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Education Issues Blog

To Educate and Inform on Issues Relating to Public Education

Introduction

Our blog is a tool box. Make it work for you. Here you will find data, studies, and perspectives that inform the discussion about school choice. Send stories of events in your state. Tell us about studies that clarify issues. Do your own studies. Use the information you find here to advocate for League positions.

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VISIT THE COMMITTEES. You will see the latest on national school reform issues. Learn about school and teacher ACCOUNTABILITY, CURRICULUM, LAWS, MANAGEMENT, FACILITY issues, and VOUCHER concerns. We will post questions of the week about the hot topics. Participate through our contact icon.

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Jeb Bush’s Foundation Grades Legislators on Education Reform Policy

FAILED1Education Now reports that the Foundation for Florida’s Future has released its grades for legislators.  They are based on their support for  the Bush/ALEC school privatization agenda.

As you know, Jeb Bush made his mark in Florida with his advocacy for charter schools and vouchers.  When the State Supreme Court declared vouchers unconstitutional, they were turned into corporate tax rebate scholarships.  The Southern Legal Counsel’s lawsuit against school choice Citizens for Strong Schools comes to trial next spring.

Privatizing schools has turned into big business in Florida.  To protect the business interests, legislators are pressured and cajoled.  In this report you can see the grades your individual representatives and senators have received from the foundation Jeb Bush created.  High grades mean that those legislators are failing our public schools and promoting privatization.  Here’s the link to the report.

 

 

 

 

A Better Future or A Scary Time, Both?

children-402166_1280There is something compelling about the need for our educational system to embrace the future.  Joanne Weiss, Secretary Arne Duncan’s Chief of Staff used to run Race to the Top.  She explains why big money and national educational standards matter.  Her explanation is cogent unless you consider the unintended consequences.  Or, were they intended?  It all depends upon your point of view.

As Congress is closing in on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, it is more than a little curious how the political forces are aligned.  There is speculation that President Obama may veto the final legislation.  If he does, more of the same may stir even greater resistance, especially to the testing and accountability systems that are in place now.  If, however, the new legislation makes it into law, have we lost a great opportunity to reach for the moon once again?  As in any serious debate by serious people, there is likely truth on both sides of the issue.

 

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Waste, Fraud and Abuse or Something Better?

choicesThe 2014 report on Charter School Vulnerabilities to Fraud, Waste, and Abuse by the Annenberg Foundation was triggered by the U.S. Inspector General’s warning about mismanagement in charter schools.

I compared the report’s  recommendations to Florida’s laws.  We have laws.  We are short on enforcement.  What can we do to clean up the mess?  It is a mess.  Florida has over 600 charter schools, and its closure rate is nearing 50 percent.  I made some recommendations.

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More Charter Profiteering in Palm Beach

money-40603_1280A charter school founder in Palm Beach said he made ‘mistakes’ in the interest of getting the school open last year.  His financial history was not good; he emerged from bankruptcy in 2010 and was running a small business for acting and modeling classes.

Yet, he could get loans to buy a former Christian school, create three for-profit companies and open Eagle Arts Academy.  How it was done is described as ‘legal’, but is it ethical to blatantly skirt the law?  Should the school district have been able to intervene?  You decide…Here are the facts as reported in the Palm Beach Post.  Clearly, the founder’s financial position has improved.

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