Conservative Report Applauds Bush And Progress Of Florida Schools
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Reference Education -> subcategory Weather.
Conservative Report Praises Bush and Progress in Florida Schools
Summary
The Koret Task Force, a group of scholars from the Hoover Institution, has released a report commending Governor Jeb Bush for his reform efforts in Florida's schools.
Main Points
The report was unveiled in Orlando with Task Force members, Governor Bush, and Representative Ralph Arza in attendance. It praised Bush's implementation of voucher programs like the McKay Scholarship for disabled students and the Corporate Tax Credit program, both enabling access to private education. These initiatives were described as models for the nation. Additionally, the recently introduced merit-based pay system for teachers was highlighted as the first statewide program of its kind in the U.S.
The report suggested that the Florida legislature should reinstate the Opportunity Scholarship Program, previously deemed unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court. This program allowed students from poorly graded schools to use state funds for private education.
Significant improvement in student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was noted, along with strides in closing the achievement gap between minority students and their white peers.
Recommendations included focusing the accountability system on student growth over overall performance and granting more autonomy to individual schools regarding fund allocation. The report also supported efforts to repeal the costly class size reduction amendment, questioning its effectiveness.
Despite being conducted by academics to remain neutral, the report faced skepticism. Mark Pudlow, spokesperson for the Florida Education Association, criticized recommendations like extending the teacher probation period. He argued that the report reflected the expectations of Bush's supporters who funded it.
The $250,000 study was funded by Republican donors, including Outback Steakhouse founder Chris Sullivan and Dr. Zachariah P. Zachariah, both major contributors to GOP causes.
Representative Arza pledged to defend the governor's reforms and push the task force's recommendations, including repealing the class size amendment.
"We have made progress in this state over the last eight years," Bush stated at the event. "We know because we measure. It’s a guiding principle of what we do."
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