20 years ago–are not likely to qualify?
Why would a good teacher be predicted by his or her SAT score, taken as a junior or senior in high school?
In my humble opinion, this is a waste of $40 million that could be better used to buy musical instruments or hire arts teachers or reduce class sizes.
Now, veteran teachers that do have qualifying SAT scores are being told that their scores can not be retrieved from the archives, therefore they do not qualify- even though they “qualify.”
No doubt Tim will find this law refreshing. I’m waiting for the day when legislation is introduced that students in California can go to school in New York. Could be accommodated by cyberschooling. Yay. Rah. We have greedy self-interested thieves running our government.
Can anyone take the SAT any time? I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take much of a mug-up for teachers to be able to get really high scores now.
After 25 years of dedicated teaching. I am retiring in the next year. I have had it with Rick Scott and his corrupt cronies.
Diane, they heard your indignant critique and upped the stupid.
http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2016/03/11/lawmakers-pass-education-bill/
Free-For-All registration:
“Another major provision of HB 7029 permits and creates guidelines for open enrollment — schoolchildren can attend any public or charter school in the state with available room regardless of district — as well as athletic choice, with students who transfer schools being immediately eligible to play sports.
It requires school districts to hold open enrollment processes that give preference to students who live in the district or have been relocated because of divorce, foster care or a military reassignment. It would not allow students who live in the district to be displaced during the open enrollment process.”
Charter Corruption and Profiteering:
“As part of a last-minute deal, the House rejected efforts by the Senate to crack down on businesses using state capital dollars to profit from charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately managed.
The Senate gave up on its plan to ban “private enrichment” in trade for the House accepting a revised formula that weights capital funding in favor of charter schools that serve mostly impoverished students and those with disabilities, which was, in part,
what charter schools were intended for when they were established in the 1990s.
Democrats in both chambers blasted House Republicans for not agreeing to a “legitimate” solution to safeguard public money given to charter schools and to ensure the schools aren’t used as a means to line business-owners’ pockets”
“However, Democratic senators implied ulterior motives for why House leaders didn’t accept the plan.
State Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, asked senators “to be frank” and questioned whether the House’s reluctance to ban charter schools’ “private enrichment” was because of “individuals who indirectly or directly gain personal wealth based on charter school construction.”
Several lawmakers have close ties to charter schools, such as Fresen. He is a land consultant for Civica, an architecture firm with a specialty in building charter schools. Many of those schools were built for Academica — which has been described as the largest charter school management company in Florida and which counts Fresen’s brother-in-law and sister as executives.
Fresen has said no conflict exits.”
http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/education/article65572452.html
Can’t wait to see what other corrupt and evil Easter eggs they slipped into this omnibus bill passed at the last minute with little to no public debate or scrutiny. They have NO SHAME in Tallahassee and will pass anything and everything ALEC sends their way and that the reformist lobbyists ask them to do.
Parents, students, and teachers, however, are completely ignored i.e. the growing Opt Out movement, mandatory free-play recess, reduction in testing and punitive measures, equitable funding, etc.
Florida. Amazingly corrupt.