The critic should not imagine this escapist attitude to be the specialty of the occasional occult and exclusivist faith-based school. Most of us can find it in the mirror.
The American Center for School Choice is committed to the empowerment of all families to choose among schools public and private, secular and religious. As in all programs of government subsidy - food stamps are an example - there will be limits on the product that can be chosen; the school preferred by the parent must meet academic standards and respect civic values. Taxpayers will not subsidize the choice of any curriculum encouraging hatred or violence.
Until the 1950’s public schools could, and did, broadly profess a religious foundation for the good society; and both history and serious contemporary research report the powerful contribution of religious private schools to civic unity. Nevertheless, skeptics of parental school choice for lower-income classes are inclined to worry: are faith-based schools perhaps separatist in their influence simply by teaching - in some transcendental sense - the superiority of believers? The critics’ principal target is an asserted practice of some religious schools to claim a favored access to eternal salvation for their own adherents.
If this allegation is an issue, it is not one for the lawyer; so long as a school teaches children to respect the civil law and their fellow citizens here on earth there could be no concern of the state. It is unimaginable under either the free exercise or establishment clauses of the 1st Amendment (plus the 14th) that government - federal or state - could undertake to censor the content of teaching simply because it includes the idea that the means of eternal salvation are accessible only to some. The State’s domain is this life only, and our governments have so far properly refrained even from asking such an inappropriate question of any school.
The content of religious teaching could become relevant to government concern - and subject to regulation - only insofar as it bore upon matters temporal. Racial distinctions by employers suggest a rough parallel; the school cannot discredit the aptitude of non-believers for strictly earthly vocations or civic participation. It may not teach that Catholics tend to make unsatisfactory mathematicians, or that Jews can’t cook. It may not warn its children to avoid personal relationships with children of non-believers. But note that such a limitation upon temporal stigma is not a restraint unique to religious schools; it is a standard curb on the teaching of the purely secular institution, whether this be Andover or P.S. 97. There is really nothing peculiar here to the faith-based school.
Thus, though the opponent of school choice is correct to worry about schools teaching the temporal inferiority of any group, he is bound in sheer logic to broaden his concern to include educators public as well as private. Just which category of school, by design or choice, most plainly radiates the earthly inferiority of particular groups would be a delicate political issue for the secular critic himself. The obvious candidate for this odious role would be the white suburban public school. (more…)
Magnet schools: Broward County's popular district choice schools, NOVA, face scrutiny for what some parents call unfair advantages over other magnet and choice options. Sun Sentinel.
Charter schools: Bok Tower Academy charter school in Lake Wales attempts to set a Guinness World record for hand-holding. The Ledger. All 430 of Hillsborough's Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School students plan to pursue post-secondary education and all 69 seniors have received college acceptance notices. The Tampa Tribune. Pasco County school administrators change procedures for reviewing charter schools. Tampa Bay Times.
Teacher pay: The teachers union and Palm Beach County School District return to negotiations about raises. Palm Beach Post. Osceola County's public school teachers will get raises of about $1,400 this year. Orlando Sentinel.
Bright Futures: The state scholarship that used to pay up to 100 percent of college tuition for qualifying students now covers only about half the costs. Fort Myers News-Press.
School safety: Hillsborough school board members continue talks about putting armed security guards at elementary schools. Tampa Bay Times.
Principals: Patricia Noble is the new leader of Kingsford Elementary in Polk County. The Ledger. Janet D. Knott of Duval County is one of 61 school principals named a distinguished principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Florida Times-Union.
Class size: Broward County school officials expect a lower fine this year, maybe even as low as $1,600. Sun Sentinel. Hillsborough County district schools meet class size. The Tampa Tribune. (more…)
ACE teachers-in-training Ben Horton and Ashley Logsdon talk about being a part of the University of Notre Dame's effort to revive Catholic schools. Both students are earning a master's degree in education, teacher certification and the experience of a lifetime as they lead classes at local Tampa Bay area schools.
While getting a history degree at a small Catholic college in New Hampshire, Ben Horton figured he had two options after graduation: law school or teaching. Then, a scholarship his junior year sent him to Belfast, Ireland, where he taught at a Catholic school near the Peace Walls dividing Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods. There, among the children of working-class families struggling with violence, drugs and teen pregnancy, he discovered a passion for teaching – and his faith.
“I like trying to give kids some hope, some opportunity, some guidance,’’ Horton said.
Now the 24-year-old University of Notre Dame graduate student teaches middle-schoolers at the Holy Family Catholic School in St. Petersburg, Fla. It’s part of a two-year service program developed by the Indiana university’s Alliance for Catholic Education, or ACE.
With 180 teachers nationwide, the program is similar to the bigger and better-known Teach for America, but with a faith-based twist. The goal: to train future educators specifically for Catholic schools, which are dealing with declines in enrollment and aging staff. The hope is to help revitalize those schools, so long and so proudly the cornerstone of urban education, and maybe even boost the faith itself.
ACE teachers in service spend two years in the program, earning classroom cred and making lasting friendships.
“Catholic schools in a sense are the future of the church,’’ said Horton, who will finish the program in June with a master’s in education, teaching credentials and a plan to work in Catholic schools. “What ACE is doing, it’s really a noble mission because these schools serve such an important role.’’
It’s a task that comes as the country struggles to answer big questions about education, said Amy Wyskochil, director of operations for the service program and a former ACE teacher. The alliance also trains future Catholic school principals, and it partners with local dioceses to strengthen their schools’ academics, enrollment and leadership.
Brianna Hohman teaches second-graders at St. Joseph's Catholic School in Tampa. She loves the job, but plans to pursue a different field after graduation.
"Education is the most important challenge facing our country,'' Wyskochil said. "Each year, millions of students fail to reach their potential because they lack access to a quality education. Catholic schools are a critical part of how we will solve our country's educational crisis. We need talented, committed new teachers to meet that challenge by becoming Catholic school teachers.''
Horton, a lifelong Catholic school student, started teaching at Holy Family last year. The school, with 204 students in K-8, has maintained a steady enrollment thanks to a healthy parish, said Sister Flo Marino. But when veteran teachers started to retire four years ago, the superintendent signed on with ACE.
“We just felt that it was a great opportunity to have young, vibrant, interesting people taking on the job of education,’’ said Marino, the only remaining religious sister at her school. “It gives schools that opportunity to revive their programs.’’ (more…)
Charter schools: Too many charters are failing, pointing to an urgent need for more budget oversight by the state, writes the Sun Sentinel. More students are enrolling in Pinellas County’s charter schools, leaving some school board members to worry it’s at the detriment of public schools. The Tampa Tribune. St. Petersburg's struggling University Prep needs to follow its contract and mend fences with community leaders, who also need to be willing to come back to the table, writes the Tampa Bay Times. A charter school principal embraces the universal truth that students do better academically when their parents are involved in their education, writes Bill Maxwell for the Tampa Bay Times.
Private schools: Indian Rocks Christian School in Pinellas County was one of three national winners of a $30,000 school cafeteria makeover in Uncle Ben's (the rice company) contest. Tampa Bay Times. Collier County residents support a new German school to help immerse children in their native language and culture. Naples Daily News.
Magnet schools: Palm Beach County school district officials look at building arts-themed magnet schools in the county's southern communities. Palm Beach Post.
Special needs: A new audit finds that Orange County schools are not meeting the needs of thousands of students with disabilities. Orlando Sentinel.
Homeschoolers: In Florida, there are 75,081 homeschoolers. Parents are choosing the option for many reasons: dissatisfaction in the school district, to foster more family time or to simply be in control of the education experience. Bradenton Herald.
Common Core: Critics don't want to debate the new standards, they just want education officials to listen and to hold off implementation. StateImpact Florida. Florida's public hearings were supposed to be about answering questions about the benchmarks, but the conversation was drowned out by emotional outbursts and political jabs aimed at the federal government. Times/Herald. Officials expect schools to start teaching the new standards over the next year, yet educators remain unsure when, and how, their students will be tested on them. The Hechinger Report. As the fight over Common Core continues, Palm Beach County school officials move ahead with books aligned to the new standards. Palm Beach Post. PolitiFact takes aim at the Common Core. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)
Charter schools: Hillsborough School Board officials should ease anxiety for MacDill Air Force Base families when they consider a proposal for a new charter school at the base, writes The Tampa Tribune. The Orange County school board denies Renaissance Charters' application for three K-8 schools, but approves Advantage Academy of Hillsborough, Inc. - a math and science charter school. Orlando Sentinel. An 8-year-old Miami-Dade charter school that gave hundreds of young adults a second chance at a high school diploma suddenly closes. Miami Herald. The Polk County school board votes down a maritime charter school application, fearing the school won't be able to fill seats in a community that already has schools with low enrollment. The Ledger.
Private schools: After some tough economic times, Hernando County's private schools report slight increases or steady enrollment numbers for the 2013-14 school year - and they attribute as a major factor greater awareness among parents of Florida's tax credit scholarship. Tampa Bay Times.
Common Core: Members of the Florida Stop Common Core Coalition are worried they won't get a chance during the upcoming public hearings to voice their concerns. StateImpact Florida. A new survey shows almost three-quarters of teachers in the subjects of English and math think the standards will have a positive effect on students. StateImpact Florida. Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has been crafting a plan to transition the state away from the FCAT to Common Core. Tampa Bay Times.Biz ed: The Young Entrepreneurs Academy, or YEA!, prepares the next generation of CEOs in Pensacola by helping sixth- through 12th-grade students start their own successful businesses. Pensacola News-Journal.
Pay bumps: Hillsborough County school support workers get raises, with higher amounts going to bus drivers and cafeteria workers. Tampa Bay Times. A new plan for paying Broward's principals factors in a school's size and its number of low-income or special needs students. Sun Sentinel. With $30 million of state-allocated money hanging in the balance, the teachers union and Palm Beach County School District have yet to reach an agreement on raises. Palm Beach Post.
Future teachers: Valencia College adopts an Orange County elementary school, where most students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. to attract future educators - and college students. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)
Money 101: The state Department of Education is currently drafting recommendations to create a course that will teach public high school students about financial literacy. The Buzz.
Magnet schools: Four lower-income elementary schools in Broward are about to open new magnet programs next year, thanks to a federal three-year, $11.9 million grant. Sun Sentinel.
Charter schools: A West Palm Beach charter school, Leadership Academy West, is being monitored by the district for “having great difficulty holding onto staff and students.'' Palm Beach Post. Charter Schools USA founder and CEO Jon Hage operates 58 schools in seven states, making public education his business. Sun Sentinel.
Private schools: A private Brevard County Catholic school incorporates STEM projects into weekly lessons. Florida Today.
Common Core: Gov. Rick Scott blew a big kiss to the tea party by calling for a review of the Common Core education standards and railing against federal "intrusion" into Florida education policy, writes Adam Smith in The Buzz.
Teacher evals: PolitiFact Florida takes a look at former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's comments that teachers are at risk of having their pay impacted by the performance of children who are not even in their classrooms or subject areas.
Success: "We often hear that public schools in America are failing, but to paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated,'' writes Sarasota County schools Superintendent Lori White. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Schools today are doing a better job educating the nation's youth than they did decades ago, writes Robyn Blumner for the Tampa Bay Times.
STEM: An intense new curriculum in science, technology, engineering and math is being implemented at selected Polk County schools thanks to a $11 million state grant. The Ledger. The Hillsborough County school district plans to roll out a new video simulation program that teaches high school students about the complex science behind global climate change. The Tampa Tribune.
Robinson: Parents care about results. They usually have one concern - is their child learning and thriving? If so, you won’t find many complaints.
Even if the CEO responsible for the curriculum is making a profit.
One of the arguments I hear from people determined to limit school choice options is that private companies shouldn’t be involved in the business of educating our kids. Activists against accountability rail against corporations that administer tests. Charter school opponents argue that for-profit companies are trying to profit from our children. Anti-choice proponents label those of us involved in school choice as conspirators in an effort to privatize public education.
The truth is, numerous companies conduct legitimate and valuable business with our public schools. These entities produce textbooks, assessments, curriculum guides, software, and so much more. Schools could not effectively educate students without these supplemental tools and supplies.
But for the sake of argument, let’s put aside those facts and consider this:
Like thousands of other kids across the country, my own children benefit from the involvement of a huge, international conglomerate, an important player in one of this country’s most popular magnet programs - the International Baccalaureate program.
According to its website, “the IB works with 3,665 schools in 146 countries to offer the four IB programmes to approximately 1,133,000 students.”
How’s that for outside involvement?
My children attend an IB program at Williams Middle School in Tampa, Fla. I’ve been both a member of the school’s PTA and an elected officer for the past three years. As such, I’ve never heard a single parent complain about the fact that a foreign company is operating in Hillsborough County schools, nor have I heard anyone complain about lack of local control. In fact, parents aren’t complaining at all. They are lining up to get their kids into the program. Many don’t even know the background of this Geneva-based organization and even fewer seem to care.
All they know is the program works for their kids.
That's what matters. (more…)
Demonte Thomas and his father, Mario, at graduation.
On graduation day 2013 for Franklin Academy in Tallahassee, the sanctuary at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church was packed with 1,500 guests who came to support the small private school’s 24 graduates.
But there were two students who brought the guests to their feet.
School Principal and Founder Margaret Franklin told the crowd, she had never done this before, and then called Demonte Thomas, 18, and his father, Mario, 40, to walk together down the aisle to receive their diplomas.
“As they marched down together it was just awesome,” recalled Franklin. “The crowd stood up and they were just roaring.”
It was a day for Mario that was a long time coming, and one that almost didn’t come for Demonte.
By 11th grade, Demonte was failing at his neighborhood school, which led his parents to secure a Step Up For Students Scholarship for him to attend Franklin Academy, where his brother was already attending and thriving. (The tax credit scholarships are sometimes called private school vouchers; they're administered by Step Up, which co-hosts this blog.) But Demonte was still not committed to his future, and when his father tried to give him advice, he’d brush it off.
Mario was terrified his son would end up on the street where as a younger man he spent many years as a member of a local gang, and survived being shot twice before realizing he had to change his ways or end up dead.
Mario looked to the school for help with his son, and Principal Franklin reached out to Demonte regularly, but her words didn’t seem to be getting through.
“Demonte came in as a child not really respecting his father,” she said. “He kept saying he (his father) didn’t even have a diploma.”
And that was all about to change. (more…)
Education Commissioner: Florida Board of Education leaders appoint interim Commissioner Pam Stewart to the permanent post. The Buzz. Outgoing board member Kathleen Shanahan blasts department leaders for not giving clear direction on the new Common Core State Standards, and delaying a decision on which exams will replace FCATs. The Buzz. More from the Sun Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, StateImpact Florida, Associated Press, Florida Times-Union.
Rick Scott: Two State Board of Education members criticize Gov. Rick Scott’s leadership on education issues, highlighting a rift between Scott and former Gov. Jeb Bush. StateImpact Florida.
Teacher raises: More than four months after Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature approved $480 million in raises for educators, teachers in South Florida have yet to see a dime. Sun Sentinel.
Charter schools: The Board of Education closes a Broward County charter school that received two F grades in a row, leaving parents of 249 children scrambling to find a new school. Sun Sentinel. More than 250 Broward charter school students are roaming the palatial halls of the chandelier-laden Signature Grand - the school's new home. Sun Sentinel. After years of watching students opt for private or charter schools, the superintendent of Duval County Public Schools says it’s time to fight and recapture those children. Florida Times-Union. Sarasota County School Board members criticize some applications for new charter schools, calling them "bizarre" and "disrespectful" and accusing one of plagiarism. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Only months after its elementary school was closed due to poor performance, Imagine Charter School's middle school in St. Petersburg may face a similar fate. The Tampa Tribune.
Dual enrollment: The Martin County School Board reluctantly approves the first local dual enrollment agreement with Indian River State College. TC Palm.
School spending: Months after cutting educators and tightening spending in the name of financial stability, the Manatee County School Board approves a final spending plan that calls for more teachers because of enrollment increases. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The district is in the midst of hiring the teachers and moving students into new classrooms after the final count of students came in at 46,008. Bradenton Herald.
Every year the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) releases its School and Staffing Survey, a treasure mine of interesting education tidbits for education data geeks.
According to the latest (collected from 14,000 schools during the 2011-12 school year), 64 percent of private school 12th graders will go on to a 4-year college or university but only 39.5 percent of traditional public school students and 37.2 percent of charter school students will do the same.
But don’t get too excited. Some caution is needed before making a conclusion about the impact of these schools because there are big differences regarding students and teachers at these schools. For example, private schools are much whiter and more affluent than public schools. That might explain some of the 25 percentage point advantage in college enrollment rates.
But if being whiter and more affluent helps private schools, it doesn’t seem to do much for traditional public schools when compared to charter schools. (more…)
