F.A.C.E. to FACE
F.A.C.E. BULLETIN
10/20/05
Dear Friends,
The Tampa Bay Step Up For Student Donor Rally was a success (over 1,000 people), especially with the donors. The implication of the event will go a long way in developing relationships with our donors and growing the corporate commitments. Please look at some of the articles below regarding the rally:
Pre Rally article in the Tampa Tribune (School Voucher Coffers Growing).
Bay News 9 article, (Gov. Bush touts corporate scholarship program).
Another Rally article in the Tampa Tribune (Schools Getting State Vouchers Must Be Accountable, Bush Says).
Value Added Service. This may be of interest to schools that serve middle schools students. It would be tremendous if a private school student won this! Home school students should be eligible to compete also (GALLAGHER ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE ESSAY CONTEST TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL EDUCATION AMONG TEENS)
Thank you for Stepping Up For Students,
Michael A. Benjamin
Executive Director, F.A.C.E.
Florida Alliance for Choices in Education
School Voucher Coffers Growing
By MARILYN BROWN
mbrown@tampatrib.com
Photo by: JAY CONNER / Tribune
Second-grader Naray Pena plays kickball during recess at Tampa Baptist Academy. Florida's voucher program, which pays private-school tuition for students from failing public schools, is swelling thanks to big donations.TAMPA - -- Florida's school voucher programs continue to swell thanks to corporate tax dollars and the state's new voluntary pre-kindergarten program.
Gov. Jeb Bush is slated to rally in Tampa on Monday for the state's corporate scholarship program, accepting an $8 million check from home improvement giant Lowe's.
Instead of going into state coffers, that part of Lowe's state income tax will buy scholarships for children from poor families to attend private or faith-based schools.
"It's just a great opportunity to help the underprivileged kids who otherwise wouldn't get a chance to help themselves," said Kem Smith, a regional vice president for Lowe's who plans to present the check.
Monday's millions from Lowe's will help nearly double this year's commitments as compared with last year at the same time, said John Kirtley, founder and chairman of Florida Pride, the largest of five organizations administering the corporate scholarship program.
Kirtley said scholarship recipients now total 15,000, with $56 million so far this year in commitments. It remains the largest such program in the nation.
Florida vouchers have prompted debate since the first program was created in 1998. Those first vouchers, called Opportunity Scholarships and offered to students in failing schools, never drew great numbers, but successors have.
The largest voucher program is the newest -- the state's taxpayer-funded voluntary pre-kindergarten program, with nearly 80,000 4-year-olds enrolled, mostly in private or faith-based schools.
The corporate scholarships don't save Lowe's and other participants, such as Chico's, Progress Energy, Pulte Homes and Dillard's, money. They redirect part of what the companies would pay in state income taxes to scholarship organizations. Parents choose schools from a state-approved list.
Savings Versus Accountability
Advocates say the corporate program, unlike the other vouchers, saves taxpayers money, and a study by Florida TaxWatch research institute backed that up, recommending the program be expanded.
Corporate vouchers pay for private or faith-based scholarships of up to $3,500 per student, while basic per pupil allocations to public schools average more than $6,000 per pupil.
Voucher opponents say the costs aren't comparable because private schools aren't limited by the state's class-size amendment, teacher certification or testing requirements.
Bills requiring audits, standardized testing and owner background checks for private schools taking state vouchers have failed to pass the state Legislature.
A group headed by Kirtley that oversees nearly all the corporate scholarships requires audits, and he said he wants state law to require those as well as testing monitored by an outside agency.
"We have to show politically that it's working," Kirtley said. "The taxpayers deserve to know that the program is working very well."
Muslim School Windfall
Florida Pride reports that two Tampa Muslim schools have the most corporate scholarships in the Tampa Bay Area, although only 2 percent of students in corporate scholarships statewide attend Muslim schools.
American Youth Academy has 95 students on corporate scholarships and Universal Academy of Florida, 59. Both also have state-funded voluntary pre-k classes.
American Youth Academy is in the same building and has the same telephone number as the former Islamic Academy of Florida. That school received vouchers through Florida Pride and lost all voucher funding in July 2003 after media reported its connections to Sami Al-Arian, a school founder now on trial in federal court accused of being a leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
American Youth Academy Principal Magda Saleh said the Islamic Academy was "dissolved and a new one formed."
Students from several surrounding counties attend the school, Saleh said, because it is one of just two Muslim schools in the area. The scholarships are needed, she said, because "most people in regular jobs can't afford private education."
The other Muslim school, Universal Academy of Florida, tells families about the scholarships when they enroll, said Principal Moosa Yahya, as a way to "help people who are not making it."
Parents whose children are on vouchers elsewhere say they chose private or faith-based schools over public schools for several reasons.
"They do spiritual things throughout the day," said Felecia Manning, whose 9-year-old son, Yasin Rodriguez, attends Anointed Word Academy in Tampa on a corporate scholarship.
Maricela Peña has two daughters, 12-year-old Narah and 7-year-old Naray, at Tampa Baptist Academy on the scholarships. That's the school Bush will visit Monday, with Narah scheduled to introduce him.
"It's better for strong morals, better goals and a safe place," Maricela Peña said.
Florida's Programs
Opportunity Scholarships: Offered to families with students in public schools graded F by the state two out of four years. Gives private schools the state-allocated district cost for those students. Number currently: 719. Cost last year: $738,313.
McKay Scholarships: Offered to families of any child with a disability who transfers from a public to private school. Pays the state-allocated cost per student. Number currently: 15,913. Cost last year: $97.3 million.
Corporate Tax Credit: Allows corporations to divert as much as 75 percent of their state income taxes to the program to buy tuition scholarships up to $3,500 each to private schools for children from poor families. Number currently: 15,000. Cost last year: About $39 million.
Voluntary Pre-K: Voter mandated voluntary program started in August to serve 4-year-olds. Private, faith-based and public schools get about $2,500 per student to pay for 3 hours per day during the school year or a full day during the summer. Number currently: 79,985. Money budgeted this year: $387 million.
"The taxpayers deserve to know that the program is working very well,"
JOHN KIRTLEY On voucher audits.
This story can be found at: http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBUVWLRUEE.html
Gov. Bush touts corporate scholarship program
Monday, October 17, 2005
Taylor demonstrated the benefits of the program.
Governor Jeb Bush visited the Bay area on Monday to see for himself how the fast-growing "Step Up For Students" scholarship is changing lives.
"This program works because it give parents that otherwise wouldn't have choices additional choices," said Bush.
Seven-year-old Taylor Barnes gave the dancing performance of her lifetime during a rally held by Bush at the Tampa Baptist Academy. He wants to promote the state's corporate scholarship program by showcasing stories like Taylor's.
"School is fun because it's a Christian school and we have a lot of things like when we be good, we get ice cream and popsicles," said Taylor.
Taylor is in the second grade at Yvonne C. Reed Christian School in St. Petersburg. Without the scholarship, her mother, Shannon Coates, says they wouldn't be able to afford the school.
"When I was looking after I didn't get any of the choices with the public school choices program, my mom and I talked about private school as an option and one of the first things that came to mind was Yvonne C. Reed Christian School," said Coates.
As for opponents who say programs like this hurt public schools, Bush begs to differ.
"First of all they get more money because this program provides $3,500 per student, whereas the public schools get $6,000 per student and the public schools get to keep the rest of that money," said Bush.
Bush said the program doesn't hurt public schools.
Narah Pena, a "Step Up For Students" scholarship recipient, is in the sixth grade at Tampa Baptist Academy.
"It's a really good school," said Pena. "I like it because I like the teachers and how they teach. I also like how the kids are nicer than other schools."
The program is funded by corporate donation tax credits, like the $8 million worth of credits that Lowe's presented to Bush on Monday.
Students are eligible to reapply for the scholarship as long as they have good attendance and continue to meet income requirements. For more information about the scholarship, call (813) 258-2700.
Oct 18, 2005
Schools Getting State Vouchers Must Be Accountable, Bush Says
By MARILYN BROWN, Tampa Tribune
mbrown@tampatrib.comTAMPA - -- Gov. Jeb Bush confirmed his support Monday for accountability laws covering private and faith-based schools that receive state vouchers.
The standards should include student testing, Bush said. He acknowledged that accountability laws could be expanded to the state's biggest voucher recipient, the voter-mandated voluntary prekindergarten program.
"I don't believe it's on the agenda, but I think it certainly could be," Bush said of the prekindergarten program. "Accountability's good."
Bush's remarks came after he rallied at Tampa Bay Baptist Academy for the state's corporate scholarship program.
Saying, "It's been a fight," Bush praised corporations, parents and a sanctuary filled with students from area schools. Florida's voucher programs are the largest in the nation, he said.
More than 100,000 students receive vouchers to private or faith-based schools under four programs, the largest of which is a new voluntary prekindergarten program that serves 80,000 4-year-olds enrolled in mostly private and faith-based schools.
Except for about 700 students in the opportunity scholarship program offering vouchers to families of students whose schools get "F" grades from the state two out of four years, there are no state testing, curriculum or auditing standards.
For two years, legislators have proposed accountability bills, including employee fingerprinting. Whether private schools would have access to fingerprinting details have bogged down legislation, said Skardon Bliss, executive director of the Florida Council of Independent Schools.
Bliss, who attended Monday's rally, said he supports accountability, but testing requirements "could be a problem for us, depending how much is mandated." He wants private schools to use tests of their choosing, then submitthem to a private entity to evaluate. Bush suggested the same scenario.
"We're not looking to rank our schools," Bliss said. "We don't want them graded A's, B's and C's" to compare them like the state does with public schools, he said.
State Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka, who filed the House accountability bill in the last legislative session, said Monday that he will file another bill this year, with changes. "I am highly optimistic," he said. As for adding testing or prekindergarten, he said, "The governor and I have not talked about that."
The voluntary prekindergarten program's budget is $387 million this year and pays schools about $2,500 per child.
McKay scholarships for students with disabilities serve about 16,000 children and cost about $39 million last year.
The corporate scholarship program, with 15,000 students, allows companies to divert up to 75 percent of their state income taxes to buy scholarships of up to $3,500 a year each for children from low-income families.
Lowe's home improvement store announced its participation of $8 million for corporate scholarships Monday.
Value Added Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Tami Torres
October 11, 2005 (850) 413-2842
GALLAGHER ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE ESSAY CONTEST TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL EDUCATION AMONG TEENS
Contest offers teens a chance to win up to $750
TALLAHASSEE—Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher today unveiled an essay contest aimed at encouraging investor education among middle and high school students in Florida. The contest, “Cash in on Your Money Smarts,” offers teens a chance at more than $7,500 in prizes statewide, with a top individual award of $750 for one student in each of five geographic regions.
“This contest offers Florida teens a unique opportunity to be rewarded for their knowledge of smart investing and their persuasive writing skills,” said Gallagher. “Learning these valuable skills now will help pave the way for a lifetime of financial success.”
The essay contest is part of Gallagher’s statewide public education initiative, Your Money, Your Life, which is designed to help Floridians make better informed financial decisions. Gallagher launched the program in 2004 after learning that many Floridians put themselves at financial risk by waiting too late to save and by running up debt. The program includes a comprehensive educational website available at www.yourmoneyyourlife.org.
The essay contest, “Cash in on Your Money Smarts,” is open to Florida teens who are between the ages of 14 and 18. Students must submit a 1000-word essay to the Florida Department of Financial Services by January 27, 2006. Essays may be submitted electronically or by mail, in English or Spanish.
Each essay contest participant will be asked to consider and write a comprehensive response to the following question: “If you had $100,000 to invest, what would you invest in and why?” The response should address why you would invest in certain companies or products, what information you used to back up your investment decisions, and how investing can help you meet your money goals.
Judging the contest will be representatives from the Florida Council on Economic Education, a non-profit organization that supports financial education initiatives in schools and businesses statewide. In addition, department employees Fred Varn and Greg Thomas, who also serve on the Leon County and Wakulla County School Boards respectively, will participate in the judging process.
Cash prizes will be awarded to each of the top three essays in five regions across the state, for a total of 15 winners. First place offers a $750 cash reward, second place garners $500 and third place is $250. For complete contest details, to download an essay application or submit an essay electronically, log on to www.fldfs.com and click “Cash in on Your Money Smarts.”
Support for the “Cash in on Your Money Smarts” essay contest comes from the Investor Protection Trust, a fund created in 2003 from a multi-million dollar settlement reached with federal regulators. A portion of the fund was earmarked for investor/financial education.
“The ‘Cash in on Your Money Smarts’ contest dovetails with classroom efforts and, just as importantly, gives families of students a way to get involved,” said Gallagher.
Gallagher also said that department staff is available to conduct presentations in schools across the state to help teach basic financial management skills to Florida students.
# # #
As a statewide elected officer of the Florida Cabinet, Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher oversees the Department of Financial Services, a multi-division state agency responsible for management of state funds and unclaimed property, assisting consumers who request information and help related to financial services, and investigating financial fraud. Gallagher also serves as the State Fire Marshal.
Florida Alliance for Choices in Education (F.A.C.E)
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