Rep. David Simmons, R-Maitland, said he will push for changes during the Legislature's spring session, hoping to "smooth out the rough edges and the inflexibility" of the current law.
...
His solution likely will be to continue calculating class size as a school average rather than count children in each classroom. That should meet the intent of the amendment, he said, while injecting it with a dose of realism. He thinks it could be done without asking voters for their approval.
State Sen. Don Gaetz, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, has already suggested going back to the voters with a similar plan, but he said he would consider Simmons' idea, too.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Gaetz Hates Kids, Voters, Rule of Law
Instead of even attempting to comply with the will of the voters and the Florida Constitution, Gaetz wants to change the law without even trying to make it work:
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Gaetz is also looking at abuses by the charter school industry revealed in a three part series in the Orlando Sentinel (very worthy of reading).
The taxpayers foot the bill for schools that are not bound by the same rules as public schools, are not providing adequate education, and cannot maintain financial solvency. Hard to imagine positive outcomes given the membership of the very committees, some supported the initiative and then looked away. "I hope and expect the charter-school industry will support cleaning out abuses and excesses, but any legislation that tightens accountability and raises standards will draw some opposition from those who don't want to meet standards of performance or who have a financial incentive to keep requirements vague," said Gaetz, who credited an Orlando Sentinel charter series with spurring the reform efforts.
Gaetz: But education is too important to be left to
educators.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/schools/2008/01/gaetz-bay-area.html
In an interview after the luncheon, Gaetz said he's used to hearing resistance from educators and union representatives. That will have to change, he said, in order to raise student performance to the level parents and business leaders expect.
"They will have to come to an understanding that the parent and the student and the taxpayer are the customer," Gaetz said. "But that's a fight that's worth having."
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/31/State/Schools_must_cater_mo.shtml
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