Broward blogger complains about school campaign against amendments 5, 7 and 9

A Broward resident complained to the state attorney general about the school district's campaign to dissuade voters from approving proposed constitutional amendments that would affect education funding.

Hallandale Beach blogger David Smith said in an e-mail to Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum that the district is using taxpayer money incorrectly. School Board members passed a resolution denouncing three proposed amendments that would eliminate school property taxes, repeal a ban on giving public money to religious schools, require school districts to spend 65 percent of their operating budgets on classroom expenses and would fund vouchers to private schools for some students.

"Regardless of my own opinion as to the relative wisdom of any of the proposals, I don't like the idea of my taxes being used to lobby me," Smith writes.

The district has posted information on its website showing the devastating financial effects the proposals could have on their budget. District employees are scheduled to speak about the amendments at dozens of gatherings over the next few months. None of the information actually says to vote against the measures, a careful distinction board members made to prevent breaking any laws.

When the board approved its resolution earlier this year, the board's attorney said no laws or policies prohibit government agencies from promoting their positions on issues that come before voters.

--NIRVI SHAH

Teachers endorse Taddeo, Diaz-Balarts

The United Teachers of Dade gave their support to Annette Taddeo Tuesday, making her the only Democrat in South Florida's three congressional races to get the union's endorsement.

"When I am in Congress, I will work every day to reform No Child Left Behind so that it is properly funded and so that the teachers in our classrooms determine the standards of accountability and are not forced by politicians in Washington to abandon their professional skills and teach to a one-size-fits-all standard," said Taddeo, who is challenging Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a former teacher.

The AFL-CIO, an umbrella organization of several unions including the UTD, endorsed Taddeo last week -- along with former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez and Joe Garcia, who are running against Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart, respectively.

The UTD endorsed Taddeo but, In an unusual move, broke with the AFL-CIO and threw its support behind the Diaz-Balarts instead of the other two Democratic challengers.

Union representatives were not available for comment Wednesday morning, as they were preparing for contract talks with the Miami-Dade School Board in the afternoon, UTD communications assistant Donna Blakely said.

FCAT writing: Broward exceeds state average, MD results are mixed

The Florida Department of Education has just released the annual FCAT writing scores given annually for grades 4, 8 and 10. The results: Broward exceeds the state average in all grades, while Miami Dade exceeds the state average only for 4th graders.

Here's the percentage of students in each district who scored in levels three through five -- the three highest -- and how it compares to the state average:

4th Grade: Miami Dade 63 percent; Broward 71 percent; state 61 percent

8th Grade: Miami Dade 48 percent; Broward 56 percent; state 50 percent

10th Grade: Miami Dade 47 percent; Broward 59 percent; state 53 percent

Download fcat_writing_results_2008.pdf

Download fcat_results_2008.pdf

Take that Senate: Education train derailed in House

Sticking to their promise, the Florida House late Thursday night stripped a lengthy education train, HB 7045, and replaced it with a handful of other education bills being pushed by House members. Gone from the bill: Private school vouchers, a change to the state's high school grading system, a end to so-called FCAT frenzy, an overhaul of Florida's public school curriculum and more oversight for charter schools.

Rep. Trey Traviesa, a Tampa Republican, told House members that if the Senate wants those issues passed they will take up the House bills that have already been sent to the Senate. Traviesa said those bills reflect previous agreements that House members had made with the Senate.

Prop tax hike in budget after all? Dems say it's a budget 'sleight of hand'

Despite promises that property taxes would be "held harmless'' in this year's budget, legislators want school districts to spend property tax revenues intended for school construction on classrooms. 

Democrats are calling it a little "sleight of hand'' -- and an attempt to avoid showing deep cuts to the base education formula.

The final budget bill passed out on all 160 legislator's desk tonight shows that they're swapping $374 million in capital outlay money and dropping it into the general school budget. To achieve this, they created a special box on the Education Finance page of the final budget conference report that shows the discretionary money for capital construction -- which usually never shows up on the school budget sheet.

This is "smoke and mirrors,'' said House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber.

Not so fast, says Senate Budget Chief Lisa Carlton. This was the approach the Senate took all along. "It was hard to find money for education this year,'' she said.

House puts Pruitt amendment on calendar

The House Rules and Calendar committee on Monday evening agreed to place on the Tuesday calendar a constitutional amendment that would strip the Board of Governors of its power and return the state's education commissioner to an elected position.

But Rep. Joe Pickens, the Palatka Republican and sponsor of the House version of the measure, was mum when asked what would happen on Tuesday. He said that the House could either pass it, kill it or ignore it all together. Earlier in the day, Sen. Lisa Carlton said she had no idea what the House planned to do on the controversial amendment.

Rubio shuts down voucher debate

House Speaker Marco Rubio abruptly shut down discussion on a school voucher bill as Rep. Trey Traviesa was in the middle of trying to explain who exactly he was referring to when he criticized comments coming from the "peanut gallery."

Rep. Curtis Richardson, a Tallahassee Democrat who has traded barbs with Traviesa previously this session, demanded that the Tampa Republican apologize for the remark. Traviesa began to apologize, when Rubio bounded up the stairs to the House dais, slammed down the gavel and postponed action on the bill. Rubio immediately went back to his office and Traviesa followed him.

The bill would expand the state's corporate income tax scholarship program by $30 million, which would allow 5,000 more students from low-income families to get vouchers to attend private schools around the state.

(UPDATE: After a few minutes, the House took the bill back up and began debating it.)

Ghost of Jeb wins: Vouchers is on the ballot

With their hallmark piece of tax reform safely on the  ballot, opposition melted Friday against a proposal to enshrine into the state Constitution a protection for private school vouchers.

The Taxation and Budget Reform Commisison voted 19-6 to give voters a chance in November to

undo a 2006 court ruling that struck down a school voucher program. The citizen panel meets every 20 years and has the power to put amendments directly on the ballot. Its vote Friday followed a hard-fought debate on Thursday when it agreed to place a major tax reform before voters: to ask them to eliminate property taxes that pay for schools and force the legislature to expand and raise sales taxes to replace them.

This will be the second amendment on the ballot designed to reverse the court ruling. The panel already approved an amendment that would remove the constitutional ban on using taxpayer money for religious-based or church-run schools and institutions.

Three members of the panel reversed their vote on the voucher element from two weeks ago, when it failed to get the 17-vote margin needed to get onto the ballot.

Supporters called it a "measured and limited" proposal, saying it would have a positive impact on the state's balance sheet and open the door to innovation and options in education for decades ahead.

Opponents scolded the commission for not exercising self-restraint, bringing an ideological proposal, first sought by former Gov. Jeb Bush, into the budgetary mission.

"I don’t know why you think it’s within your mandate or your mission when this exact same legislature has the ability to put things on the ballot,'' said Rep. Dan Gelber, a Miami Beach Democrat and non-voting members of the commission. He warned it tainted the commission's mandate with something that is "really a frolic and ideological pork.''

Opponents attempted and failed to get protections in place to make sure vouchers only go to school that are safe, efficient and high quality while the proponents attempted to narrow the amendment to make sure it does not create an entitlement for people have their private education funded with public money.

"A free public school system is the corndersotne of a free society,'' said Martha Barnett, a commission members and Tallahassee lawyer. "I understand different people require different kinds of educaitonand we need to accmodate that but I believe that public dollars should be spent on public ecducaiton and I bleive the people of the state of Florida agree with me on that.''

The panel has already placed six amendments on the ballot, including the tax swap plan. It next will vote on requiring schools to spend at least 65 percent of their budgets in the classroom. That could be its last action until it meets again in 20 years.

Union leader: Rubio is wrong

Andy Ford, the president of the Florida Education Association, called House Speaker Marco Rubio "definitely wrong" when it was pointed out that Rubio is dead-set against tapping into the budget stabilization fund as a way to balance this year's budget.

Ford, along with other union leaders, school board members and other education leaders, joined together on the west side of the Capitol to complain that legislators should use so called "rainy day" funds as a way to offset projected budget cuts. Ford, who like other education officials was holding a black umbrella, said that lawmakers should use up to $1 billion to restore school funding to the levels it was a year ago.

Ford said that Rubio has a "responsibility" to the citizens of the state to make sure that education is properly funded.

Gaetz: Welcomes Democratic help, sorry about House gridlock

Sen. Don Gaetz, the Niceville Republican who wants to alter Florida's school grading system for high schools, was not in the Capitol as the House entered a stand-off over whether a bill that changes curriculum standards should include a provision now found in Gaetz's bill.

The Republicans refused to take up a Democratic amendment that included the wording of Gaetz's bill. Democrats responded by forcing the reading of the contents of each bill, a move guaranteed by the state constitution. The stall tactic forced the session to move on at a snail's pace.

"I'm sorry that this issue caused gridlock in the House,'' said Gaetz on Friday afternoon.

But Gaetz said he would have had no problem with lawmakers placing the wording of his bill on the curriculum bill sponsored by Rep. Anitere Flores and that "my hope is that the House and Senate will come together on a series of important educational issues."

Gaetz added that he was glad that Democrats were supporting it.

"I welcome my Democratic friends to the accountability caucus,'' said Gaetz.

House Majority Leader Adam Hasner and Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff insist that they planned to pass Gaetz's bill next week and that they weren't blocking the amendment for bargaining purposes. They said they simply didn't have the "time" to have debate on an amendment that included Gaetz's legislation.

"I'll let you read into it whatever you want to,'' said Hasner, when asked whether or not the reason they refused to take up the Democratic amendment was because they wanted to hold Gaetz's bill for future negotiations with the Senate.

House power move on top Rubio priority

For the second time this week, House Republicans have used a procedural move against the Democratic minority. Instead of hearing a Democratic amendment on a curriculum bill that is the top priority of House Speaker Marco Rubio, the Republicans called for a vote on HB 7045. What was the amendment that Republicans didn't want to hear? An amendment to place the language by Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican, that would alter the school grading formula.

Rep. Dan Gelber blasted the Republicans from the floor and said they should be ashamed: "I don’t know why we have to resort to unbecoming procedural rules to avoid a debate." Gelber later added "What are you afraid to hear?''

Earlier this week, Rubio held up a vote to introduce a resolution regarding trade with Colombia and ordered that the sergeant's office go escort Rep. Luis Garcia, a Miami Beach Democrat, and force him to come back and cast a vote. Garcia voted for the motion while other Democrats voted no. Garcia said the move by Rubio was designed to embarrass him.

(UPDATE: Gelber just used a procedural move to strike back at Republicans: He forced a vote to have every bill read in full for the rest of the agenda. In response, Rubio just ordered the House chamber to be secure and that the sergeant's office round up any lawmakers not in the chamber and bring them in.)

Rubio on Pruitt's top priority: "We'll see."

House Speaker Marco Rubio, in a recognition of the horse trading that commences in the waning days of the 2008 session, was vague about whether or not the House would pass one of Senate President Ken Pruitt's top priorities: A constitutional amendment that would ask voters to reinstate an elected education commissioner and strip the Board of Governors of its powers.

Rubio told reporters that the first responsibility of lawmakers was to pass a budget for this year and then there would be time to "focus" on the priorities of the House, Senate and of Gov. Charlie Crist. When pressed, Rubio then said: "We'll see" and later "it's a distinct possibility."

Miami-Dade Republicans force change to teaching bill

Rep. Jennifer Carroll, a Green Cove Springs Republican, agreed on Tuesday to accept changes to her controversial bill that changes certification requirements for those teachers that teach English to children whose first language is not English. A similar bill was vetoed last year by Gov. Charlie Crist and many Hispanic legislators had raised concerns about this year's version, which they saw a way to weaken the training requirements for those teachers.

An amendment that was put together with the help of Rep. Juan Zapata, a Miami Republican and chairman of the Miami-Dade delegation, would allow districts to decide if previous courses taken by a school teacher would satisfy training requirements for ESOL teachers. Zapata, Rep. David Rivera , and Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera spoke in favor of the amendment, which Zapata said would "create comfort with the folks back home."

Margolis bill expedites UM Bioscience Center

A bill that passed its final state Senate committee Tuesday would exempt a new bioscience facility at the University of Miami from undergoing a long, tedious regional impact review.

The 1.4 million square-foot Bioscience Center (artist rendering, left) will be built between Northwest 17th and 20th streets and between Northwest Seventh Avenue and I-95. The construction will create some 16,000 jobs, plus another 3,100 once it's built, and the center is expected to produce about $9.9 billion in revenue for Miami-Dade County in its first 20 years.

Sen. Gwen Margolis, a Sunny Isles Beach Democrat, said her bill will prevent the center from having to go through what's called a Development of Regional Impact review, which could cause several years of delays and cost developers and taxpayers millions. The bill now goes to the full Senate for a vote.   

Tax panel rejects voucher amendment

With one vote short, the panel with the power to put amendments directly before voters rejected an amendment that would undo the court ruling that declared unconstituional the voucher program for students in low-performing schools.

The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission voted 16-9 and fell short of the 17 votes needed to put on the ballot the measure on the November ballot. The proposal would have allowed the legislature to re-establish the program that sent state money to private schools to teach students from schools that received failing grades on the state's school grading system. The commission needs 17 votes, two-thirds of the 25-member panel, to put a constitutional amendments before voters.

The swing vote came from Commissioner Bob McKee, the Lake County Tax Collector, who has supported the amendment on the earlier vote but rejected it after debate. "I'm really struggling with this issue,'' he said, acknowledging that his children were born to a financially secure home.

"I can't talk about my kids, I have to talk about kids I'll never know,'' he said. "I know they don't have choice whether you give them a voucher or you don't and the only opportunity they can have is they can attend the best public school that we can possibly do.''

New optional tax for community colleges goes to the ballot

Three down and six more to go. The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission approved 23-1 a plan to ask voters to give counties the ability to raise the local sales tax to improve community colleges.

Under the proposal by Commissioner Roberto Martinez, counties could put a referendum before voters that raises either sales taxes to pay for community college development. The additional sales tax would sunset after five years, unless it is re-enacted. Commissioners removed from the proposal the additional option to allow for a similar referendum to raise property taxes for community colleges instead of a sales tax.

The committee heard from business leaders and community college officials who supported the proposal. Miami Dade Community College President Eduardo Padron called it the "most democratic'' of the proposed amendments before the commission.

"Rather than a mandate, it provides people to have choices...to make a difference for the welfare and the promise of their prospective communities.''

Commissioner Susan Story called it a good deal for Florida. "If you look at statistics, over the next 10 years in Florida, 60 percent of the jobs in Florida are going to require postsecondary education, but not necessarily four-year degress,'' she said. "Our economy cannot stand not to continue to support community college. They make a little bit of money go a long way.''

Commissioner Richard Corcoran was the sole no vote. Commissioner Bruce Kyle had left the room.

Plan to expand vouchers moving steadily forward

A Senate committee pushed ahead the plan to triple the number of state-paid vouchers available for low-income students to attend private schools Wednesday, despite warnings from critics that it creates a ''shadow school system'' in violation of the state Constitution.

The proposal by Sen Don Gaetz, which has the support of the governor and many black lawmakers, expands the program that allows corporations to get a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on their corporate income taxes if they send it to a nonprofit organization for low-income students to get vouchers to attend private schools.

"'The Constitution says the entire system has to be uniform and equal,'' said Ron Meyer, attorney for Florida Education Association. ''I don't think the way the state achieves that is to start exporting a group of students who don't feel they're getting a high quality education.'' He said it was creating ``a shadow school system.'' Read story here.

Crist taps Broward powerhouse attorney for board

At a time that the Board of Governors is in the midst of a feud with the Florida Legislature, Gov. Charlie Crist has appointed Norman Tripp, founder of the powerful Tripp Scott law firm in Fort Lauderdale, to the panel. Tripp is currently chairman of the board of trustees of Florida Atlantic University.

The chairman of the Tripp Scott law firm currently is Jim Scott, a former Senate president and current member of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.

Tripp joins the board while Florida lawmakers are considering a plan by current Senate President Ken Pruitt that would ask voters to strip the board of its powers.

A quest to bar aid to foreign students begins again

Rep. Dick Kravitz, a Jacksonville Republican, is nothing but persistent. In his final session, Kravitz is trying once again to get the Florida Legislature to pass his bill that would bar state universities or community colleges from using any state money or money from tuition or fees to provide financial assistance to any foreign student enrolled at the school.

Kravitz got his bill through the Schools and Learning Council on Tuesday morning, but this marks the sixth time that the lawmaker has pushed the legislation. It began with a bill that would have prevented the state from aiding students who were from any country listed on the U.S. Department of State's list of state-sponsored terrorism. But then Kravitz widened it to apply to any student who is attending a Florida college or university on a student visa.

Under Kravitz's bill, HB 475, money now spent aiding foreign students would instead be spent on need-based financial aid for Florida residents. According to the House bill analysis, this would free up $9.4 million for Florida residents this year.

"This is the year to really do the bill because of the financial situation,'' said Kravitz. "This is going to get a lot of our kids money."

Tax commission snagged on words over tax swap plan

What happens if the proposed constitutional amendment you vote on isn't as artfully drawn as the alternative you didn't approve? And if you replace one with the other does that set you up for a legal challenge?

Those are the questions the Style and Drafting Committee of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission are grappling with Friday over the high-stakes amendment they placed on the ballot last week to swap property taxes for sales taxes.

The amendment is now going through the editing process in a cramped conference room in the second floor of a 1940s-era Tallahassee office building. The committee has postponed final wording of the measure until next week at a Thursday meeting. But so far, it has agreed to make these changes:

* use the wording of the draft written by Commissioner Patricia Levesque for most of the wording of the almost identical proposal by Commissioner and lead sponsor John McKay;

* the effective date for the cap on assessments on non-homestead property will be from 10 to 5 percent will be the 2009 tax year;

* limit the ability of school districts to levy taxes beginning in 2010-11 by reducing their potential miilage rate from 10 mills to 5 mills.

Senate passes proposed education amendment

Senators on Thursday Wednesday voted 32-4 in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would give the Legislature power to set tuition rates at state universities and make the Education Commissioner an elected Cabinet position.

The four No votes: Sunrise Democrat Nan Rich, St. Petersburg Democrat Charlie Justice, Tampa Democrat Arthenia Joyner and Gainesville Republican Steve Oelrich.

The amendment still needs to pass the House by a three-fifths margin. If it's approved, the amendment would go on the November ballot and would need the support of at least 60 percent of voters.

Tax panel passes carve out protection for religious institutions

Florida’s powerful tax panel Wednesday voted 17-7 to ask voters to strike a provision from the state Constitution that bans state money from being spent on religious institutions and replaces it with new protections that prohibit anyone from being barred from participating in public programs because of religion.

The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission agreed to put the measure on the ballot, persuaded by arguments that hundreds of state programs from from religious schools that offer pre-kindergarten programs to Baptist hospitals to Catholic universities to church drug-treatment centers.

"Because of millions of dollars of public programs are at risk, we have to take action,'' said Patricia Levesque, the sponsor of the amendment. Her proposal, she said, "strikes the discriminatory language in the Constitution and replaces it with one sentence.'' Read story here.

Here's the proposal: Download levesque_no_aid.pdf

Martinez says he's no Don Quixote on class size

Roberto Martinez, Miami laweyer and sponsor of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission proposal to amend the Constitution to freeze class size caps and give school districts more flexibility says he will have the measure postponed at today's meeting of the commission, instead of taking a vote to revive it.

The panel last week rejected the amendment on a narrow vote and was left open to a revote at today's meeting when Commissioner Richard Corcoran, who voted against it, asked that it be reconsidered.

"I have no interest in being Don Quixote on this,'' he told the Herald. "A constitutional amendment is too expensive to pursue.'' He said only if school boards and superintendents ask to take it up will he continue to pursue it at a future meeting.

Tax panel won't revote on class size, will only get workshop on taxcap

The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission began its day-long agenda Wednesday and the chances of getting through it immediately got easier. Commissioner Roberto Martinez told education lobbyists that he will withdraw his proposed amendment to freeze class sizes. The proposal was scheduled for a revote after commissioners rejected it last week and it was left open for reconsideration.

Commissioner Mike Hogan is also likely to postpone the vote on his proposal to limit government spending by using the constitution to cap all government taxes and fees, after a lengthy debate today. Votes are getting increasingly hard to come by for the ambitious proposal before the 25-member panel. Read full story here.

Crist inching closer to budget veto?

Gov. Charlie Crist got lampooned on Wednesday at the Capital Tiger Bay Club, but some of the answers he gave today to the crowd were pretty serious and show a slight adjustment of his position on some key issues now being taken up by the Florida Legislature.

For example, when he was confronted about school spending, Crist was asked by Leon County School Board member (and House candidate) Fred Varn if he would veto the 2008-09 budget if lawmakers press ahead with cuts to schools. His answer? "I don't know," said Crist, who then said he doesn't like to "use the V word."

And those comments came shortly after Crist told the crowd he thought it was important to maintain funding for education. Crist noted that he had recommended a $1 billion increase for education in his budget recommendations: "I hope that those education enhancements occur, because I want our universities to be great, I want our children to get the very best education possible because it is the equal opportunity provider in this country."

On another legislative matter, Crist also gave a cautious response in regards to a question about Senate President Ken Pruitt's constitutional amendment to return Florida to an elected education commissioner and to shake up the state's higher education system. The amendment has already drawn opposition from both former Gov. Jeb Bush and former Gov. Bob Graham for differing reasons.

Crist said, however, that he now has "mixed feelings" about the amendment, although he noted that it is a top priority for Pruitt and that he has a "bias toward democracy."

Class size amendment narrowly fails, but it's not dead yet

The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission narrowly defeated a proposed constitutional amendment that would have asked voters to freeze the state's class size reduction efforts at the way they are today. But thanks to former Senate President Jim Scott, who voted no, the proposal will be reconsidered at the next meeting of the commission.

Bobby Martinez, the lawyer and member of the State Board of Education who sponsored the amendment, argued that the proposal would give school districts more flexibility to deal with the impact of the class size amendment that was passed by voters in 2002. The measure would say that class size would be measured at schoolwide averages, as it is today, instead of going to a classroom average, which is what is required by 2010. Individual classes could be up to five more students above the current hard cap in the constitution.

"This doesn't roll back the clock,'' said Martinez. "What it seeks to do is maintain those gains (already made)."

Rep. Dan Gelber, a non-voting member of the commission, argued that the proposal would "emasculate" the amendment and that it would fail to win a 60 percent approval from the voters come this fall. Former Senate President John McKay was among the no votes, saying the commission didn't need to ask the voters again. McKay argued that voters would be so upset with the proposal that they may vote other TBRC amendments down as well.

"It would be a mistake to go to the voters and ask 'Would you double dog dare what you meant,?" said McKay.

Movie night with Ben Stein and Alan Hays and evolution

Rep. Alan Hays, the Umatilla Republican who has filed a bill that would protect teachers who question evolution, has invited every member of the Legislature to come watch Ben Stein's controversial new movie about evolution, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Florida Citizens for Science first picked up on Hays invitation, which was sent out last Friday, and which says the event has been cleared with the House general counsel's office. Stein, a comedian and former speechwriter for Richard Nixon, will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Tallahassee to make an "important announcement," which probably means he will talk about his film, which has its public debut in April.

Even though the film has yet to be get widely distributed, it has already been attacked by some of the scientists who appear in the movie, saying they were tricked into appearing in it and were not told ahead of time that it was a defense of intelligent design or creationism. The film also suggests that Darwinism may have led to the Holocaust.

Chancellor's bonus pay comes under fire

At the same time state lawmakers are pushing to shake up Florida's university system, some Republicans are questioning why the person who runs that system is getting an extra $200,000 on top of his annual state salary.

Chancellor Mark Rosenberg isn't getting the additional money from taxpayers but from private donations. University foundations are turning over the money to a private account maintained by the state Board of Governors, the appointed panel that oversees Florida's 11 public universities and that hired Rosenberg.

The contributions to the account, which are used mostly for Rosenberg but also for other board expenses, used to be mandatory, but legislators last year quietly changed the law to ban the practice. Universities don't all contribute equally. The board asks for contributions based on a university's enrollment.

Some lawmakers say it's hard for universities to turn down a request from the Board of Governors, because the panel makes budget recommendations and approves degree programs for colleges.

''It sounds like soft extortion to me,'' said Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican and chairman of the Senate Pre-K-12 Education committee. More here.

Rubio has heard from Bush about education shakeup

House Speaker Marco Rubio said Friday that he has talked with former Gov. Jeb Bush about a proposed constitutional amendment that would return Florida to an elected education commissioner and undo the authority of the Board of Governors.

Rubio, who has been seen as a successor to Bush's conservative tradition, said he understands the governor's concerns that it would weaken the power of the governor and politicize education. Rubio, however, said "I think it's an idea that warrants serious consideration and lots of debate."

But Rubio was quick to add: "It doesn't mean it's going to pass, it means there will be debate." Rubio also brushed aside any idea that the House may be moving along the measure as something that can be traded for something else since it is a top priority for Senate President Ken Pruitt. Rubio noted that an amendment takes a three-fifths vote and it can't be traded for just another bill. When then asked if it could be traded for a property tax amendment, Rubio said the House "doesn't work that way" and that the two issues have nothing to do with each other.

Rubio's comments came right after the House Schools and Learning Council voted 9-6 to approve the amendment largely along partisan lines. Rep. Bill Proctor, a St. Augustine Republican and former president of Flagler College, joined with Democrats in opposing the measure.

Another former governor speaks out on education shakeup

Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham -- who was the main sponsor of the amendment that created the Board of Governors -- said on Thursday that he is opposed to the constitutional amendment that would shakeup Florida's education system.

The Miami Lakes Democrat, not surprisingly, said the voters spoke in 2002 and he doesn't know what problem has occurred that would warrant state lawmakers to act. "I haven't heard any arguments that what has happened in the intervening six years meant that the judgment of the voters was erroneous,'' he told the Miami Herald.

But Graham also shares the view of Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and said that there's also no reason to return to an elected education commissioner. Voters in 1998 approved the amendment that changed the position to an appointed one.

"It seems to me we have a solution without a problem,'' said Graham.

Senate President Ken Pruitt, noting that Graham has asked a court to declare that the Board of Governors can set tuition rates, had his own response back to Graham: "It wasn't the people who erred, it was the drafters of the constitutional amendment who for whatever reason, did not clearly state who has the power to set tuition. We believe it is the role of the Legislature and that the Board of Governors has overstepped their boundaries. If Senator Graham doesn't think there is a problem, why did he sue the Legislature?"

The education shakeup legislation is moving quickly. It passed out of a Senate committee on Wednesday, and will be considered on Friday in the House. But the House has added its own twist to the proposal. They also want to move ahead with a proposal to create the "Florida College System" which would combine the existing community college system with a middle tier system of four-year institutions similar to what exists in the state of California.

Senate to chancellor: You're excused

After grilling University Chancellor Mark Rosenberg over his criticism that a Senate proposal to revamp for the third time in 10 years the oversight system of the state 's univerisities will continue to diminish the quality of education university students receive in Florida, Sen. Don Gaetz got testy.

Gaetz, chairman of the Senate Education Pre-K Committee, asked Rosenberg why he wants to keep the current system if it's so bad -- "a system by the way which you just indicted, by saying it's not giving Florida students the quality educaiton you deseve which is on your watch by the way,'' he said.

Rosenberg responded there has been a lack of consistently in the governing structure that has made it difficult to attract top staff and retain a focus on improving education. The first reorganzation, after voters abolished the Board of Regents in 2001 and adopted a system pushed through by former Gov. Jeb Bush, made recruiting difficult, he said. After the second reorganization, which recreated the Board of Governors, "we can demonstrate that while we have been strongly advocating for a public university system, the amount of investment has declined."

Gaetz responded: "That helps us a great deal...I think your testimony actually is helping to make" the case to pass the bill, he said. The committee voted unanimously for the proposed constitutional amendment to remove budget authority from the Board of Governors and give it to legislators. But before the vote, members of the committee grilled Rosenberg some more.

Sen. Larcenia Bullard, a Miami Democrat, complained about not getting personal visits from the board and asked Rosenberg: "Who are the Board of Governors? I don't know who they are?"

Gaetz then referred to a statement of Rosenberg's who had said he knew of no other state that allows politicians to manage universities. "Have you heard of the State of Virginia and do you know about how the university system of Virginia was created and who created it?," Gaetz asked. Rosenberg said it was Thomas Jefferson. "Do you know his first act was to ask the Legislature to take control over the university?''

Rosenberg said he wasn't aware of it.

"I've read the minutes, in Thomas Jefferson's handwriting,'' Gaetz snapped. ""Thank you chancellor. You're excused.''

Rubio on Pruitt's university bill: We'll see what happens

House Speaker Marco Rubio is not ready to jump on the Jeb bandwagon and push for major modifications of Senate President Ken Pruitt's priority bill this year -- the dismantling of the existing university governance system and the creation of an elected education commissioner. Former Gov. Jeb Bush told the Herald that he won't support it unless they remove the requirement for an educated commissioner.

"It's a priority of the Senate president's and we're going to treat it with respect,'' Rubio said Wednesday. "I think ultimately the voters will decide if they want it or not so that gives me some comfort level. I think there are valid concerns about having an elected commissioner versus having an appointed one but I think it'll flush its way in the debate through the legislature if we ultimately do it. But I do think there are concerns.''

Jeb urges a no vote on Pruitt's amendment

Marking the first time he has waded back into the thick of Tallahassee issues since leaving office, former Gov. Jeb Bush told The Miami Herald that he is opposed to a sweeping education constitutional amendment being proposed by current Senate President Ken Pruitt and sponsored by Sen. Lisa Carlton.

Bush's Foundation for Florida's Future is already urging members of the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee to vote against the measure when it meets later Wednesday, or strip the amendment of the provisions opposed by Bush's organization.

The Foundation does not like the idea of returning to an elected commissioner, saying it will weaken the power of the office of Governor, politicize education, and give the Legislature less control over education policy. Read the Foundation position on the amendment here: Download sjr_2308.doc

This now marks a second opponent to the amendment, which on Tuesday drew criticism from the Board of Governors who said it would be bad for the state's university system because it strips the appointed panel of its power. But the Foundation position paper makes it clear that the former governor and his allies are not taking a position on that part of the legislation.

Pruitt won't run for education commissioner

Despite speculation among some that he may have an interest in running for education commissioner, a spokeswoman for Senate President Ken Pruitt said on Tuesday that just isn't the case. Pruitt is the driving force behind a proposed constitutional amendment that would return Florida to an elected education commissioner and would strip the Board of Governors of its power.

But it now appears that Pruitt won't be able to run for the job even if he wanted to. A Senate panel on Wednesday is now scheduled to alter the proposed legislation sponsored by Sen. Lisa Carlton so that an elected education commissioner must have a bachelor's degree or higher. Pruitt does not meet that qualification.

Kathy Mears, a spokeswoman for Pruitt, said the president was not aware of the amendment being offered by Sen. Stephen Wise, but said it "would have no effect since President Pruitt has no intention of running for education commissioner."

University system leader: "Worst thing we can do for higher education system."

In a conference call with her fellow members of the Florida Board of Governors, chairman Carolyn Roberts just called the sweeping constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Lisa Carlton the "worst thing we can do for higher education system."

The amendment, a top priority for Senate President Ken Pruitt, would go back to an elected education commissioner, but it would also make all powers of the Board of Governors subject to whatever the Legislature would let them do. Voters in 2002 approved creating the Board of Governors. That amendment came in the wake of Gov. Jeb Bush and then House Speaker John Thrasher abolishing the old Board of Regents, which used to govern the state university system.

"For the third time this decade this generates another shakeup for the university system, this is the worst thing we can do for the higher education system,'' said Roberts.

It would take a three-fifths vote by the House and Senate to place the amendment on the ballot and then voters would have to approve it by a 60 percent margin. But Roberts said the amendment appears on a fast track and could be approved by the Legislature within the next couple of weeks.

Board of Governors gives up on Bright Futures changes for now

State University System Chancellor Mark Rosenberg on Thursday announced that the Board of Governors will not push for any changes to the state's popular Bright Futures scholarship program. Rosenberg said that instead the Board of Governors will push instead to secure "adequate support" for universities and stop the "brain drain from Florida's universities."

Rosenberg, via a press release, said that a discussion on Bright Futures planned for March will be postponed until "we get a signal from legislative leadership that the scholarship program is coming under legislative review."

It would have been a long shot to do much with Bright Futures during this election year. Not helping is that Senate President Ken Pruitt has pretty much declared war on the board and one of his top priorities this session is a constitutional amendment that would make it clear that the Legislature, not the BOG, controls tuition.

Bipartisan push to expand vouchers this year

In a year when money for public schools is likely to be cut, a coalition of Republican and Democratic lawmakers want to dramatically expand the number of children who get private-school vouchers.
The legislation, which would apply to a statewide program aimed at low-income families, would also increase the amount that vouchers are worth and would allow the voucher amount to grow each year in the future.

There are now roughly 20,000 children enrolled statewide, and the legislation would grow the number by 5,000 children a year for the next five years. Roughly one quarter of the students now enrolled in the corporate tax credit scholarship program are from Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

''This is a program that truly provides choice to families who otherwise would not have a choice,'' said Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican and chairman of the Senate pre-K-12 committee who is sponsoring the bill.

But the legislation has been denounced by Florida's teachers' union and there are lingering questions about whether the program could sustain a legal challenge. The state's highest court struck down a separate private-school voucher program in 2006.

''It's going to be really difficult for us to support any expansion in corporate vouchers in an environment where the Legislature and state are having trouble properly financing schools,'' said Mark Pudlow, a spokesman for the Florida Education Association.

State lawmakers are already poised to cut more than $300 million from education in early March and more cuts could come by May. Gaetz, however, counters that vouchers could wind up saving the state money -- a point echoed in a 2007 analysis done by the Collins Center for Public Policy. The argument is that it's cheaper to hand out a $3,750 private-school voucher than have the state pay $7,000 for each student in a public school.

Pudlow, however, said certain school expenses will continue no matter the size of a class.

''The school is going to still be there, the lights will still be on and the buses will still roll,'' he said.

Corporations earn a credit on their state income tax bills if they provide money to organizations that provide a voucher. Only children who qualify for reduced or free lunch are eligible for what are called ``corporate tax credit scholarships.''

The state now sets aside $88 million for tax credits for the program. Under the bill, that amount would climb to $258 million by 2012. The maximum voucher would grow to $4,500 in the fall and then would rise in the future if public school spending grows.

Past legislative battles over private-school vouchers have split Democrats and Republicans, although a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats defeated a proposed constitutional amendment on vouchers in 2006. Fifteen senators including the next Senate Democratic Leader are supporting the bill, which also has bipartisan support in the House as well. Gov. Charlie Crist also has been supportive of the existing corporate voucher program.

John Kirtley, president of the Florida School Choice Fund, said that there has been a push to have parents in the program meet with legislators to advocate for the expansion. "We've been working hard to connect constituents,'' he said. "Forty percent of the families are African-American and 30 percent are Hispanic.  They largely vote Democrat.  It's becoming more of a bipartisan issue."

Not all Democrats agree. House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber criticized the legislation as "idealogical pork" that should not be considered during a lean budget year.

Economist: Florida schools need help if economy going to get stronger

With the economy in the pits these days, there's increasing talk of hope on the horizon with Florida so focused on building its knowledge and technology based "innovation economy." Nice talk and good jargon but a recent report from economist Tony Villamil, the former advisor to Gov. Jeb Bush and current advisor to the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, says it's time for more than just talk.

''We talk the talk but we're not walking the walk,'' he said. ``When I see the governor say we're going to increase education by $1 billion and the Legislature says we're going to cut education half a billion, I think we've got a problem. We need a consensus.''

In the report, commissioned by the United Teachers of Dade, Villamil concludes:

Floridians have the capacity to put more into education. The business climate tax index is ''one of the best'' compared to competitors such as New York, California, North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. ''Florida has significant potential to increase investments steadily in its education and workforce development systems without eroding its competitive position,'' the report says. Read more here.

McKay voucher program ranked tops by voucher champions

A new set of rankings by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice has ranked Florida's McKay scholarship program as being the best school-choice program in the nation.

The ranking has nothing to do with the quality of the education that the students receive. But instead the Friedman Foundation - named after Milton Friedman, the economist who championed school vouchers - ranked programs based on the type of restrictions placed on students who get the vouchers. The McKay scholarship program, one of the largest in the nation and named after former Senate President John McKay, allows parents of disabled and learning disabled students to get a voucher to go to a private school.

Of the 21 school-choice programs, Florida's tax credit scholarship program - which allows companies to forgo paying corporate income taxes and instead use them on private school vouchers - was ranked 10th in the nation. That program is limited to low-income students and students who previously used to receive opportunity scholarships before the Florida Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional.

Psst. Maybe the class size cost isn't as large as advertised.

A report from auditors who work for the Florida Legislature suggests a way to dramatically help the budget situation for the coming year. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability has just made a presentation to a House committee that suggests the $314 million that the Department of Education is requesting for class size construction costs can be pared back significantly.

OPPAGA has suggested alternative models that could drop the cost anywhere from $140 million to just $1.5 million. Auditors said that DOE's current funding formula for class size assumes such things as the maximum amount allowed for construction instead of an average cost, includes growth costs unrelated to class size, includes inflation over the next few years, and it does things such as impose class size limits on non-core classes not covered by the law.

"It's certainly an eye-opening piece of information,'' said Rep. David Simmons, chairman of the Committee on 21st Century Competitiveness.

Board of Governors pares back tuition hike

Florida's Board of Governors - which was poised to hike tuition by as much as 13 percent a year for the next five years - scrapped that idea and instead decided to approve a one-year tuition hike of 8 percent that would kick in this fall.

But the board members also said they want to go to state lawmakers with a "comprehensive" slate of recommendations on what to do about pre-paid tuition, Bright Futures and university funding overall.

"I think coming up with a comprehensive approach you can propose to the Legislature is the best way you could do it,'' said Sheila McDevitt, a former vice president of TECO Energy and member of the Board of Governors.

Of course even an 8 percent tuition hike continues to challenge the authority of the Legislature to set tuition. But board members say something has to be done to stabilize funding for the university system in anticipation of deeper budget cuts on the horizon.

"The writing is on the wall that shows we're going and we're trying to act,'' said Tico Perez, an Orlando attorney and board member.

But Senate President Ken Pruitt called the mere consideration of the 13 percent concept "frightening." "This is the camel's nose under the tent,'' he said in a statement. "Left unchecked by the Legislature, I have no doubt BOG's original 65 percent tuition increase would have become a reality."

Board of Governors poised to hike tuition by 13 percent

Saying that they need to respond to ongoing budget cuts, Florida's Board of Governors on Thursday afternoon are expected to approve a motion to increase tuition over the next five years by an average of 13 percent a year.

The move is designed to raise Florida's tuition rates from among the lowest in the nation to the "top of the bottom quartile" which would put Florida in line with such states as Mississippi and Arizona. The change was approved narrowly by the Board's budget committee, but it appears it has the votes to be approved by the overall board.

Of course, there's still a big legal question if the board even has the power to do this. They have been fighting in court over whether the 2002 amendment that created the board gives them the power to raise tuition independent of the Legislature. Senate President Ken Pruitt has been adamant that the constitutional amendment did not give that authority to the board.

Senate kills bill to undo school grading system

Voting along party lines, the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee today killed a bill by Sen. Frederica Wilson that would have scuttled the existing letter grades handed out to Florida schools and replaced them with a system that would call schools excellent, above average, satisfactory, less than satisfactory, and failing to make adequate progress.

Wilson, a Miami Democrat, has been a persistent and vocal critic of the FCAT and the grading system that were put into place by former Gov. Jeb Bush. She even said it was a "sin" that lawmakers  were unwilling to change the system. Testifying against the bill today was Patricia Levesque from of the Foundation for Florida's Future, the think-tank set up by Bush.

Crist's budget would cut financial aid for private colleges

Gov. Charlie Crist's budget for education -- which includes more money for public schools - includes a big cut for financial aid that goes to private colleges such as University of Miami, as well as for-profit schools like Keiser College.

Crist has recommended a cut of $47.5 million in aid to private colleges. That cut would be realized by freezing financial aid payments at private colleges to those students who already receive either a Florida Resident Access Grant or what is known as an ABLE grant, which is for students who go to for-profit schools.

Crist's office has calculated that this change in policy would cut the FRAG program, for example, from about 34,000 students receiving the $3,000 year a stipend to roughly 19,000 students. This new policy on financial aid, however, would not apply to the three private historically black colleges in the state of Florida: Edward Waters College, Bethune-Cookman College and Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens.

Jeb comes back to talk about education

Former Gov. Jeb Bush will hold a national summit on education this coming June in Orlando where for two days there will be "provocative discussions and debates on topics important to the future of education in America."

The keynote speakers include Barbara Bush, journalist John Stossel and Pennsylvania State Senator Tony Williams, a Democrat. The national summit marks for now the former governor first's big initiative inside his home state since he left office. Bush has spent much of the past year criss-crossing the globe and making speeches outside of Florida.

The announcement of the summit coincides with the official unveiling of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a non-profit organization whose executive director will be former top Bush aide Patricia Levesque. This foundation is planning on giving cash awards to as many as 100 teachers at a ceremony this fall.

Class size changes moves ahead

A committee of the Florida Taxation Budget and Reform Commission voted Friday morning in favor of a measure that would alter the class size amendment by giving districts more room to comply with the hard caps now contained in the constitution.

The measure was opposed by former State Sen. Les Miller, a commission member, as well as the Florida Education Association, which said it is now open to working with state lawmakers to pass legislation that would give districts the "flexibility" that district officials say they need. Rep. David Simmons is working on a proposal for the upcoming session.

"I believe the people know what they were voting for,'' said Miller, who said voters were repeatedly told by former Gov. Jeb Bush about the potential costs of class size when it was approved in 2002.

Former State Senate President Jim Scott, however, called the measure a "reasonable idea of clarifying" the amendment.

Putting a class size measure back on the ballot, however, is far from a sure thing. It will likely be vetted by other committees before heading to a final vote of the commission.

Spellings won't speak the "e" word

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, who is visiting states to tout the benefits of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, stayed as far away as she could from the unfolding controversy over whether the word "evolution" should be included in Florida's science standards for schools. The State Board of Education is expected to vote on the new science standards next month.

Spellings said it wasn't her job to make policy decisions like that and said it was up to people such as new Florida Education Commissioner Eric Smith. And when asked whether the nation's top education official has a position on whether evolution should be a part of science standards, Spellings replied: "No, I don't."

Spellings is spending most of her day in Tallahassee. She began with an appearance before House members who sit on various education committees talking about NCLB and how it will remain in place even if Congress chooses not to reauthorize it. She spent most of her time congratulating Florida for its education reforms pushed into place by former Gov. Jeb Bush, the younger brother of President Bush, who made NCLB  a key part of his domestic agenda.

U.S. Secretary makes a visit to Tallahassee

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is scheduled to come to Tallahassee this week and spend some time with members of the Florida House. Spellings is the main attraction of a Tuesday joint committee meeting where she will talk about how the federal government can "support and facilitate further academic gains by Florida students."

Her visit comes at a key time when there is debate over whether to renew No Child Left Behind, the education reform initiative pushed by President George W. Bush. There has been a clash between the standards imposed by the federal government over Florida schools versus the ones pushed through by then-Gov. Jeb Bush in 1999. Even former Gov. Bush now supports making changes to the federal law, which has different standards for evaulating schools than the reforms enacted as part of the A+ plan.

Now Gov. Charlie Crist has suggested he might be willing to make changes to former Gov. Bush's education reforms, including the reliance on high-stakes tests to grade Florida schools. Of course, NCLB also uses tests to evaluate schools.

Angry legislators want Brogan to explain critical audit

The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee wants to hear directly from Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan and the university general counsel about a stinging critical audit of FAU that revealed that a new university pharmacy was missing drugs and that the university approved a questionable severance package with a former employee that Brogan wanted terminated.

Both Democratic and Republican members of the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee on Monday ripped into Tom Barlow, the lobbyist representing Florida Atlantic University, saying that his answers about why the university agreed to pay nearly $500,000 to Lawrence Davenport were unsatisfactory. Sen. Ronda Storms, a Brandon Republican, said that Barlow did not even appear to have even read the audit that legislators were questioning. Storms called Barlow's performance "disrespectful."

"I am offended that President Brogan chose not to be here today,'' said Rep. Susan Bucher, West Palm Beach Democrat who also wondered what Davenport "had" on the president that warranted such a large payout.

Rep. Carl Domino, a Jupiter Republican and chairman of the auditing committee, tried in a much less confrontational tone to get Barlow to explain exactly what legal action Davenport threatened to take that justified the large severance package. But Barlow kept telling lawmakers that Davenport threatened to sue over "wrongful termination" and that Brogan felt it was in the "best interest" of the university to pay him to leave.

No secret here: Gelber joins Jeb friends seeking FCAT alternative

Is it time to replace the FCAT in high school with an alternative? A group of high profile politicos and education leaders have started to consider that, except -- to give deference to their devotion to former Gov. Jeb Bush who trumpeted using the FCAT as a high stakes test -- they're calling it FCAT "enhancement.''

Board of Education members Roberto Martinez and Kathleen Shanahan organized the fact-finding trip to Albany, New York, based on the suggestion of House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber, to to study that state's Regents Exam. Also in attendance: state Sen. Don Gaetz, Reps. Joe Pickens and John Legg.

Before the trip, members of the group spoke with Miami Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew, who hooked them up with his former New York colleagues.

It was an intense few days of learning about every facet of the New York "end of course" exam, which has been the bulwark of that state's accountability system for decades, Gelber reports. And when it was over, many were enticed to find a way to create a similar exam in Florida, with a tiered structure to better reflect student achievement in high school. "It's a smarter accountability system,'' Gelber says.

Lobbyist and educator could be headed to Kentucky

Jim Warford, the man who at one time appear destined to become Florida's education commissioner only to have a falling out with some of those on the staff of former Gov. Jeb Bush, will interview with the Kentucky Board of Education on Wednesday for the job of Education Commissioner in that state.

Warford, the one-time schools superintendent in Marion County and then chancellor of K-12 education, applied for the Florida job but lost out to Eric Smith, the senior vice president for college readiness for The College Board.

Warford said Tuesday he will miss Tallahassee if he gets the job, but noted that he is from Kentucky and that he still has lot of friends from the Bluegrass State. Warford is executive director/CEO of the Florida Association of School Administrators and lobbies on behalf of the group with the Florida Legislature.

Black leader: Crist too slow for Dade schools

Bishop Victor T. Curry withdrew his name from consideration to the Miami-Dade County School Board vacancy Tuesday afternoon, questioning Gov. Charlie Crist's pace in the selection process.

Curry was one of 21 people who applied to fill the School Board vacancy, which was created after board member Robert B. Ingram died Sept. 5. Ingram's District One seat, which covers portions of North Miami-Dade, has gone unfilled since then.

In a letter sent to Crist on Tuesday, Curry noted that Ingram's absence from the board ''only heightened the political and divisive rhetoric'' and ``allowed thousands of parents and children of color to go unrepresented.'' More here.