FL wants to raise property taxes to pay for more charter schools, yet public schools lack resources.

[madfloridian]

Our public schools are greatly in need of resources now. Yet here is a state panel recommending that our taxes go up to fund more charter schools.

If our property taxes go up, the public schools should benefit. I don't want my taxpayer money used for education services that will be turned over to private companies that lack any local control.

Education panel backs property-tax hike

A state-appointed education task force is recommending increasing property taxes in an attempt to make funding more equitable between charter and traditional schools.

Traditional and charter schools are growing, yet property values have remained low since the recession. The K-12 Public School Facility Funding Task Force, which met this month, would recommend providing more funding for all public schools to meet growth needs.

The proposal asks the Legislature to identify a reliable source of money for charter schools because they do not get any property tax money. It also asks that school boards get the ability to levy an additional 50 cents per $1,000 in taxable property value for building construction and maintenance. Now it’s capped at $1.50. However, the proposal would mandate that 25 cents of that additional 50 cents goes to charter schools."

Even though many call themselves "public charter schools", they are not able to be regulated by local school boards.

The article is correct. It is "siphoning public money to go to private entities".

This is really an unfair push by education "reformers". Many charter schools in Florida are closing for failing grades or financial failure. One charter school in Orange County, FL that was closed put the principal first and the students last.

"While Young was getting a handsome salary, the school, made up of concrete portables, lacked computers, a library or a cafeteria for some 180 mostly at-risk and underprivileged students.

..."The principal in question not only received a $519,000 severance check, but she took home her $305,000 annual salary for a grand total of $824,000 during the 2010-2011 school year. The Orlando Sentinel also reported last week the school only spent $366,000 on teacher salaries and instruction during that school year. Nothing can justify that imbalance, especially for the leader of a charter that failed."

There are other examples, but one is very recent in Lee County, Florida.

Lee County School Board to close another charter school for financial reasons.

“We’re having these situations, it’s almost a regular thing for charter schools,” said board member Jeanne Dozier, referring to Richard Milburn Academy. “We’re talking about kids here, this is not a business. This is not an easy task for us, it’s not something we want to do.”

..."The school hadn’t submitted a financial audit or an approved corrective action plan detailing finances from as early as February. The school initially submitted an action plan, but it wasn’t in compliance with state statute. Currently the corrective action plan is three months overdue and the annual financial audit is two months overdue, said Keith Martin, the board’s attorney.

.."According to the district, as of Jan. 31 the school had an accounts payable balance of $146,637, an operating fund balance of $1,311 and the school’s net loss was $113,788."

Imagine running a public school with such carelessness. $1,311 on hand, owed $146, 627. That's pitiful.

The company that manages the school refuses to respond to the county's queries.

"The school’s management company, Carlsbad, Calif.-based Ed Futures Inc., didn’t pay the school’s bills, salaries or leave financial documents for the new board to analyze or give to auditors, said Karen Smith, a forensic accountant working pro-bono for the school, of By The Book Accounting Services, LLC."

Earlier this year we learned that two charter schools owed their local district about half a million dollars. Actually it appears they lied about the number of students enrolled. They called it an "error".

Two FL charter schools owe half a million to Lee county. Gave wrong number of students.

I read the word "error" in the article, but that is not an error. It is not just an error when the school reports that 465 students were in a course, yet they can only document 13 students. That's just dishonest and fraudulent.

"North Nicholas High and Coronado High schools reported inaccurate numbers of students participating in on-the-job training programs, the state audit shows.

An audit of Coronado High School found there was no documentation to show 465 students participated in an on-the-job course. In a letter from Coronado Principal Arthur Nauss to the Florida auditor general, the school could provide documentation of 13 students in the course.

..."The district’s preliminary estimates show North Nicholas owes $204,236 and Coronado owes $267,543, based on per-student funding from 2011, said Lee County schools Budget Director Ami Desamours."

That was taxpayer money they owed. And here is the state panel trying to raise our taxes to pay for more shenanigans like this.

It appears only public school teachers have to be accountable. The reformers can get away with anything.

[Enthusiast]

1. I hate these reformer fucks.........nt

[formercia]

2. I can't understand why Obama supports these people.

It's one of the things that sticks in my Craw.

[Enthusiast]

3. Just wait, there will be more craw sticks...........nt