AP: Fla. Gov. Bush Pushes for School Vouchers

[Norquist Nemesis]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday he wants to extend school vouchers to underperforming readers, even after two courts have said the state's existing voucher program is unconstitutional.

The governor proposes giving a "reading compact scholarship" to any student who scores in the lowest level on the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test for three years running. The voucher would allow the student to enroll in another school.

Florida's first voucher law, passed in 1999, was a centerpiece of Bush's first legislative agenda but was immediately challenged in court.

A trial judge and the 1st District Court of Appeal have ruled that it violates the state constitution by allowing state dollars to be spent on religious schools. The voucher program continues while the challenge goes before the Florida Supreme Court, which could rule sometime this year.

<more> http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FLORIDA_VOUCHERS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[HereSince1628]

1. Parents, don't let yer kids learn to read... get a voucher...then

send them to a religious school that will indocrinate them into things they will accept without question because just like you...

THEY CANNOT READ!

Your children will turn out to be perfect fundamentalist x'ian repubicans!

Imagine!? They could grow up to be PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!

[bluedog]

2. won't work either

why.because the private schools do NOT have the Fcat test.....jebby is just trying to hide the low preforming students in private schools so he can say.see, our public schools are fine..........he has no accountibility.....and thinks this will get him off the hook about smaller class size which we voters voted for..and he has not acted YET!

[xxqqqzme]

3. what?!?!?

he didn't learn how to cook state stat books from his brother? I guess now that paige is unemployed he could mosey on down 2 Florida and help them out of that little problem.

[Blaq Dem]

4. There's no proof of private schools improving low performing students

Private schools don't have any hard-core evidence of helping underperforming urban kids. They don't have to take the same tests as required for public schools. There's no program to help students with special needs either.

Only thing that can come out of a private school is a conservative biased ideology for brainwashing our kids to join the Bush Cult.

[Dudley_DUright]

5. After 10 years teaching in the FL public schools, my wife (Nell)

has had enough of this crap and will be finding something else to do after this year is over. Frankly I don't blame her at all since Jeb seems intent on destroying public education in this state, not that it needs much of a push over the cliff anyway.

[bluedog]

6. 88% ............ failed 3rd consecutive year............

check this out......see if bush gets them vouchers.these students would be off his "back' so to speak........out of sight..not held to any standards in these priate schools.......look at the numbers ......

there should be more and better paid teachers......smaller class rooms.but look how far that went..even though it was voted........in the article below bush says:::::

""""The plan also includes a provision to increase the pay of beginning teachers. If voters soften the class size amendment, starting pay would rise to $35,000. A teacher who makes more than $33,000 would get a $2,000 raise."""""



REPEAT FAILURES

More than 170,000 Florida students have failed FCAT reading three years in a row, which state officials think should make those students eligible for a private school voucher. Below are the 2001-2002 failure rates for sixth and eighth grades:

30: percentage of sixth-graders who scored at the lowest level on FCAT reading.

70: Percentage of those students who failed again the next year.

83: percentage who failed a third consecutive year.

29: percentage of eighth-graders who scored at the lowest level on FCAT reading.

87: percentage of those students who failed again the next year.

88: percentage who failed a third consecutive year.

Source: Department of Education


http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/24/State/Vouchers_big_part_of_.shtml

[2Design]

7. they learning reading in the early grades - the admendment for

smaller class size in early years was passed - Bush is doing everything he can not to adhere to the publics wish for smaller classrooms

Private schools have smaller classrooms

Bush wants to change the admendment the public voted in