Duncan Silent on Florida Education Mess ( Unbelievable Yet Not What Is Happening)

[teacher gal]

A big thank you to Valerie Strauss. Note: I've edited this again to remove my previous rant which prefaced the story. My apologies. I was just plain mad.

Duncan Silent on Florida Education Mess, by Valerie Strauss, Washington Post (in The Answer Sheet):

It’s no wonder that many teachers, students and parents feel that public education is under assault in Florida.

Despite a growing chorus of opposition from teachers, students and even school superintendents, the Republican-dominated state Legislature is intent on passing a bill that would make eliminate teacher tenure, link teacher pay to student standardized test scores, and add a heap more tests on already test-plagued students.

Each one of those items will negatively impact every student in a Florida public school. But that’s not all.


Citing terrible budget constraints, legislators are trying to pull back on a decision voters made in a state referendum in 2002 that limited class size. Voters approved a plan for gradual reductions in class size until they reach no more than 18 for grades pre-K-3, 22 for grades 4-8, and 25 in high school.

But that’s not all.

Even though money is so tight, the Republican legislators somehow found money for private schools through tax-credit scholarships, and that bill is moving swiftly too.

Read the rest of the story here: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/education-secretary-duncan/duncan-silent-on-floridas-educ.html

[msongs]

1. obama makes policy, duncan is merely the messenger. FL is the wave of the future for your schools nt

[Catshrink]

2. Arizona is also gutting public education in favor of

private schools through tax-credit scholarships and charters. It is happening so quickly that the public won't realize what's going on until it's too late.

[tonysam]

3. Nevada can't convert public schools into charters because of current law,

but watch the law being changed next year.