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Florida Editorial Attacks state Secretary of Education
About 2.7 million students attend Florida's public schools. They make up about 86 percent of students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
About 380,000 students attend Florida's private schools, which the state refers to as "non-public." They make up about 14 percent of students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Jim Horne gets $231,000 a year in public money to be Florida's secretary of education. According to the Florida Constitution, his priority is supposed to be the students and the schools in the state's public education system. Judging by his actions over the past several months, however, Mr. Horne has his priorities reversed.
Since January, The Post has reported on the state's corporate school voucher program, which the Legislature and Gov. Bush enacted in 2001 to placate a Tampa man who gave $100,000 to the Republican Party of Florida. In theory, the program allows companies a tax write-off, with the money going to private-school scholarships for poor students. It's money that otherwise would go to the public schools, which didn't get enough money this year from the Legislature and Gov. Bush to keep up with growth and expenses.
The paper's reporting, however, has exposed the utter lack of accountability Mr. Horne has given the program. But as the public schools cut budgets, Mr. Horne defends the fraud-ridden program that sucks money away from public schools.
Uncaring about $138 million
Things began to get really hot for Mr. Horne in July, when The Post reported that $350,000 in corporate voucher money had gone to a Tampa school whose co-founder is accused by the government of aiding terrorists. So Mr. Horne staged a three-city tour, during which he paraded out people who said the program had helped them.
At each stop, the clear message from Mr. Horne was that private schools have a friend in Tallahassee -- him. Think about that. Private schools set themselves up to minimize contact with government. They have to meet safety standards, of course, and provide the minimum 180 days of instruction, but they are created to be independent.
Then the state starts throwing around some public money -- $50 million last year, $88 million this year. Suddenly, some of those private schools think the government is wonderful. They want the money, $3,500 per student. Of course, they don't want any part of the accountability that the state -- meaning Mr. Horne -- asks of public schools.
Now, the public might expect a $231,000-a-year public servant to care what happens to $138 million in public money under his control. Does it really provide a better education for the poor children who are supposed to benefit? Yet Mr. Horne still resists following the money. Public schools using public money get micro-managed. Private schools using public money get a pass.
Standing by as budgets come up short
Just compare. Public school students have to take the FCAT. Under Gov. Bush and Mr. Horne, it is THE standard for education in Florida. Schools whose students do well on the test get bonus money. Administrators at schools where scores are low get hauled to Tallahassee and told to do better. Yet private schools that get public money don't have to give the FCAT. At private schools, the state goes by what parents think.
At public schools, third-graders who don't pass the reading portion of the FCAT can't go on to fourth grade. When it became clear last spring that thousands would be held back, Mr. Horne hastily proposed summer reading "camps" but gave school districts no money for them. Thousands are repeating third grade. Yet the state doesn't ask whether third-graders at private schools getting public money are reading on grade level.
By design, the private schools don't need Mr. Horne. They have their own accrediting organizations, and they rely on donors. Until the corporate voucher program came along, the state gave them no money. Meanwhile, money for public education at all levels in Florida -- schools, community colleges, universities -- has failed to meet needs or been cut. Has Mr. Horne protested? No. He's encouraged it.
Mr. Horne defends the corporate voucher program he has mismanaged by saying it lets parents choose. One day, he might choose to do the job for which the public pays him.
— Randy Schultz, editor of editorial page
What does Horne do for public?
Palm Beach Post
2003-09-28
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/opinion_f3476e3d8076309210b2.html?urac=n&urvf=10653668585780.9865438979950396
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
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