Voucher expansion
Florida would nearly triple the amount of tax credits it allows for corporate vouchers under a bill filed yesterday by state Rep. Trey Traviesa (left), R-Tampa.
HB 653 would increase the current cap by $30 million each year over the next five years, from $88 million now to $238 million in 2012. It would also increase the amount of individual corporate tax-credit vouchers from $3,750 to $4,500.
Voucher opponents were quick to pounce. "Imagine what they'd do ... if it wasn't bad economic times," Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, told The Gradebook this morning. "You're in a situation where you're cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from the education budget because of lower-than-anticipate revenues ... yet we're going to expand corporate vouchers."
Voucher supporters argued the opposite. Since it costs the state less money to pay for a voucher than to support the same student in a public school, "We're saving the money," said Denise Lasher, spokeswoman for Step Up for Students, a group that advocates for tax-credit vouchers. The legislation "helps with the budget crisis ... and class size."
Traviesa's bill proposes that the voucher amount be annually adjusted to 62 percent of what the state spends per pupil. It would also offer private schools that accept such vouchers a $200-per-student premium if at least 95 percent of their voucher students take the FCAT. Currently, those students - about 20,000 in all - do not have to take the FCAT.
Get inside the world of Florida education with St. Petersburg Times staff writer Jeffrey S. Solochek and the rest of the Times education reporting team. We'll bring you up-to-date information about the latest education trends, fads and news and dig deep into Tampa Bay area school issues.
Unknown-
Doug Tuthill? Is that you?
Posted by: | January 23, 2008 at 04:53 PM
unknown:
you're nuts.
this will never see the light of day in the Senate.
Gaetz is far too progressive for this.
Wise maybe, Gaetz no way.
See you there!
Posted by: terminator | January 23, 2008 at 02:15 PM
Termie,
You best shine your crystal ball--tides are changing and a wave of bipartisan supporters will champion this bill--both House and Senate.
One modification to the post--students on this scholarship are not required to take the FCAT; however, they are required to take a nationally recognized norm referenced test, which could be the FCAT if that is what the school elects. In fact, UF is currently conducting a study using these test scores to examine the longitudinal gains of the scholarship students.
Posted by: Unknown | January 23, 2008 at 01:46 PM
11:33
you answered your own question.
Marco personally doesn't care one way or another as he's got bigger fish to fry (we don't agree on everything).
the Senate is the more moderate (and sensible body) when it comes to education policy, so this bill will see it's demise there.
yes you will see new plans, especially if Charlie the tuna's goes down in flames which I predict it will.
Posted by: terminator | January 23, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Termie, please . . .
So, you are willing to bet that this bill won't get heard by a House Committee and Council. Marco won't agenda it on the floor. Are you kidding me? It will see the light of day as colored by those in power. And, it is not the FEA in power if you haven't noticed.
No, it will have to be the Senate that puts the breaks on the "100,000,000 Crazy Ideas" just like they always do. How is the House plan for tax reform coming?
Posted by: | January 23, 2008 at 11:33 AM
this bill is DOA
it wouldn't see the light of day even in good economic times.
Treviasa is just a Jeb clone waterboy attempting to perpetuate the legacy of the "non-education governor"
Posted by: terminator | January 23, 2008 at 10:43 AM