While Pat and her team were following the money at CSUSA, she would call me with the latest episode. The process began to feel like a detective story. I asked her to write down the process so that others who were trying to search out facts could learn. Finding the data was step one, but getting the information publicized was an equal challenge. The impact was substantial. The school district added a new staff position to help monitor the charter schools. The local school board and its staff and attorney were involved. The Commander of the MacDill Air Force Base was involved. The Tampa Bay Times and the local CBS television station ran stories. Here’s the process..Continue reading
Monthly Archives: December 2014
Charter School Explosion: Follow the Money
This is an unbelievable story. It is such an interesting one that we will tell it in two parts. Part I is an article that Pat Hall, LWV Education Chair for Hillsborough County wrote for La Gaceta, a Florida newspaper. The editor was intrigued when he met Pat, and he suggested she write a series for the paper. The other articles are posted in the Resources section of this blog. Part II will explain how she did it, and what happened next.Continue reading
Florida Court to Review Tax Credit Voucher Lawsuit Motion to Dismiss
Yesterday’s Sun-Sentinel editorial reviewed the history of the Florida voucher program and identified wealthy backers who contributed one-half million dollars to political campaigns supporting school choice. The article cites legal arguments against vouchers: public dollars contributed indirectly to religious schools and the constitutional requirement that the State have a uniform system of public education.Continue reading
Private School Regulations by State for School Choice
by Terry Gillam
This report is a summary of private school choice program regulations by state. The data were drawn from the U.S. Department of Education State Regulation of Private Schools report. There is also an interactive map on the DOE site. The checklist of descriptors range from how schools are licensed, funded, and managed to teacher certification and professional development. The checklist was published by the Friedman Foundation, a strong advocate for school choice. It is a comprehensive source for data needed to analyze private school voucher program characteristics.
Brevard Schools Proactive on Informing Public about Impact of Testing
by Maria Seemer
The announcement for the Brevard School Board’s legislative platform comes with a series of public information events to explain the need for revisions to K-12 legislation in the upcoming session of the Florida Legislature. The School Board of Brevard County Legislative Platform details changes in procedures and funding to make a more equitable educational system. Continue reading