New FL education bill requires 5% be withheld from districts to implement bill.

[madfloridian]

It just keeps getting deeper and deeper here in this state.

The stupidity of the new bill that has already passed the state senate and will likely pass the state house tomorrow is almost beyond belief.

They are going to force the school districts to give up part of their budgets which are already in shambles, and tell them if they don't implement the plans they will lose it.

It will cost about 900 million to implement the bill.

Legislators in FL to approve a bill that would make it easier to fire teachers and tie their pay to student test scores.

Unfortunately this goes right along with the wishes and desires of the Democratic head of the Department of Education, Arne Duncan.


Megan Pankiewicz from Seminole County Schools, left, and Erin Rock from the Department of Education listen to the testimony concerning the teacher merit pay and tenure bill at the house education policy council meeting on Monday, April 5, 2010, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon) (AP)

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — A House panel turned aside vehement opposition from school officials and educators after nearly eight hours of debate and discussion Monday to approve a bill that would make it easier to fire teachers and tie their pay to student test scores. The measure appears headed for passage in the Republican-controlled Legislature after a 12-5 party-line vote in the Education Policy Council. The bill (HB 7189) is backed by Republican legislative leaders and influential business groups as well as Gov. Charlie Crist and his predecessor, Jeb Bush.

And the financially painful part:

Local school officials focused their opposition on a provision that would withhold 5 percent of each school district's per-student funding and put it in a fund to pay for implementing the bill. That includes the development of new tests and the merit pay raises. Districts that fail to comply with the bill's requirements would lose that money — $900 million statewide — effective in the 2011-12 budget year.

Duval County School Board member W.C. Gentry said even if a district gets the 5 percent it would have to cut other spending to comply with the merit pay provision and other requirements in the bill.

"When you take 5 percent out of the pie and you need to eat the whole pie, then something has to happen," Gentry said. "Where does the 5 percent come from? Who pays for it? Where is this pot of money?"

I would like to say this bill will help Democrats in the state come election time, but unfortunately it is their own agenda.

Teachers are notoriously silent on issues and often fail to speak out, but this time they are protesting.

High school teacher Thomas Lentz said the proposed system simply isn't fair to those educators.

"We're going to take your kids, give them this one test and then you know it's kind of gambling almost. Maybe I've got a good group of kids this year. Maybe next year I don't get a good group of kids, so my pay will fluctuate," Lentz said. "How am I supposed to have a mortgage? How am I supposed to live a life? How am I supposed to have a budget like that?"

They have protested this time, but no one is paying any attention to them.

[madfloridian]

1. They will pay attention next time they need teachers.

Because though the media isn't covering this bill fairly, many of us are going to keep writing about it until people notice.

[madfloridian]

2. Taking 5% from suffering public school districts....

it's sickening. Making them pay for the developing of a way to keep teachers the thumb of the politicians.

[madfloridian]

3. Where will the money come from....districts already in financial distress.

In Florida we have public money going to private religious schools as vouchers. We have money taken from public schools and going with the students to charter schools.

[midnight]

4. Why can we nickle and dime the teachers, but the bankers need to be completely

subsidized including their massive benefits?

[Sancho]

5. It is union busting, getting rid of veterans with higher salaries, and meanness...

These are the same people who also want charter schools. Jeb and his cronies are still trying to hide their raid on the retirement funds, and they still see ways to milk the state with private schools.

[BaltimoreDemocrat]

6. Yet another example...

...of how the repugs hate government and want it to fail. But this issue has plenty of goodies for the wing-nuts - union busting, marginalizing teachers (who tend as a group to vote Democratic); putting a system in place that will fail, proving public education doesn't work; setting the stage for vouchers or whatever cockamamie idea the regressives have come up with. When will the average Joe/Jane figure out the Republican party is against them and their families?

[MadHound]

7. Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a blueprint for several other states?

I can see a number of states implementing this. My guess, the Obama administration will reward Florida handsomely.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. DESE has already announced they are copying the 'Florida model' on their RTTT application

We're screwed, my friend.

[florida08]

8. What?

Advocates say Florida's schools would attract and keep better teachers by offering higher pay to those whose students show the most improvement on standardized tests. They also argued those whose pupils lag need to be removed from the classroom.

How would this attract any teacher? He or she doesn't get to pick their students. It would seem this would drive teachers from public education. Small poorer districts will have to close schools. What are they thinking?

[radical noodle]

13. I see a contest coming

Teacher against teacher, vying for the best students.

[florida08]

16. that was my thought

[tonysam]

15. They'll hire TFAs and H1Bs to take up the slack when FL teachers

leave the state in droves or retire in droves.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough of them out there to fill the positions.

[Hannah Bell]

10. "a blueprint for several other states" - yes.

[Jakes Progress]

11. The tumor in the Democratic party.

Sure we got some half-assed insurance reform. There is a little tinkering with some milquetoast environmental efforts. Nothing really good; nothing horrible enough so that everyone would see it.

But this administration's complete capitulation to the educational corporate raiders will eventually metastasize into the a full blown, body-eating cancer. On another post someone wondered about the motives that would lead to this. So what if they "think" this is a good thing. They campaigned and fought hard to be in the position of power. With that ambition comes the responsibility to not just want good things, but to learn how your decisions and actions affect the world.

There is not a chance in pluperfect hell that any of this would be allowed during a republican administration. DU would explode into demonstrations and march on Washington if bush or (shudder) palin tried doing this. But we have a Democratic administration that is listening to neocon operatives like bill bennet, and chester finn, and (shudder) newt gingrich about how to improve schools. I sent a copy of "Manufactured Crisis" to the administration. Didn't even get a thank you.

This - not health care, not a few saved mountain tops - will mark the Obama administration. The death of public education. What a legacy.

[tonysam]

14. Some "Democratic Party" we've got. Not ONE WORD

in support of traditional public education has been uttered by our "Democratic" politicians. Not one.

BOTH political parties are on the take to the point they are indistinguishable from each other.

Neoliberal ideas are killing this country.

[Jakes Progress]

19. The kill education; education will kill them.

They have insulted and ignored and crapped on a large constituency. So their actions on education might just cost them the election. But it will damn sure cost them in the eyes of history. The fools who are joining the attack-teacher bandwagon and jumping on the neocon train for "charter" schools will live long enough to miss the days when American education was free and wonderful. They will probably shirk their responsibility for their actions though.

[reality2050]

12. Another Disaster for Education

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/teachers/what-is-driving-florida-teache.htmlMore for Florida educators to be angry about
Florida’s teachers are already up in arms about the likelihood that state lawmakers are about to end teacher tenure, require the creation of standardized tests for every single grade, and link teacher pay to student test scores.

Now there’s another doozy of a bill that the Republican-led legislature is working on that has teachers, parent, and even school superintendents aghast.

It’s SB 2126, which would expand a program that allows corporations in Florida to contribute to a fund that provides scholarships, or vouchers, for private schools. The corporations can then deduct the amount from their corporate income and insurance premium taxes.

In other words, millions tax dollars that could go to the state to help out in this difficult financial downturn would instead go to send kids to private schools, most of them Christian, Muslim and Jewish.



Never mind that the state is cutting public education (and other) funding and raising tuition at public colleges and universities. Somehow, Florida has money to help corporations help kids go to private religious schools.

And it doesn't get any better then this After the passing of sb6,hb7189 On april 5, on april 6 http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/04/jeb-bush-campaigns-for-teacher-tenure-bill-.html
April 06, 2010
Jeb Bush campaigns for teacher tenure bill
Former Gov. Jeb Bush is asking supporters for dollars to fund his education foundation's fight on behalf of the so-called "teacher tenure" bill.

He sent out the following e-mail today:

Friends,

We need your help.
The Foundation for Florida’s Future launched a television ad this morning to set the record straight on House Bill 7189 and Senate Bill 6. Watch the ad now at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Afloridapromise. Passing this bill is important to the future of Florida’s education and economy. Please take a minute today to:
1. Call your representative to tell them that you support the bill. If you do not know your representative, you can find out by clicking here:
2. Send this commercial to your family and friends and ask them to call their lawmakers.
3. Contribute $25, $50, $100 – or whatever you can afford – to help us make education in Florida a model for the nation. Visit www.afloridapromise.org to contribute now.
Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Jeb Bush
Chairman

Posted by Cristina Silva at 02:30:55 PM on April 6, 2010
in Jeb Bush | Permalink
Sorry for the long post but its important. I want to say MadFloridian, I appreciate all the postings you have had on these issues.

[tonysam]

17. Eventually "schools" will all be distance learning outfits

with "teachers" from China or India making pennies on the dollar phoning it or keying it in. Nobody seems to fucking care whether our school system is being destroyed and encouraged by so-called Democrats in the White House and presumably Congress.

[reality2050]

18. Democrats $$$ Republicans

They are the same Party, No child left behind, Race to the top , Its really the same, Jeb Bush and bro have pushed for merit pay and vouchers for years. Obama Race to the top, wants merit pay and vouchers also. See Obamas response concerning rhode island teachers , We need a third party that will speak up for citizens instead of corporate interests. What I fear the most is alot of children will be left behind. The state of Florida has maligned one of the greatest professions TEACHERS. They are trying to privatize schools and testing in florida, and the pugs want to make us a model for the rest of the states. I will not vote pug or dem again. EVER.
pS Im not a teacher, just a concerned citizen.

[laertes]

20. Fluctuating Pay?

Looked at the bill and I don't see it. There's a lot to be concerned with but this not addressed.

[madfloridian]

21. Will depend on how the students test.

So it would fluctuate.