Exclusivity granted

In the fight for authority over charter schools within their geographic boundaries, the Hillsborough and Hernando school districts have stood among the most vocal critics of the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission.

Now they're poised to see the FSE marginalized within their counties.

On the recommendation of a hearing officer, education commissioner Eric J. Smith is recommending that Hillsborough and Hernando - along with Broward, Polk and Sarasota - be given exclusive charter-granting authority. Eleven other districts, including Pinellas, did not receive enough points after informal hearings to win the commissioner's blessing.

See the revised point estimates here.

Pasco schools, along with 15 others that were initially rejected, did not ask for hearings. Many of them are involved in a court challenge to the constitutionality of the FSE, figuring the ultimate ruling will render the entire debate moot (see the court documents here).

Oral arguments in the case are expected as early as September.

Comments

Someone should look into the spending of the FSE over the past two years. Over $1 million has been spent. How many charters do they run? How many students do they serve? NONE! NONE!

When do they believe they can actually start doing their work? This is anyone's guess. In the end, the whole project was unconsitutional in the first place, and this will be proven after a lengthy and wasteful lawsuit. School districts have spent thousands of combined hours submitting applications for exclusive authority. The State BOE has wasted nearly a week of combined meeting time on FSE issues. After two years, the FSE has nothing to show for its "work." What a huge waste of taxpayers money.

Where is the accountability?

Where is the press asking to look into their books?

When . . . when . . . when will they actually serve one single student in the state?