F.A.C.E. to FACE
F.A.C.E. BULLETIN
9/06/06
Thousands of New Scholarships Available for Low-Income K-12 Students
(More scholarships available! See bottom of Newsletter!)Start Spreading The News, Tell a Friend Today!
Don't forget the 4th Annual Coalition of McKay Scholarship Schools Conference, September 18th - 19th at the Doubletree Hotel in Tampa.
Don’t forget to sign up for the 4th Annual Coalition of McKay Scholarship Schools Conference, September 18th – 19th at the Doubletree Hotel in Tampa.
St. Petersburg Times Editorial, A plan to help young black males, and an editorial response by Yvonne Reed-Clayton. Yvonne is the founder of Yvonne C. Reed Christian School in South St. Petersburg, a private, non-denominational school that serves a lower income and African American student population in the area. Yvonne is a veteran of the Pinellas County public school system, and was moved to start her school in as a way to deal with the crisis facing African American children in her community.
Thank you for Stepping Up For Students,
Michael A. Benjamin
Executive Director, F.A.C.E.
Florida Alliance for Choices in Education
The Coalition of McKay Scholarship Schools
Coalition Conference
The 4th Annual Coalition of McKay Scholarship Schools Conference will be filled with opportunities for your school with the varied program being offered.
You will be:
1) Meeting with legislators and sharing your concerns and ideas as well as
listening to their perspectives on the future of the McKay Scholarship;
2) Participating in workshops aimed at helping your school develop even stronger programs for your students –
a) Building a Big Library on a Small Budget and Developing
Enthusiastic Readers
b) Assisting your high school students in making the transition to post high school
c) Using and adapting on-line courses for your students (Florida Virtual School and the University of Miami On-line High School will be featured)
3) AND MORE
The 4th Annual Coalition of McKay Scholarship Schools Conference, September 18th – 19th at the Doubletree Hotel in Tampa. You may go to our website for registration forms. www.mckaycoalition.com
A plan to help young black males
A Times Editorial
Published August 25, 2006
State Rep. Frank Peterman of St. Petersburg is on a mission to save black males in Florida. And Peterman, who represents mostly black House District 55, has a plan. During the last legislative session, he sponsored HB 21, "Council on the Social Status of African-American Men and Boys." This does not appear to be just another study commission.
The bill, which became law last month, creates a 19-member council to be appointed by the governor that will "make a systematic study of the conditions affecting African-American men and boys, including, but not limited to, the homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates, poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual income levels, school performance in all grade levels including postsecondary levels, and health issues." The attorney general's office will administer the council, and taxpayers will pay an estimated $182,751 annually for three full-time employees, office space and other expenses.
Although critics contend the effort is yet another feel-good initiative that will waste tax dollars, Peterman deserves credit for earnestly trying to reverse what appears to be an intractable crisis. No one else in Tallahassee has offered such a sensible plan.
"When you look at what's happening statewide with regard to blacks and crime, there are high numbers of black males who are killing one another," he said. "We hope to put together a council that will create policy. We don't want to put something together and put it on a shelf as a mere statistical document. I believe, like many researchers do, that this is a public health issue as much as it is a public safety issue. It has a lot of the same characteristics of a disease to some degree."
Grim statistics justify Peterman's concerns. According to the Harvard Medical School's Consumer Health Information Center, almost 12 percent of black males suffer from depression and less than 16 percent seek needed mental health treatment. A Justice Department study shows that in 2003, more than 9 percent of all black males age 26 to 29 were incarcerated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that homicide is the leading cause of death for black males between the ages of 15 and 34.
Peterman said that in addition to establishing an institute, he intends to create "small black male academies" throughout black communities statewide. He will enlist the help of local governments and religious, community and school organizations willing to help young black males learn, among other behaviors, the value of doing homework, talking civilly with others, solving problems nonviolently, respecting authority and respecting their peers.
To their credit, Gov. Jeb Bush and Attorney General Charlie Crist have embraced the initiative. Now Peterman needs to persuade the state's black residents to commit to the long and difficult work ahead. After all, the future of black men is at stake.
[Last modified August 25, 2006, 01:16:30]
RESPONSE
RE: A plan to help young black males
I applaud Rep Frank Peterman’s idea, and Governor Bush's support of, the initiative to address the crisis affecting young black males in our community today. It is paramount that education is included in this essential effort.
As a former public school educator I saw firsthand the high rate of failure and expulsions of young black boys. After retiring, I opened a small private school to serve grades kindergarten through fifth grade, predominantly black boys, in south Pinellas County. I knew these children needed something different than what was offered in the public school system.
Everyday our students learn exactly what you stated “the value of doing homework, talking civilly with others, solving problems nonviolently, respecting authority and respecting their peers.”
Thanks to the Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship and John McKay Scholarship programs 50 financially needy, minority children can attend our school this year and get a new chance in life. Hopefully Frank Peterman will be open to allowing private schools that serve voucher students a seat at the table as this commission drafts a plan for, as you described it, this “intractable crisis”.
Yvonne C Reed
Owner Operator of Yvonne C Reed Christian School
St. Petersburg
8,000 New Scholarships Available
for Low-Income K-12 StudentsFlorida P.R.I.D.E. and Children First Florida, Florida Corporate Tax Credit scholarship funding organizations, will award approximately 8,000 new scholarships for the 2006-2007 school year to Kindergarten through 12th grade students who qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a public school, unless they are entering kindergarten or first grade. Those who qualify may receive up to a $3,750 scholarship for tuition at an eligible private school of their choice or a scholarship for up to $500 for travel expenses to an out-of-district public school. The scholarships provide a fresh start for students who are not succeeding in their current school setting.
This year, $70 million in scholarships will be awarded to qualifying Florida students until funding is exhausted so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Income limits for scholarship recipients are determined by household size. For example, a family of four can earn no more than $37,000 to qualify. To apply, log on to www.floridapride.org or call (813) 258-2700 for Florida Pride and www.scholarshipfunding.org or call (904) 247-6033 or (407) 702-2607 for a Children First Florida application.
The Florida Corporate Income Tax Credit scholarship program provides K-12 scholarships that currently allow over 14,000 low-income Florida students to attend an eligible private school or out-of-district public school. One hundred percent of corporate contributions go directly to funding scholarships - not a single penny can be used for administrative costs.
Children First Florida - Serving Orlando, Central Florida, Jacksonville and Panhandle
P.O. Box 49099
Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240
(904) 247-6033 or (407) 702-2607
cforster@scholarshipfunding.org
Florida P.R.I.D.E. - Serving Tampa Bay, South Florida and Marion County
P.O. Box 1670
Tampa, Florida 33606
(800) 782-9140
info@floridapride.org
School Year 06 - 07 Income Eligibility Guidelines
Persons in Household
Annual Household Income
2
$24,420
3
$30,710
4
$37,000
5
$43,290
6
$49,580
7
$55,870
8
$62,160
9
$68,450
10
$74,740
11
$81,030
12
$87,320
13
$93,610
For each additional person, add
$6,290
Effective from June 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007
Florida Alliance for Choices in Education (F.A.C.E)
If you no longer want to receive this mailing or you wish to unsubscribe from
F.A.C.E mailings, please send an e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to mbenjamin@flace.org.
