Quote of the Day

"About that “interest in reform is grudging even on a good day”: Teachers, better than anyone else understand the devil in the details. Any market-based refrom effort must rely on a high-stakes testing regime. Such testing has been in place since 1990 and has shifted our schools from a culture of learning to a culture of testing. For all parties concerned, student performance on such tests are becoming the only thing that really matters.

"The Sun-Sentinel realizes that Scott and the Republicans are ramming their vision of reform through, much like congressional Dems did Obamacare, freshly."

Conservative blogger Umpire, of Practical State.

I am a progressive who has seen the FCAT has been graded by Kelly Service temps lacking college degrees. Florida's dismal national ranking in education hasn't improved because of the FCAT.

State spending on education as percentage of total resources
Florida ranks 42nd. As a state, Florida spends only 3.1% of its resources on education.
Source: Education Week, Quality Counts, 2009

State per capita spending on corrections vs. education
Florida ranks 50th in per capita spending on education, but ranks 16th in the nation in spending on corrections.
Source: NEA Rankings of the States 2008

High School Graduation Rates
Florida ranks 43rd, with 60.8 percent of public high school students graduating with a diploma.
Source: Education Week, Quality Counts, 2009

Standardized Test Scores
Florida students rank 48th in the nation in average composite scores on the ACT, a standard college entrance exam.
Source: American Legislative Exchange Council, Report Card on American Education, 2008