Model Legislation for School Reform: Bush Style

legislation1Want to know where much of the school reform legislation comes from?  Go to the Excellence in Education Foundation website.  The foundation was created by former Florida governor Jeb Bush in 2007-8. It is run by a former Bush deputy chief of staff, Patricia Levesque, whose husband is Florida Senate Counsel.  You can see model legislation that the foundation develops and also assists legislators who plan to introduce it.  Maybe you can, if you register.

 

In 2013, the foundation was accused of skirting the law by registering its lobbyists to another Bush foundation, Foundation for Florida’s Future so they can offer free trips to conferences.    Patricia Levesque directs both foundations.  One is Florida focused and the other has a national mission to reform education.

Many options are available on the website; I clicked on model legislation.  Even though I registered, I cannot access the information.   I had to smile that it is necessary to register to access any of model legislation categories.  Then, you cannot see it.  Maybe one of you will have more luck.  Topics include:

  • Competency-based education
  • Education Savings Accounts for children with disabilities
  • A-F School Grading
  • Course Access
  • Student Data Privacy, Accessibility, and Transparency
  • and on and on

Perhaps one of you can log in.

Major donors are primarily foundations including:

  • Gates and Walton Foundations provide over one million dollars each.
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies and the
  • Carnegie Corporation of New York provide over $500,000 each.

There are some notable contributors from the business sector including Publix and State Farm Insurance.  Gary Chartrand, former chair and current member of the Florida State Board of Education is on the list of donors.

 

Posted in Florida, Reform, Uncategorized.

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