Apr
16
Elected, or appointed
April 16, 2008 | |
Thanks to the Foundation for Florida’s Future for this article, and take it to heart.
A decade ago, Florida schools were failing and ranked near the bottom in nearly every national survey. More than half of the state’s public school students were not reading or performing math at grade level. Mediocrity was tolerated and excuses were more common than accountability.
In November of 1998, Floridians voted to turn around the state’s failing school system, electing Jeb Bush as Governor and making the Commissioner of Education an appointed professional rather than an elected position. The state’s top education official would soon begin reporting directly to the Governor and the State Board of Education. The following year, Florida ’s A+ Plan for Education was put into action – a plan based on high standards and expectations, clear measurement and accountability, and rewards and consequences for results.
Florida has experienced unprecedented rising student achievement in public schools since the introduction of accountability in 1999. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, our fourth graders are now above the national average in reading and math. Eighth graders are ninth in the nation in writing. Overall, the state is steadily closing the achievement gap. Florida ’s high school graduation rate has increased by more than 12 percent since 1999 and more students are entering college.
Now, the Florida Legislature is about to turn back the clock to the days when popularity at the ballot box determined the quality of education in the classroom. As part of comprehensive overhaul of our system of education, the Florida Legislature is considering a proposal to once again create an elected Commissioner of Education. This proposed measure would jeopardize the tremendous progress in our schools by returning education to the political arena. The state’s top education official would no longer be a professional educator answering to the Governor, but a politician armed with his or her own campaign platform. The brightest and most-qualified professionals in the field of education would be deterred from entering expensive and partisan statewide campaigns.
Returning to this faulty organizational structure will also decrease the accountability of education in Florida . Currently, the people of Florida hold the Governor and the Legislature accountable for policies and, more importantly, the results. This change will create competing political interests in one of the state’s biggest priorities.
Moreover, this resolution disbands the State Board of Education – a board comprised of members from various backgrounds in public education, community colleges and business. Instead, the Florida Cabinet comprised of the Governor, Attorney General, Agriculture Commission, Chief Financial Officer, and the elected Commissioner would become responsible for making decisions on education policy issues – again, another opportunity for political gamesmanship.
Florida ’s current system of governance with a Governor, State Board of Education and an appointed education commissioner is a formula for success used in high-achieving states around the country. In Education Week’s Quality Counts 2008, 7 of the top 10 states overall have appointed Commissioners of Education working with appointed State Boards of Education. All of the top 10 states for K-12 achievement in the report have appointed Commissioners of Education. Finally, based on the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress, the “Nation’s Report Card,” nearly all of the states with the greatest improvement in eighth grade reading, eight grade math scores and graduation rates have appointed education commissioners.
To continue the progress and student learning gains in our schools, we strongly encourage you to contact your Representatives in opposition of House Joint Resolution 7025. The Senate has already approved its companion resolution and the House of Representatives is poised to do the same unless enough Floridians make their voices heard. Whether it is calling your legislator, writing a letter to your local newspaper opposing this amendment or talking to your friends and neighbors about this issue, it is critical to act now.
