Category Archives: Florida

FBI Raids Okaloosa Charter

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seal-42280_640The FBI raided the Okaloosa charter school for at risk children yesterday.  The school is managed by The Radar Group based in Florida’s panhandle.  This is the same area where the Newpoint charter schools were recently indicted.  The Radar Group has other charters.  We may learn more about what happened.

No one is talking about the reasons for the raid.  It can’t be good.

In the last post, I shared the Florida Auditor General’s concerns about some charter schools.  They may have missed at least one.  Many times the League has asked for better management, transparency and oversight of charter schools.  These schools are not innovative, they are just free to manipulate.

Charter School Audits: Not Good News

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auditHow many struggling charters are too many?  The latest Florida Auditor General report is out.  It cites 92 (15%) out of 652 charters for general fund/unrestricted fund deficits.  In other words, they are spending more than they are taking in.  Six charters are in such bad financial shape, the report questions their ability to continue to operate.  When these audit reports come out, letters get sent and promises to do better are made until charters cannot pay their bills.

How many charters have failed in your district?

 

 

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POW! The League Says It Like It Is

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money-40603_1280by Pat Hall

One of the most insidious parts of the charter movement is self dealing.  Many people are not aware of the millions of dollars charter management companies rake off the top in fees and real estate.  The Hillsborough League of Women Voters has been gathering data on Charter School USA profits.  The League is incensed.  Some states regulate profiteering; Florida does not.

Read Pat Hall’s article that appeared today in the Tampa Bay Times.  When I read it, I said:  POW!

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Are Duval County Charters Failing?

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pizza-1442946_640Duval County has 35 charter schools serving nearly 20,000 students.  Superintendent Vitti said charters bring down district average scores on state assessments.  In the Florida Times Union article, Vitti said “I do want to raise a concern about charter school performance”.

There is more to this story.

 

 

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Teacher Bonuses Challenge Under Review

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justiceFlorida’s Best and Brightest teacher bonus program is under review by a federal agency.  The Florida Education Association filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last December.  In the complaint, the FEA argued that the program discriminated against teachers whose ACT or SAT tests, on which the bonuses are based, are unfairly excluded.  Teachers who sat the SAT or ACT before 1973 have no qualified scores.  These teachers are referred to DOE guidelines which seem to be strangely absent on the FDOE website.  According to the Naples News article today, a decision by the EEOC has not been reached, but the complaint is still under review.  If the EEOC finds reason to proceed with the complaint, the FEA will file a lawsuit.

 

It is Time to Talk about ESSA

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child speakingThere is the law, and then there are the regulations to implement the law.  Some say the new federal Department of Education proposed regulations for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) overstep the intention of the law.  They create more stringent rules about testing and accountability than the ESSA intended.  The Florida Department of Education has put out a call for your input about the regulations. You have until July 22, 2016 to respond.  Responding in a meaningful way takes some thought.

 

 

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Alachua County Superintendent Resigns

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Dr__Owen_RobertsDr. Owen Roberts resigned as Alachua County Superintendent effective 20 weeks from now.  The problems have been building over the past year.  One can only hope that the truly exciting initiatives he has sponsored will not be lost.  The preschool center at Duval, the arts and music magnet transformation at Rawlings elementary, the incorporation of the System of Care to help at risk children and their families in seven schools, the Parent Academy to help parents build learning skills with their preschool children,  the robotics program, and the new community school at Howard Bishop all represent his priorities.  The list goes on.  Alachua County Schools have risen from a ‘C’ grade to an ‘A’.  The awards to programs across the county have received national attention.

So what happened to derail Dr. Robert’s administration?

 

 

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