Monthly Archives: August 2017

Florida’s budget went up; education funding went down

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This article gives perspective on the legislative priority for education. Everything else matters more. Adjusted for inflation since 2008, the state budget went from $79.9 to $83 billion. Education funding, also adjusted for inflation, went down $871.94 per student or down to $7293 per student. The percentage of the state budget allocated for education has declined from 32% to 29%. There is more money in the budget now, but less goes to education.

The drop in funding costs Marion County $24.9 million. What has it cost your county?

What Do Parents Really Want?

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A new PDK poll is out saying people want more than straight academics in their schools. More parents oppose than support vouchers, value diversity in their schools, don’t believe tests measure what is most important, believe support services for children belong in schools, and, if they are parents, like their schools.

It could be there is a media problem with how schools and teachers are described that accounts for less positive ratings for schools by people who aren’t closely associated with them. There is some work being done on this topic by Dr. Mary Dalton. From Heroes to Hacks: The Disturbing Rise of Bad Teachers on Television. Dr. Dalton is speaking at the University of Florida Graham Center on September 20th at 6p.m. in Pugh Hall.

We are spreading some more good news here in Gainesville. The film: Passion to Teach will be shown at two schools in Gainesville and the events are open to the public. The film maker will be here from Massachusetts to lead a discussion about how communities are using the power of this film to enlighten the public about what is possible for schools to be even in this test driven culture.

If you want to see what else we are doing, go to our September: Public Schools Awareness Month website. I learned today that another Florida county will have a similar awareness month in November.

School has started, but not this charter! Parents Ask: Now what?

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The Hillsborough School District is bending over backwards to help the new Avant Garde Academy charter school open. It has gotten to the point that parents are wondering just when, if ever, their children can enroll.

There is also the question of why this charter schools should open. There is room in nearby public schools. Parents feel helpless; in these charter operations, they often are.

Read the letter some parents have written. They tell the story all parents need to hear. There is no rhyme nor reason to the expansion of charters and everyone gets hurt when there is no planning and no transparency. It does not have to be this way.

Charities help Oklahoma teachers…Why?

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Imagine having a Master’s degree and a full time teaching position in middle school. Imagine qualifying for a Habitat for Humanity home loan; your children qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch. You earn $34,000 a year. This is a teacher’s plight in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is now next to last in average teacher salaries at $45,000. But, Oklahoma has a lot of oil and gas. It is not poor. So why is this happening?

Oklahoma’s legislature cut $48 million in funding for public schools while 8,000 new students enrolled, because the State cut income and oil and gas taxes in 2014. The legislature talks about helping teachers, but it is just talk thus far. It isn’t that Oklahoma is really hurting. Its gross domestic product ranks 29th among states in the U.S.
I looked at the average Real Per Capita personal income: Oklahoma is $45,619; Florida is $45,819, and the U.S. is $43,996. I am no economist, but something is missing here.

The difference in education funding between Oklahoma and Florida is that the State of Florida pays only about one half the cost, and local property tax pays the rest. Oklahoma does not levy local property taxes to support schools. So a handful of legislators determine the fate of the schools, not local citizens.

So, we need to understand where the money comes from to fund education. It is deeper than that. We need to decide how much we care about education for all children, not just our own. There is a big cost to not caring.

CRC: Nothing Subtle About This

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The first Commission on the Constitutional Revision Committee has filed his proposals to amend the Florida Constitution. The one that struck me immediately was P0004 filed by Roberto Martinez. He simply struck the language prohibiting taking money from the State or political subdivisions or agency from the public treasury and giving it to religious denomination, church or sect.

Basically, this would enable vouchers to private schools which the Florida Constitution now prohibits

The voters would have to approve this amendment.

CSUSA Principal Does What?

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Can you believe that the principal of the for-profit CSUSA charter school in Jacksonville posted support for lynching blacks and memes against Black Lives Matter? Duval Charter School at Bay Meadows is headed by Kimberly Stidham, who according to the report by Raw Story said she was appalled that her personal political views were perceived to be racist. I have to admit I find the whole episode so distasteful, that I won’t give the details. You can read it here.
The school is listed as an ‘A’ school which might be expected. There are only 16% of students who quality for Free and Reduced Lunch whereas over 40% qualify in the district.

The whole thing makes me wonder what a ‘good’ school really is. This one has an ‘A’ grade, clearly discriminates in its selection of students, and hires a principal who advertises racist rhetoric.

CSUSA, of course, will do an investigation.

HB 7069 Lawsuit Growing

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The lawsuit against HB 7069 has a law firm to represent the 11 school districts that have now joined the complaint about the Florida legislature’s attack on local public school board authority. The Florida Constitution states that local elected school boards govern our schools. The legislature believes it does. More districts are considering the suit. Thus far, only Sarasota has decided not to participate.

Bay
Broward
Hamilton
Lee
Martin
Miami-Dade
Orange
Palm Beach
Polk
St Lucie
Volusia

Sarasota voted not to join

Bills to Meddle with School Boards

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The signals are emerging from the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission (CRC) hearings. Over 30 proposals for amendments have been filed, but no decision by the Commission on which proposals will be on the November 2018 ballot. The Tampa Bay Times has published a story about two signal flags:

SJR 194, Greg Steube, R Sarasota is a bill to limit school board members to serve no more than two four-year terms. This measure must be submitted to the voters. It would change Article IX to the Florida Constitution.

SB 192, Baxley, Ocala would allow two or more members of school boards to meet in private and without public notice if no official acts or public business is to occur. Multiple members can go on fact finding missions and meet with legislators if no formal action takes place or is contemplated.

It is early in this CRC process. Stay tuned.

CSUSA Hits the News Again

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There are a few facts we should know automatically. Here are some about Hillsborough:

  1. Charters compete with good public schools; they do little to help communities. There are 101 charter schools in Hillsborough. Only 35 charters serve low income area students and only a third of those achieve an A or B on school grades.

  2. Charter schools are no panacea for poverty. CSUSA for example, has 19 charters in the area. Those that serve high income schools do well just as those district-run schools do. Charters that draw predominately from low income families struggle.

  3. Charter schools have high teacher turnover. The WFTS Tampa Bay reports on Channelside, a CSUSA charter that is losing ground. Its school grade is dropping. Its students are not doing as well as they once did. The reason? A student describes the loss of her teacher for three months. They watched movies with an uncertified substitute teacher.