A Plan for Reforming Florida's Education System
Alex has released her comprehensive education reform plan to build a stronger workforce that will attract businesses and jobs to our state by improving the quality and accountability of Florida’s education system.
1) Build a Strong Foundation with Quality Pre-K
2) Keep Our Children from Failing and Dropping Out
3) Invest in Teacher Quality
4) Build Better School Leadership
5) Demand Quality Outcomes & Accountability Measures
6) Engage Parents, Guardians & Communities
7) Build a 21st Century Curriculum
8) Create Accessible, Affordable, Responsive Colleges & Universities
9) Reprioritize Education Funding
Click here to read the full plan.
For far too long the Republicans have concentrated on advanced programs even in grade school for gifted children and Bright Futures college scholarships for high school students. The Bright Futures program is bankrupting the state at the expense of public secondary schools. .
After the Bright Futures program stated, Florida had to close schools and layoff teachers. Bright Futures is merit based on SAT scores and is underrepresented with minority students
State merit scholarships represent a relatively new approach to student financial assistance. Traditionally, state grants have been awarded to students based on their financial need, with those from the lowest-income families generally receiving first priority for funds.
However, state merit aid has grown quickly. Between 1995 and 2001, total state spending on merit and other "non-need-based" grants jumped 134 percent.
To receive an Academic Scholars award under the Bright Futures program, Florida's graduating high school seniors must have at least a 3.5 grade point average, plus a minimum score of 1270 on the SAT or 28 on the ACT.
Recent research on the Georgia, Florida and Michigan programs make a strong case that these factors make the award criteria used to distribute merit grants favor wealthier White students at the expense of low-income African Americans.
Dr. Donald E. Heller, an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University, has found that in 1998, White, non-Hispanics accounted for about 61 percent of Florida's high school graduates, but represented 77 percent of Bright Futures scholarship winners.
On the other hand, nearly 22 percent of Florida high school graduates were African American, but these students accounted for less than 10 percent of the Bright Futures recipients.
Conservatives may try to tell you that the US is a post-racial society and there is no need for civil right law or minority set-asides in government contracts.
This is clearly not the case.
source: http://diverseeducation.com/article/2789/
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