General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFL allows $64 million in budget for 2013 charter school maintenance. Zero for public schools.
The same thing happened last year, but the amount given charter schools was then $55 million. Zero for public schools.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/7909
Florida charter schools get $55 million for upkeep. Traditional schools get nothing.
The charter school operated for children of employees of The Villages, the Republican stronghold in north Lake County frequented by Scott and former President George W. Bush, is expected to receive about $1 million.
School district officials across Florida are bemoaning the Legislature's decision to cut traditional public schools out of PECO the Public Education Capital Outlay program. The state's 350 charter schools will share $55 million, while the approximately 3,000 traditional schools will go without.
And this year? Even worse for the public schools.
From the Palm Beach Post:
State plan to help charter schools irks Palm Beach County School Board
Charter schools are alternatives to traditional public schools. They receive taxpayer funding but are freed from meeting some state requirements such as in curriculum, hiring and classroom sizes in exchange for targeting specific classroom results from their students. They often are run by private companies, some of them for-profit.
The state Department of Education last week gave a Florida Senate subcommittee a report on the state Board of Educations requested budget for next year. The budget includes a request for about $64 million for capital improvements at charter schools. Last year charters received about $55 million for school construction.
If approved, that budget would mark the third straight year the state has given capital outlay money to charter schools but no capital funding to districts to build and maintain traditional public schools, said Vern Pickup-Crawford, the county school districts state lobbyist.
But it's okay and the public school chancellor for the state said public school districts just need to raise taxes.
The states budget request reflects the Board of Educations priorities to assist charter schools, said Pam Stewart, chancellor of public schools for the state Department of Education. Stewart also pointed out that individual school districts can levy local individual property taxes of $1.50 for every $1,000 of taxable value to raise money for their local capital needs.
The state appears to have officially come out in support of charter schools over public schools.
This method of financing, or should I say, NOT financing public schools' maintenance, is making sure traditional public schools will not be able to survive long in Florida.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)Initech
(100,054 posts)Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)What galls me, as a resident of Palm Beach County, about this is that we send more money up to Tallahassee every year than we get back for our schools.
Anyone who doesn't think this is all part of a long range plan to put AAs back into what some assholes consider "their place", is daydreaming.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Teachers I talk to are just now realizing how they are being jerked around.
And the media is pro-reformer, pro-privatization....so we can't get the word out.
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)ex-husband to explain how for-profit charter schools were going to be able to improve education, without raising taxes. He stopped dead in his tracks and said, "they can't, of course". Then I asked him whether he thought, after adding a layer of profit to the cost of education, charter schools could even deliver the same level of education...again an emphatic NO. I said, "Remember that when it comes to the next election pal because all of the 'not-for-profit' charter schools will disappear once people have accepted charter schools...think of those not-for-profits as loss leaders." The only way to get through the incredibly thick skulls of republicans is to hit them in their tax pocketbooks.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)That's a good point you make. Of course these for-profit schools (which call themselves non-profit because IRS is not on top of it) are going to get greedy and want more tax money.
And more and more and more.
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)using the 'tax increase' argument. Got him to vote for Patrick Murphy and Bill Nelson... voted as I advised on all of the "amendments"
couldn't move him on Romney, but he accurately predicted Obama would carry FL on his way to a victory.
okaawhatever
(9,461 posts)madfloridian
(88,117 posts)as it is his policy. He often has stated his desire for more charter schools.
So it's hard to get attention to it.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)We have to put pressure on him to change his view on improving schools.
davidn3600
(6,342 posts)The state is purple in the presidential and senate races. But it's very red in the state government.
It's one of those odd states that has a weird mix of demographics. Turnout is not very consistent and many independents/moderates will vote split tickets.
liskddksil
(2,753 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Divine Discontent
(21,056 posts)thanks for informing so many, MF!
gollygee
(22,336 posts)Dismantling public schools. There will be no public schools in 15 years or so if they get their way.
RandiFan1290
(6,226 posts)Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)marmar
(77,064 posts)....... the looting of the public trough continues unfettered. Public school students and their futures are just collateral damage.
Orrex
(63,185 posts)A bunch of local idiots think that it's the best idea ever, as if my low-income county really needs another drain on the public school's already minimal resources.
There's an air of inevitability about it, as though the town is just biding its time until this magical charter school opens its doors and corrects all the evils of the public education system.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)madfloridian
(88,117 posts)your video the New Oxymandias. Powerful. Brings back the frustrations of seeing our country invade another country based only on lies. Reminds me that those who told those lies remain unpunished.