Charter schools in Florida have a much higher "failure" rate than traditional publics.

[Orlandodem]

As one of his first acts as governor, Rick Scott visited a charter school in South Florida, pointing to it as a prime example of what we need more of: a public school, funded with taxes but run by a private, for-profit company.

When he signed his first bill as governor, Scott didn't stay in Tallahassee. He came to Jacksonville, to a charter school.

And when he signed his first budget, children were bused 60 miles from schools run by Charter Schools USA, a large firm whose CEO served on Scott's transition team.

Over and over, these scenes delivered a clear message. We need more schools like this, more charter schools, more virtual schools, more of the private sector fixing what the public sector has messed up.

Scott is hardly alone in his support of expanding charter schools. President Barack Obama is among those making this push. But the governor has upped the ante, pushing for more and more tax dollars to go to privately run ventures.

So it was interesting to see the latest FCAT grades.

There are more than 2,000 traditional elementary and middle schools in Florida. Fewer than 1 percent — 17 schools — received an "F" grade.

There are 270 charter elementary and middle schools in the state. More than 5 percent — 15 schools — got an "F." One of them was Florida International Academy, the elementary school Scott visited his first day in office. Another was Jacksonville's KIPP, the middle school where he signed the education bill. Despite supplementing regular state funding with about $1,500 a student, the KIPP school had the lowest FCAT score of the more than 200 schools in Northeast Florida.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/401820/mark-woods/2011-07-13/mark-woods-be-wary-over-rick-scott-s-push-charter-schools

Be sure to send this out over Facebook to other parents and teachers. Push columnists in your local paper to report these stats. Get the word out!!