Voucher bill clears Senate committee

It wasn't unanimous, but the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Committee approved a bill (SB 1440) to greatly expand the number of students who may participate in the Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship, which are often referred to as vouchers although technically they aren't.

The bill boasts broad, bipartisan support, with senators including incoming Democratic leader Al Lawson (left) and former Republican Senate president Jim King (right) among the 15 sponsors (we've been told that's more sponsors than any other bill before the Senate). Speakers in favor of the legislation included a single white dad from Jacksonville and a single black mom from Miami, both of whom talked about the value that the program has brought to their children's education.

Sen. Don Gaetz, the bill's primary sponsor, said the legislation if approved would save the state money on both operational and capital expenses in public education. The private schools accepting the scholarships take less money per student than the public schools ($3,750 vs. $7,200), he noted, and they make it so that the public schools don't have to provide seats for the kids.

He faced some questions from Sen. Ted Deutch, a Delray Beach Democrat, about why students in the private schools don't have to meet the Sunshine State Standards or take the FCAT. Sen. Larcenia Bullard, a Miami Democrat, also raised concerns about the state sending money to private schools when teachers are threatened with no raises in the coming year. The Florida Education Association came down firmly against the bill.

But Gaetz insisted the bill was about doing right by students, not by the system, as he closed his arguments in favor. That position won the day.

Comments

[terminator]

I like Gaetz but this bill is total *rap.
Hopefully, it won't get through the full Senate.
But with more and more "uncle Tom" politicians figuring out this is a gravy train they want to hop on, it could be close.
How soon till Lawson and his sell-outs want to open their own voucher schools?
Sure that way he can make his wife the principal, hire his kids and relatives as teachers (since there are no standards and teachers nor staff need degrees or certification).
Ron Meyer did an excellent job testifying on our behalf (FEA).
DLP is such an *sshole. Is this turd term limited yet? He needs to go.
The plan is educationally unsound and fiscally reckless.
The idiot senators who support this better be ready for the backlash they're going to get come November 08!

[DMJ]

Gaetz is way off base here. Is he planning on giving away any more money in a tight year? Money for private schools? NO.

Termie,

Ron Meyer's testimony about money for public schools paled in comparison to the powerful simplicity of the parents' argument: my child was failing, they were going to be a statistic, this program saved them.

Do you really think a Senator who has over 2,000 kids on the program in his district is going to face a problem for voting yes? He would have a problem if he voted no.

This program is less than one percent of the public school budget. It saves kids' lives. It saves the taxpayers money. It's no wonder it has 17 co-sponsors--not the 15 cited.

Attacking a good man like Sen. Lawson for helping his low income constituents shows the bankruptcy of your views, to say nothing our your racist term for any black politician voting to help their constituents. Do you really think he sponsored this so he could start a school and make money?

Put aside your tribal views and help poor children.

[terminator]

12:09
I've spent a few too many years around Tallahassee and politicians to believe in your "it takes a village to raise a child" kombaya simplistic non-sense.
It's a rip-off of state taxpayer money that should be going to public schools, not an unaccountable parallel school system.
If these companies really want to be good corporate citizens, why don't they just donate the money to the voucher program rather than ask for something in return?
You sound like a Jeb Bush-John Kirtley apologist. You probably run your own voucher school.
As far as Lawson only time will tell.
Carrie Meek whom Gaetz cited turned into a con artist (see Miami Herald articles detailing her activities with indicted Boston developer Dennis Stackhouse). So please spare us the self righteousness of black politicians who all of a sudden want to jump on the voucher bandwagon.
My question would be, how come they don't work with their local public schools in helping to improve them first?
We'll be waiting in the Senate chamber for our showdown.

Ps It may not effect Gaetz in his district but it will effect those who live in swing districts.

Termie,

I don't think calling Sen. Lawson "Uncle Tom" and Congresswoman Meek a "con artist" is going to help your case. The two public servants have worked hard to help poor constituents over the years, and that's why they support this program.

Legislators with thousands of parents who are on the program or who want to be run huge risk opposing it. That's why you are seeing the conversions. It's as simple as that. If you're a Democrat in Weston with no poor people, sure you can oppose it. Not so in low income districts.

The growing number of black Democrats who support this program also support the public schools. You are stuck in a mind set where it's a zero sum game. The parents who use this program have to pay over $1,000 out of pocket per kid--only the ones with struggling kids use it. They wouldn't use it if it wasn't working. The kids have to take standardized tests comparable to the FCAT or the FCAT itself.

Termie, break with the past. Don't be afraid of change and progress.

[terminator]

3:04
first of all, it's "former" Congresswoman Meek and yes, she sold out her reputation for money (google her and Stackhouse and Miami-Dade Empowerment Zone).
So as far as I'm concerned she's just another opportunist looking to make a few bucks of the backs of misled inner city minority youth under the guise of "helping" them.
When the voucher schools are required to administer the FCAT, hire only certified teachers/administrators who have Bachelor's degees and meet all the same requirements as the public schools then maybe there would be more acceptance.
Lawson and any other black legislator who turns their back on the public schools by cutting their funding while throwing taxpayer money at private for profit, unaccountable voucher schools are the ones who are taking the risk.
Undoubtedly, they won't receive any support from the unions or teachers the next time they run.
We'll certainly be glad to help them into an early retirement from public office!

[me]

2 charters failed with added criminal charges against the people in at the top in Pasco County. The students had to go back to public school and they were farther behind than the kids in the public classroom. District lost 200k and the state wants less oversight?

Taxpayers have FCAT and a grading system to make public schools accountable to my taxes, what will the charter schools' accountability measure be?

They get free money without accountability on par with public schools...sounds like a revamp of the Bushites agenda to sabotage the public schools in favor of voucher led institutions.

I agree, if corporate America really wants to help then why not dole out the money without strings attached........oh sorry we are talking about GREEDY corps. who look out for their bottom line.....their profits. So why then be critical of the public schools for worrying about their own?

double standard....typical Tallahasse

I don't care about the CIT voucher program except that the analysis of the program LIES when it says that it saves money.

Why is that if they are only giving the private schools 60% of the money they would have given the public schools you ask?

Because, the public schools are in declining enrollment, I answer. This means that the state will pay 60% to the private schools plus 50% of the base FEFP to the public schools. Instead of saving about $2 million, it will cost over $10 million.

This doesn't even take into consideration that the savings versus the costs have mixed revenue sources that cannot be mixed. State general revenue costs cannot be balanced with GR and local property taxes.

The analysis is a lie. It is a lie. It is a lie.

The additional fact that the CIT voucher program is a program established by the Legislature to substitute for its responsibility under the Constitution to provide for a high quality system of free public schools, which the Supreme Court already ruled cannot be done, is minor by comparison with the fact that the Legislature cannot afford $10 million in NEW money to pay for this. They cannot pay for the existing public school program.

I was really glad to hear that CVS Pharmacy participated in the program so that I can now stop using their stores. Can the SPT tell me which corporations are PROUDLY participating in this program that I do not believe in?

[DMJ]

Some people just love government give aways. There are low standards in most private schools. Too many parents could care less if their kids can read or write- just gimme that diploma! If they cannot meet basic standards in the public system- move em to where there are none and say, "It saved them." Give me a break.

I think that parents in the public schools should have the "parental choice" to opt out of the FCAT! Parents are "all knowing" about selecting their private schools, but they must submit to the power of Patricia when it comes to the public ones. They should also have the authority to waive the FCAT as a graduation requirement or a promotion requirement for 3rd grade. If their kids went to private school on a voucher, they would be able to waive these things. So, why doesn't the state want to give parental choice rights to parents who CHOOSE the public schools?

[terminator]

12:16
actually, in a way they can.

if the kids can score a 16 on the ACT (rather low) or a 420 on the SAT (you get 200 points in each category for just signing your name), that will substitute as a passing FCAT score for the 10th grade test!

and if all else fails, just pull the kid out of public school the last semester and enroll them at a private school where the FCAT isn't required and they can get their diploma there.

Don't they have to fail the FCAT repeatedly to use the SAT/ACT option?

[onewayoutofFCATtesting]

5:38
If they fail the first,10th grade administration of the FCAT which has extended responses in it, they can take it again later when it is straight multiple choice.

If they fail it again in fall of 11th, my advice is to have them take the SAT/ACT in spring of 11th since those scores are needed for college applications any way.

Retaking the FCAT after the first time is for the student to graduate. The first time, 10th grade one, is also needed for grading the school.

The up side of taking the ACT or SAT is that these tests are available each month except for July, and have to be no older than two years for college applications.

The down side is that they cost about $35-$45 per test, unless you are needy then the school guidance dept. can give a waiver code to enter for fee payment.

For a stressed out student, I would highly encourage taking ACT/SAT rather than the FCAT if they have failed it before, and throw in couple of test prep sessions, which is cheaper than private school tuition, and voila, they will pass it and then get to graduate!