Judith Kratochvil

Posts Tagged ‘school vouchers’

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February/March 2008 Florida Education Monthly

In Education, Florida on February 29, 2008 at 3:08 pm
New Report Ranks Nation’s 21 School Choice Programs
Friedman Foundation
A new report by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, “Grading School Choice: Evaluating School Choice Programs by the Friedman Gold Standard,” grades the nation’s 21 existing school choice programs based on how well they live up to the standard of providing school choice for all.
At the head of the class is Florida’s McKay voucher program which earned top marks for providing options to the state’s special needs students. The other top graded programs were in Georgia, Arizona, Vermont, Ohio and Maine. Minnesota’s personal tax deduction & credit received the lowest grade.

To download the complete report click here: http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/friedman/downloadFile.do?id=268

Class-size limits could be eased
Proposal would change way class sizes are measured
Tallahassee Democrat
By Jim Ash
School districts would get some breathing room from constitutionally mandated class-size limits under a proposal that advanced Monday in the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission.
Supporters say the measure that passed the Governmental Services Committee would save districts $3.6 billion over the next two years by allowing districts to calculate class sizes based on a district average rather than the school-based average mandated by a 2002 constitutional amendment.
The proposed constitutional amendment would have to be approved by 60 percent of voters in November if it makes it through other committees and a supermajority of the full commission. It would make it easier for districts to reach the mandated 18-student maximum for pre-K through third grade, 22-student maximum in fourth through eighth grades and 25-student maximum in grades nine through 12.

For complete article click here: http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/CAPITOLNEWS/802260330/1010/NEWS01

Chancellor: no changes to Bright Futures scholarships this year
Associated Press
ByDavid Royse
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Bright Futures scholarships, which give top high school graduates a free ride to Florida universities, won’t be targeted for change this year, the state’s top university system official said Thursday.
University presidents and others have said the scholarships are costing the state too much and, with the state facing financial difficulties, officials have contemplated capping the program.
Students with a 3.5 grade point average and good test scores are eligible for full scholarships. Students with 3.0 GPAs and good scores can get partial rides.
Lawmakers want to expand school vouchers
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to double the size of one of Florida’s existing private-school voucher programs within the next five years.
Miami Herald
By Gary Fineout
TALLAHASSEE — In a year when money for public schools is likely to be cut, some Republican and Democratic lawmakers want to dramatically expand the number of children who get private-school vouchers.
The legislation, which would apply to a statewide program aimed at low-income families, would also increase the amount that vouchers are worth and would allow the voucher amount to grow each year.
Such a move could lead to thousands of additional South Florida students heading to private schools, since a quarter of all children already served by the program are from Miami-Dade and Broward counties. There are now roughly 20,000 children enrolled statewide, and the legislation would grow the number by 5,000 children a year for the next five years.
For complete article click here: http://www.miamiherald.com/295/story/438283.html
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