FL newspapers finding it tougher to criticize Jeb on education

Orlando Sentinel; Miami Herald; St. Petersburg Times | June 18, 2002 | summer and others

[summer]

I agree. Gov. Bush is really leading the way in education. Like him or hate him, he is moving in one direction: forward.

[summer]

:)!

[Victoria Delsoul]

Eventually - slowly but surely -- you start to hear positive aspects of his plan promoted by the very ones who previously slammed it.

I'm so glad to hear that. Good news.

[summer]

Thanks, Victoria!!! :)

[summer]

Also, check out this thread:

FCAT Scores Prove Progress [Broward County editors praise Jeb on education; brutally blast Dems!]

[Straight Vermonter]

An excellent post from you as always on this important subject. As a parent who will have kids in Florida schools (Seminole county) in the near future I have a few comments:

Poverty no longer is accepted as an insurmountable brick wall but as an obstacle to overcome.

Those running magnet schools and parochial schools never thought it was.

Studies show they (at risk students) benefit most from smaller classes.

Could you cite one non-NEA funded study that demonstrates this?

Schools with strong administrative leaders and involved, creative faculty do well; parental involvement and community support are essential for success

Well duh! Unfortunately the last thing the teachers want is anyone checking up on them.

Stuents at the five Miami-Dade schools that twice have received F's now are eligible for vouchers that can be used at private schools. But students' options are severely limited by the few private schools willing or qualified to accept them

Gee does this guy really think that people were going to build schools before there were students who were going to attend? Give the market a year or two to catch up. are we teaching to the test or teaching the necessary skills for success?

In some of these schools it seems teaching anything would be an improvement.

As a business person I could not succeed without having goals that I set for my team and then had regularly review to see if we had achieved them. Finally someone has translated this to government. Kudos to Jeb.

[summer]

Straight Vermonter, Your post above made my day! Thanks. And, BTW, Seminole County has one of the best technology programs, if not the best, in their public schools. Thanks again for your post -- and, kudos to Jeb! :)

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Jeb Bush for Pres in 2008!!

:o)

LETS ROLL!!!

[summer]

Sounds good to me! :)

[summer]

Spookbrat, FYI -- From the May 2002 issue of Inside UNF, the monthly publication for staff and faculty of the University of No FL -- a survey on Duval County Public Schools:

....Dr. Adam Herbert, executive director of the Florida Center, said the survey findings provide some very important insights into the perceptions of our fellow citizens regarding public education. "This survey is the first conducted by the Florida Center. In light of the importance of education to the future growth and development of Duval County, we wanted this topic and our community to be the focus of the Laboratory's initial survey," he said. The telephone survey was conducted over a four-day period (April 1-4) by 35 UNF students in Corrigan's class and in the class of Dr. Terry Bowen, director of the Institute of Government. The survey has 449 respondents and a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percent.

The survey is the first major public opinion poll completed by The Florida Center. The Center's Public Opinion Research Laboratory examines critical issues confronting Floridians. It serves as a resource for public policymakers, faculty researchers, government agencies, non-profit agencies, businesses and students at Florida's universities. Other major findings of the survey include:

¥ Thirty-eight percent of respondents thought the Duval County School System was good or excellent while 46 percent thought it was fair or poor. Sixteen percent of survey respondents did not know.

¥ Forty-one percent thought the public schools in their own neighborhoods were good or excellent while 37 percent thought their neighborhood schools were fair or poor. Twenty-one percent did not know.

¥ Fifty-two percent approved of using public money for students to attend private or religious schools (vouchers). Forty-four percent disapproved.

¥ Sixty-six percent approved of FCAT testing in public schools.

¥ When asked who was most responsible for the problems and challenges of the Duval County School System: 30 percent said parents; 18 percent said the school board; 14 percent said state government; 8 percent said the superintendent; 8 percent said teachers; 7 percent said students themselves.

¥ Thirty-seven percent of respondents said that children today do more homework when compared to when they were in school; 29 percent said that students do less homework compared to when they were in school; 25 percent said the homework amount was about the same.

¥ When asked what they liked best about the Duval County School System in an open-ended question, the most frequent responses were "magnet schools" and "teachers."

Interesting that 66% of Duval voters approve of FCAT and 52% approve of vouchers -- and parents are blamed more often than any other party for the education problems -- as this county, if I'm not mistaken, went for Gore in Nov 2000.

[mafree]

This is all good news- GO JEB!!

[summer]

Two articles re: Jeb eliminates social promotion --

3rd-graders who can't read won't move on [Jeb: Financial penalties for "social promotion"]

A wise end to social promotion [by a new, black columnist re: Jeb ends social promotion]

[summer]

BTTT! :)

[summer]

As for FL principals, not only are they accountable in a very public way with school grades, but, the job is now open to anyone who has a better idea on how to run a school:

'The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows' -- Part 17: Jeb's NEW requirements for FL public school principals: NONE

[summer]

And, although this did not happen in FL, it gives you an idea of how difficult it can be to oust a student who deserves to be ousted:

Learning While Black [Kid starts a fight at school. Kid's dad, angry his son got punished, sues.]

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

[In some districts, students] now are eligible for vouchers that can be used at private schools. But students' options are severely limited by the few private schools willing or qualified to accept them

Gee does this guy really think that people were going to build schools before there were students who were going to attend? Give the market a year or two to catch up.

I am coming to suspect that socialists make a special point of ignoring the factor of time. The future and the past are subordinated to the all-important NOW.

Think of Sowell's point about the income quintiles: the income distribution can be static while basically the whole population is increasing in income--because the individuals are getting more experience and income, but the lowest bracket is constantly replenished with callow youth. That enormous effect on individuals is completely masked by a statistic which has no reference to time.

[summer]

I’m not a teacher so I don’t know a lot..... The reason why I feel this way is because of my experience volunteering at my children’s old school and substitute teaching. The kids who made better grades and cared about school had parents who cared how they did in school.

Sppokbrat, as you are (1) an involved parent who homeschools, (2) a former substitute teacher, and (3) a former volunteer, I must strongly disagree with your assessment of your own knowledge, as I think you DO know a lot! (But you're still learning about FL, and that's OK. There's a lot to know!)

Give yourself some credit here! Seriously. :)

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

:o)

[summer]

I meant to highlight in bold this phrase as well: parents who cared

[summer]

Thanks for that bump! :)