|
March 2007
Copyright © 2007 • Queue, Inc.
 |
Click on the ad to learn more. |
For back issues of this newsletter, as well as current and back issues of our other newsletters, U.S. Education News and Education Research Report, please to our newly-redesigned website: http://www.queuenews.com/
Florida Public Schools Advanced Placement
Student Participation17.1% increase in the number of students participating between 2005 and 2006
In 2006: 90,681 Florida Public School Students took AP Exams
In 2005: 77,460 Florida Public School Students took AP Exams
In 2001: 42,599 Florida Public School Students took AP Exams
In 1996: 28,491 Florida Public School Students took AP Exams
• Since 2001, the number of Florida Public School students participating in AP increased by
48,082 or 112.9%.
Exams Taken
17.2% increase in the number of AP Exams taken between 2005 and 2006
In 2006: Florida Public School Students took 163,552 AP Exams
In 2005: Florida Public School Students took 139,505 AP Exams
In 2001: Florida Public School Students took 74,642 AP Exams
In 1996: Florida Public School Students took 47,672 AP Exams
• Since 2001, the number of AP Exams taken by Florida Public School students increased by 88,910 or 119.1%.
Exams Scored 3 or higher
11.8% increase in the number of AP Exams scored 3 or higher between 2005 and 2006
In 2006: Florida Public School Students scored 3 or higher on 73,970 AP Exams
In 2005: Florida Public School Students scored 3 or higher on 66,174 AP Exams
In 2001: Florida Public School Students scored 3 or higher on 39,671 AP Exams
In 1996: Florida Public School Students scored 3 or higher on 24,728 AP Exams
• Since 2001, the number of AP Exams scored 3 or higher taken by Florida Public School students increased by 34,299 or 86.5%.
To see the full, detailed report on Florida:
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/about/news_info/ap/2007/florida_ap-report_07.pdf
U.S. Chamber Report Card on Education Says States Failing our Students, Risking our Future
Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness graded all 50 states and Washington, DC, on nine broad categories including academic achievement, return on investment, truth in advertising, rigor of standards, and data quality.
Florida scored 4 A’s, 1 B, 2 C’s and 2 D’s
A summary of Florida’s scores is available online: http://www.uschamber.com/icw/reportcard/default
To see the full report: http://www.uschamber.com/icw/reportcard/default
Florida Adds State-Funded Preschool
State-funded preschool continues to be the most rapidly expanding segment of the U.S. educational system but in many states the commitment to early education is fickle: funding is as likely to be cut as it is to be increased.
That's the message of the authoritative annual review of state preschool programs produced by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), based at Rutgers University. The report is called The State of Preschool 2006: State Preschool Yearbook.
The launch of Florida's Voluntary Pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-olds in 2005-2006 had a significant impact on the national picture. In its first year, the Florida program enrolled 105,896 children, but spent only $2,165 per child (35th of the 38 states with programs) and met only four of NIEER's ten quality benchmarks.
Nationally, total enrollment in state pre-K programs was 942,766, an increase of 130,709. Most states increased enrollment, but in nine states enrollment went down. Oklahoma (70 percent enrollment) and Georgia (51 percent enrollment) were the only states to serve more than half of their 4-year-olds. In addition to being the only state closing in on universal enrollment, Oklahoma did so with high standards.
To see full report: http://nieer.org/yearbook/pdf/yearbook.pdf
U.S. Education Secretary Spellings Touts Success of Dunbar Magnet School
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings visited Dunbar Magnet School, where curriculum is infused with themes such as math, science, art, music, and foreign language. Dunbar is a Gifted and Talent Development Academy whose teachers are selected by committee and receive extensive training.
"With No Child Left Behind, our nation made a promise to have every student learning on grade level by 2014. Every day, you're proving it can be done," Secretary Spellings said to children, parents and teachers. "By emphasizing math, science, and rigor at Dunbar, you are helping equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed."
Florida fourth graders recently achieved their highest math and reading scores in the history of the Nation's Report Card. Between 2003-2005, more than 22,000 Florida eighth graders gained fundamental math skills, and 14,000 gained challenging reading skills.
Florida's Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 12th Annual National Awards Program
Placida and Beverly Hills students earn $1,000 awards, engraved medallions and trip to nation’s capital
Honors also bestowed on other top youth volunteers in Florida
Alexander Srodes, 16, of Placida and B. Donovan Foster, 14, of Beverly Hills have been named Florida's top two youth volunteers for 2007. The awards program is now in its 12th year. It is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism.
Alexander was nominated by Lemon Bay High School in Englewood. Donovan was nominated by Citrus Springs Middle School in Citrus Springs. As State Honorees, each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees – one middle level and one high school youth – from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2007 at that time.
Alexander, a junior at Lemon Bay High School in Englewood, has been working to save endangered sea turtles for the past five years by making presentations at schools, libraries and at special events. Alexander was just 11 years old when he created “Turtle Talks,” an educational program about the loggerhead and green turtles that nest on the beaches near his home in Southwest Florida. “When I learned that they were rapidly approaching extinction, I knew I had to notify my peers that this problem existed,” he said.
Alexander visited a local marine lab to learn more about the turtles, and then applied for a grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation to develop a traveling educational show that includes a Power-Point presentation, a turtle costume and other props to engage young audiences. Since 2002, Alexander has delivered his “Turtle Talks” to thousands of kids and adults at 25 schools, eight libraries and seven nature events. These days he also gives away free copies of an information and activity booklet he wrote; 10,000 copies have been printed in English and 5,000 in Spanish. Last year Alexander learned that an aquarium in Clearwater had named one of its turtles after him. “It is up to us as young people to support conservation efforts so that these ancient reptiles can continue to swim the world,” he said.
Donovan, an eighth-grader at Citrus Springs Middle School in Citrus Springs, designed and helped sell an award-winning decal that is projected to raise more than $70,000 to support manatee rescue, research and rehabilitation programs. Donovan has enjoyed drawing and painting since he was young, and he developed a passion for manatees after a sixth-grade field trip gave him the opportunity to swim with the creatures. When he heard about a contest sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to design a manatee decal, he jumped at the chance.
“I used the underwater photos I took of the manatees and strove to make my painting capture the serenity of these docile creatures,” Donovan said. After his design – depicting a mother manatee and her calf, entitled “Manatees at Sunrise” – beat 74 other entries, Donovan got to work selling the new decal in the Citrus County Tax Collector’s Office and at Homosassa State Park. He also got his school involved in the fund-raising effort. While selling decals, Donovan serves as a passionate advocate for manatee preservation. “Manatees are such beautiful and inquisitive creatures,” he said. “Helping them live on for generation after generation should be of utmost importance to us all!”
In addition, the program judges recognized eight other Florida students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion:
Erica Alexander, 17, of North Miami Beach, a senior at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in Miami, collected hundreds of hygiene items, medications, toys and books, and personally delivered them to Sri Lankan victims of the disastrous tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in December 2004. Erica also raised more than $3,000 to aid the victims, and continues to host periodic collection drives to benefit people in her mother’s homeland of Sri Lanka.
Jaclyn Dolinsky, 18, of Plantation, a senior at American Heritage School, organized a basketball tournament at her school that has raised more than $4,500 over the past two years to grant the wishes for two terminally ill children. The proceeds from Jaclyn’s “Swish-for-a-Wish” tournament enabled the Make-A-Wish Foundation to send the two children on vacations with their families.
Megan Getter, 17, of Fort Myers, a senior at Fort Myers High School, hosted a teen volunteer fair and created a volunteer directory and Web site to help young people find service opportunities in their community. Megan also speaks to community groups on behalf of the Friendship Volunteer Center’s Teen Corps, and participates regularly in Teen Corps activities.
Stacey Grant, 17, of Lakeland, a senior at George Jenkins High School, led a group of seven high school girls in producing 25 storybooks for visually impaired children in their county. Each book included printed text, Braille, raised illustrations, and a “Storyteller CD.”
Kathleen Greenman, 16, of Marathon, a member of the American Red Cross of Greater Miami & the Keys and a junior at Marathon High School, founded a nonprofit organization called “Hands on Hands” with her older sisters to raise money for orphans in Kenya. Last year, Kathleen organized a Thanksgiving-style fund-raising dinner, and even though it took place shortly after Hurricane Wilma inundated her community, the event brought in more than $10,000 for Kenyan children.
Laura Irastorza, 17, of Miami, a member of the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida and a senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, has raised more than $12,000 selling Girl Scout cookies over the past five years to provide 50 cleft-lip and -palate operations for foreign children through Operation Smile. Laura also undertook a 10-day medical mission to Morocco to volunteer for Operation Smile, and plans to become a doctor one day so she can help these children directly.
Daniel Lage, 17, of Coral Gables, a senior at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, collected used textbooks and sold them on the Internet to raise $2,500 to rejuvenate an after-school program in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. Daniel’s funds were used to renovate space for the program, revamp the curriculum, and purchase new books and backpacks for 60 underprivileged students.
Jared Padgett, 13, of Sarasota, an eighth-grader at Sarasota Middle School, served as junior project coordinator for “Operation Military Kids,” a 4-H project that provides support to families of deployed soldiers. Jared helped write grant proposals, raise funds, purchase toys and craft projects for military children, and pack and ship goods to soldiers overseas.Schools Use Incentives to Motivate FCAT Takers
For some students, getting a high score on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test includes perks other than being promoted to the next grade or the sense of accomplishment.
One lucky St. Lucie West Centennial High student will win a car. Skateboards will be given away at Liberty Magnet School in Indian River County. And South Fork High students can get a chance to go to Disney World.
Some schools get creative when it comes to finding ways to motivate students to do well on the FCAT. Many get their business partners involved to help provide prizes or incentives to students scoring well.
"It seems to have worked. Our students have really worked hard in the area of writing," said Port Salerno Elementary Principal Tracey Miller.
At Port Salerno Elementary, fourth-graders who earn high scores on the writing portion of the FCAT are taken to lunch and get a ride in a limousine.
The Martin County school started the incentive a few years ago after not making adequate yearly progress — under the federal No Child Left Behind Act — because of student writing scores, Miller said. She added the school doesn't have incentives for other areas of the test and donations from sponsors make the trip possible…
To read the complete article: http://www1.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5378078,00.html
To read a similiar article: http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070226/NEWS/702260375
Florida in the Lead as Number of National Board Certified Teachers® Tops 55,000
The teacher quality movement has made a dramatic gain according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT®s) has climbed past 55,000.
Nearly 7,800 of the nation’s top teachers achieved National Board Certification in 2006, a 7 percent increase over the number of teachers who earned certification in 2005. The cumulative total of National Board Certified Teachers stands at 55,306. The states with the highest number of teachers who recently attained National Board Certification were North Carolina (1,525), Florida (1,513), South Carolina (636), Illinois (431) and Washington (407).
For more information about NBPTS and National Board Certification, visit the NBPTS Web site at www.nbpts.orgSee Where the Great Schools and Failing Schools are Located in Florida on Google Maps
Homebuyers all across the state of Florida can display a Google Map of all of the public schools in their county and the FCAT scores for the past five years. School grades are color coded so that buyers can at a glance identify potential neighborhoods to look at for homes. This map of "A" through "F" graded schools gives buyers more information about the neighborhoods where they are looking at homes.
"I constantly get asked by many buyers where the best schools are located when they shop for homes. If the buyers are new to the area it's often hard for them to visualize which neighborhoods have the best schools," says Krista Fracke, Realtor. She continues, "By using this web page buyers can see the past five years of FCAT scores and narrow down where they want to search for homes."
The web page, http://www.kristafracke.com/idxschools.php, is a mash-up of the popular Google Maps service that many people are familiar with using to see aerial pictures of cities. Once the user clicks on the Florida County they want to see, the map centers on that county. The map then displays colored markers that show the location of the schools in that county. The color of the marker indicates the school's grade from the last year. Clicking on the marker reveals the school's name and grades from the past five years. The web page may also be found from the home page, http://www.kristafracke.com, by clicking on the "Schools" link on the right hand navigation menu.
An enterprising social studies teacher gives Florida high schoolers a heady dose of archaeology.
It is highly unusual for a public high school to offer full-credit courses in archaeology and anthropology. Yet three schools in Flagler County, Florida, have done just that thanks to Mat Saunders, who not only developed the curricula but arranged for five students to spend two weeks last summer excavating at the Maya site of Cahal Pech in western Belize. Saunders recently spoke to Archaeology about "giving kids a chance to experience a great science."
How did the program originate?
Well, I worked for the Belize Institute of Archaeology for about five years. So I always talked about Maya archaeology with the kids in my class. And they kept asking, what about us? Do you think we could do it? I said, well it's not really for high-school kids. Then I thought about it some more and thought, why not?
How did you convince the school to let you do this?
It really helps when your superintendent is the one pushing you to do these kinds of programs. Mine thinks outside the testing scores and truly wants a genuine education for the kids.
How was the program financed?
The students paid their own way, and the county school board provided financial aid where needed…
Any major finds?
Oh yeah. In addition to two tombs, there were ceramic effigies, human remains, obsidian blades. The kids were beside themselves.
Not all kids that age would do well in that environment. You can't take just any kid. You have to look at maturity. And you have to see they're excited about the work.
Did you take any good field trips?
Tikal was a big hit. And the Maya ritual Cave of the Stone Sepulchre really blew their minds.
What does your community think?
They're on fire about archaeology. We already have several companies willing to sponsor kids to participate next summer. And we're getting $10,000-plus in sponsorship donations for a workshop and lecture series in April…
To read the complete article, please go to: http://www.archaeology.org/0703/etc/conversation.html
National Center Focuses on Improving Quality of Early Childhood Education
United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education Opens in Miami
Positive physical and mental stimulation in a child’s first years lays the foundation for success in school and beyond. With three out of four American children cared for outside the home by age four, clearly the quality of those early learning experiences is critical. However, experts say the vast majority of children currently receive low-quality care in poorly designed programs with inadequately trained staff. United Way of Miami-Dade is committed to elevating the quality of early childhood education for all children, through a new, comprehensive approach to early learning.
The United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education, which officially opened on February 22, 2007 in Miami, is an innovative learning, teaching, research, and training facility all in one. Unlike any other facility in the country, the Center provides comprehensive training and information to adult-learners, including parents, educators, business leaders and researchers, as well as the best available care and education to young children ages six weeks to five years old.
“The United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education is a national focal point for people passionate about early learning,” Harve A. Mogul, president and CEO of United Way of Miami-Dade, said. “If we want to make a measurable difference in the lives of young children and their families, we must teach people what high-quality early education is and implement these superior practices and programs across the country. Collaboration is critical – the entire community from business leaders to lawmakers must work together.”
United Way joined forces with some of the nation’s leading child advocates to develop a facility which truly is a model for excellence. The Center’s Demonstration School offers children an ideal environment to learn and grow, while at the same time allows adult-learners to monitor classroom activities. Through the use of microphones and one-way glass, adults can observe high-quality care and education without interrupting the child’s learning process. Among the best practices modeled at the Demonstration School is a dual language program, where students as young as six weeks old are fully immersed in two languages, learning their home language in addition to a second language. The Center also has a thriving arts component, which helps children develop fine motor skills, pre-literacy skills, and pre-math skills through dance, drama, visual, and literary arts.
While children are exposed to best practices in the Demonstration School, adult-learners can study those same practices in the facility’s Business Learning Center and gather information at the Resource Library and Training Center. Through its community outreach programs, United Way’s Center for Excellence in Early Education offers seminars, workshops, and other resources to promote high-quality early learning. The Center is also working with a number of major universities and organizations to research innovative practices and techniques in the field of early education.
United Way recruited some of the top minds in the field of early care and education to serve on the Center’s national advisory board. Currently the board is comprised of 41 of the nation’s top children’s advocates and educators, including Marian Wright-Edelman, Children’s Defense Fund; Howard Gardner, PhD, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Sharon Lyn Kagan, EdD, The Yale Child Study Center; David Lawrence Jr., The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation; and Donna Shalala, PhD, University of Miami.
Florida Educator Urges Lawmakers to Provide Professional Development and Resources Teachers Need
In testimony before a Senate committee, a Florida educator strongly urged Congress to fund teacher professional development opportunities and to give teachers the resources they need to teach, not only to keep them in the profession but to help staff high-needs schools.
"Teacher working conditions are student learning conditions," said Pamela Burtnett, a classroom teacher for more than 25 years and president of the Lake County (Fla.) Education Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. "When teachers are respected for what they do, when teachers are excited about what they do, and when teachers are given the time to collaborate and work together, they are able to be the inventors of great activities and the facilitators of learning.
Burtnett, who is a National Board Certified Teacher, told the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that teachers need professional development on a regular basis so they can constantly improve their skills. One program in Florida she highlighted allows about 120 teachers to take five days of release time to do this. She noted that similar programs can make a difference, especially in the retention of new teachers.
Schools need the money and resources to give teachers time outside the classroom to focus on improving student learning, she said. Teachers need that time during the school day to focus on their craft with their peers.
But even the best professional development programs won't work in isolation, Burtnett said. If teachers do not feel safe, supported and encouraged to believe that they can affect learning in positive ways, professional development will probably have little consequence. If educators are to do their best work, she said, they must be viewed as valuable partners in the public education system.
"We must make sure that these positive opportunities and work environments exist in every school district," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "This speaks to the underlying challenge to recruiting and retaining teachers in high-needs schools. If we show teachers that they have the support and resources they need, and that we will help them grow, we can ensure that every classroom has a qualified teacher."
Florida School District First in the Nation to Receive Hybrid School Buses as Part of Advanced Energy Program
The School District of Manatee County in Bradenton, Fla., will become the first school district in the country to receive hybrid school buses through the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project. Manatee School District’s two hybrid school buses are part of the 19 hybrid buses awarded nationwide by Advanced Energy, a non-profit corporation that initiated a buyer’s consortium of school districts, state energy agencies and student transportation providers.
"We are proud to be pioneers in this exciting new area of transportation technology which will help us field a more fuel efficient bus fleet that produces less harmful emissions," said Roger Dearing, Manatee School District Superintendent. "This provides a powerful example to our students and community about the need to take positive action when it comes to addressing our nation's energy and environmental challenges."
The hybrid school buses are also outfitted with a proprietary GPS system called AWARETM Vehicle Intelligence that allows school officials to track the exact location and performance of the school bus via a password-protected site on the Internet.
About Manatee County Schools
Bordered on the north by Tampa Bay, and to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, the Manatee County School District is home to more than 42,000 students and over 7,000 employees. The district operates 33 elementary, 9 middle and 7 high schools along with two vocational/technical campuses. The mission of the Manatee County School District is to inspire our students with a passion for learning, empowered to pursue their dreams confidently and creatively while contributing to our community, nation and world. www.manateeschools.netOrange County Public Schools Selects Education Networks of America for 3-Year Base Connectivity Contract
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) selected Education Networks of America (ENA) for a three-year base contract, with two 1-year renewal options, to provide high-speed broadband Internet access for their schools that will help teachers teach and students learn.
Under the contract, all of OCPS’ K-12 schools will receive a managed district-wide network solution from ENA. The solution is uniquely designed to deliver increased service capacity for OCPS’ schools, as well as provide scalability and flexibility to meet current and future technology and network requirements. Students today must master skills that traditional 20th century classroom environments cannot provide. To compete in the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to provide fast, reliable and safe Internet access to educational resources on a more global scale. ENA’s networked education solution will provide fundamental infrastructure supporting student achievement.
Orange County Public Schools currently has a full-time enrollment of 175,000 students and the district is growing rapidly. OCPS projects adding as many as 5,500 students and 4 to 10 new school sites per year. It is the 11th largest school system in the country and 4th largest in the state of Florida. OCPS presently has approximately 50,000 computers in its schools that will use ENA’s managed district-wide network to access the Internet.
“We are selecting ENA because, we believe, based on their exemplary K-12 track record, they are the best qualified service provider who competed in our rigorous RFP process. They will be accountable and responsible for end to end connectivity from every one of our sites all the way to the Internet,” said Charles T. Thompson, Chief Information Officer for OCPS.
“We are confident that ENA can help us reach our goal of increased Internet service capacity with a high speed network designed to scale to 10 gigabits of connectivity and beyond. This will increase productivity and enhance teaching and learning throughout our schools by giving us a highly scaleable network that is not only capable of securely supporting data, voice and video on a single network but also able to meet the growing needs of our diverse and rapidly expanding student population.”
About Orange County Public Schools (OCPS)
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is the nation’s 11th largest school district with more than 175,000 students. OCPS is the fourth largest school district in the state of Florida. The school district employs more than 25,000 people and is the second largest employer in Orange County, Florida. OCPS has 170 schools, which are divided into six area learning communities. An ongoing aggressive building program will ensure that all district facilities are modernized and accommodate the region’s rapid growth. OCPS reflects the rich cultural diversity of the Central Florida community. The district’s major academic indicators have consistently improved over the past several years.Eustis Middle Mustang Jazz Band Scores Superior Ratings
Eustis Middle School Mustang Jazz Band recently competed in the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) District 19 Music Performance Assessment held Thursday, February 15 at Lake Sumter Community College.
At the contest, the Eustis Middle School Mustang Jazz band again received straight superiors for 2007, following on its record of superiors for the last several years. The band actually received a standing ovation from the audience of peers (other middle school and high school bands), parents and visitors. Mr. Gerry Ricke, "In my 13-years of band directing, I have never seen a standing ovation given to any band at one of these evaluations."
The band was rated by three judges using several musical criteria. Two other middle school jazz bands in Lake County received straight superior ratings: Tavares Middle School and Carver Middle School.
On Saturday February 17, students of the Eustis Middle School Band program participated in the FBA District 19 Music Performance Assessment at Tavares High School
The Eustis Mustang Jazz Ensemble, in addition to performing recently at Lake County's Teacher of the Year banquet, performs many times in Lake County throughout the year. These talented children also perform on a national basis and have won numerous national contests over the last several years. This year the band will play in two competitions in April and May at the Lakeside Jazz Festival in Port Orange, FL and the Dixie Classic Music Festival in Virginia Beach, VA.
Gerry Ricke has been the Director of Bands at Eustis Middle since 1994. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from South Dakota State University in 1980. Mr. Ricke taught instrumental music grades five through twelve for eight years in South Dakota, where he held teaching and administrative positions. Mr. Ricke spent six years in Iowa holding a high school band position before moving to Florida. Mr. Ricke is currently a member of the Florida School Music Association, Florida Music Educators Association, and the Florida Bandmasters Association.
As Director of Bands at Eustis Middle School, Mr. Ricke is responsible for a variety of musical ensembles. He directs the EMS Steel Drum Band, Two Beginner Concert Bands, Intermediate Concert Band, Advanced Concert Band, the combined 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Marching Mustangs, Mustang Jazz II, and the award winning Eustis Mustang Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Ricke assists students with Music Performance Assessment in solo and ensemble as well as State, District, and County Honor Band preparation.
Hillsborough County School District
Fitch has assigned an 'A+' rating to the School District of Hillsborough County, Florida's (the district) bonds.
The 'A+' rating is based on adequate, although narrow, debt service coverage provided by pledged revenue derived from the community investment tax (CIT), the strength of the district's financial management practices, a rapidly growing tax base, and a stable and diverse local economy. The rating also incorporates the district's moderate debt burden, offset by a sizeable capital plan and the slow amortization of existing debt. The district, the ninth largest district in the U.S., is coterminous with Hillsborough County and includes the City of Tampa.
The 30-year CIT was approved by voters in a 1996 referendum and may be used only for infrastructure projects. All outstanding sales tax bonds, including the current offering, mature prior to the tax's expiration. The first 25% of tax revenue received is distributed to the school district and provides the security for these bonds. Following allotment to the school district, sales tax revenue is dispersed next to the Tampa Sports Authority, which receives a prescribed dollar amount annually. Remaining sales tax revenue is divided between Hillsborough County and its three incorporated cities according to a population-based formula.
Growth in CIT receipts has been solid, averaging 5.7% annually in each of the last five fiscal-years (FYs) with stronger, more pronounced growth of 12.9% in FY2006. Collections for the first eight months of FY2007 show an increase of 5.1% over the same period in the prior fiscal year. FY2006 pledged revenue covers maximum annual debt service (MADS) 1.29 times (x). Although it is not pledged, the district diverts excess CIT revenue to pay debt service on series 2004B certificates of participation (COPs) to limit the use of capital outlay millage for debt service to 1 mill of the 2-mill levy.
The district's financial position is strong, evidenced by a continued trend of sizeable operating surpluses leading to annual increases in general fund reserves. Financial results for FY2006 show a $75.4 million (6.3% of spending) general fund surplus largely attributable to conservative budgeting, an ongoing hiring freeze of non-instructional personnel, and a sizeable increase in state funding. The district's undesignated, unreserved general fund balance increased to 10.9% of forecasted general fund revenue (12.3% of general fund spending and transfers) in fiscal 2006, exceeding its policy of maintaining an undesignated reserve of 5% of forecasted revenue. Consistent with prior years, the FY2007 general fund budget is conservative and includes the use of $48.5 million in general fund balance, although officials expect to end the current fiscal year with an operating surplus.
Overall debt levels are moderate at $2,172 per capita and 3.1% of taxable market value. The FYs2007-2011 capital improvement plan (CIP) totals $1 billion and includes projects needed to comply with ongoing state-mandated class-size-reduction requirements. Funding of approximately $791 million has been identified, half of which is expected to come from annual COP issuance and a fiscal 2010 sales tax revenue bond issue. The remaining identified funding sources include impact fees, state-funding sources, and pay-as-you-go from excess capital outlay levy and sales tax revenue. Amortization of outstanding and proposed debt is slow, with only 31% retired in 10 years. The district amortizes its debt slowly to maintain annual debt service on outstanding COPs equal to or below revenue amounts generated from 1.0 mill of the 2.0 mill capital outlay levy. Based on the FY2007 taxable assessed value, the district will use approximately .77 mill of the levy for debt service on outstanding COPs.
Enrollment currently totals approximately 190,523 students and has grown an average of 2.8% annually over the past five years. Hillsborough County's economy is diverse, with the services and trade sectors accounting for the largest components of the employment base. Tampa, which serves as the county seat, is home to numerous regional headquarters of multinational companies, providing employment opportunities and encouraging business as well as leisure travelers. Resident wealth levels are on par with those of the state and nation, and unemployment rates are low, totaling 2.9% through December 2006.State Education Data Indicate Florida's FCAT Based Grade Retention Policy Is A Failure
A 2002 Florida law mandates that third grade students with low FCAT reading scores (scores at level 1) be required to repeat grade three. The one-year and two-year follow-up achievement data collected by the Florida Department of Education were reported by Greene and Winters of the Manhattan Institute For Policy Research.
Similar to the one-year impact data (December, 2004), the two-year impact data (September, 2006) demonstrated that the reading achievement of retained students showed trivial or very small improvements. Retained students’ FCAT reading test scores remained notably below the average score of their younger grade peers. Recently those who control the Florida legislature and Governor Bush claimed that holding kids back would allow slower learning students to catch-up with their grade peers. As was predicted by those who have studied the long-term impact of such unfounded beliefs, fairy-tails don’t come true.
The findings in Florida are in close agreement with the many previous studies of the impact of grade-level retention. There were very small initial achievement improvements one to two years after a child’s grade “failure”. Most often, the improvements were short-lived. By grade 5,6, and 7 children who were one or two years older then their classmates tended to remain at the lower end of the learning achievement scale and most often dropped-out of school by the end of grade 10.
The Florida FCAT reading cut-off score for Level 1 was near the 23rd percentile. That means that approximately 77% of third grade students passed the test and qualified for promotion. Although only about half of students who had level 1 scores were actually retained, the outcome for most of the retained students has not been good. Compared to nearly similar promoted students, retained students had a one-year achievement gain of only 1 to 2 percentile points and 5 percentile points after two years.
Researchers use effect-size to evaluate the impact of new actions. The effect-size for the Florida law was small, no more then .15 at the very best and much smaller in most comparisons.
Most all measurement and data analysis experts have classified the percentile and effect-size comparisons found in the Florida data as trivial or very small. Small enough to be classified as indicators of a failed school intervention.
Contrary to widely accepted standard interpretations of data, the report from the Manhattan Institute claimed that the results support the use of grade retention for improving student achievement.
Wise readers will note that the Manhattan Institute’s stated goal is to support the conservative political agenda and to influence public policy in a direction desired by big business and the wealthy. At the same time, this writer has a long reputation as a supporter of liberal child-centered strategies for improving student achievement.
Research data are always meaningless until interpreted. Researchers with different agendas can always see divergent meanings when reviewing data.
Florida’s A+ plan for education has experienced other failures. Florida now has the highest or nearly the highest school dropout rate in the nation. Each year approximately 1,000 Students are being required to stay in grade three for a third time. Higher and higher percentages of students at every grade level are two or more years older then their grade-level school-mates. School-level grading formulas are secret and have changed from year to year but continue to reflect average household incomes. Art, music, physical education and non-tested content are reduced or eliminated for much of the school year. More and more teachers have become discouraged and leave the field.
Sure, FCAT test scores have shown some improvement. But measurement experts have noted that average scores on standardized tests such as the FCAT most always increase over time. The gradual increase reflects natural test corruption as teachers become more familiar with non-changing test items and test formats.
In Florida, the test corruption and higher scores were likely caused by such natural test corruption and by Florida Department of Education tweaking of the test scoring process. Such tweaking was suggested in comments made by Education Commissioner John L. Winn.
Bush’s A+ plan for education seems to be designed to ensure that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Perhaps, the plan was put together by persons who enjoy kicking those who are down or have fallen behind.
Robert R. Lange
Retired Professor of Educational ResearchBoca Raton Teen Wins Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Culinary Competition
On Saturday, March 17, at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Micah Tucker, a senior at West Boca Raton High, heated up the kitchens and won first place and the gold medal at The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef 2007 Local Culinary Competition. Now, it’s on to Dallas, Texas, where on Saturday, May 5, he will compete with 22 other high school seniors for a chance of taking the Best Teen Chef title and a full-tuition scholarship worth approximately $40,000.
“I can’t believe I won,” said Micah. “I was really nervous and the competition was tough. The judges walk around and watch what you’re doing and shout out how much time is left. But I just focused on the basics.”
Judges were The Art Institutes Culinary Arts Ambassador and former Culinary Chair at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Master Chef Klaus Friedenreich, current Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale Chef Director Jack Kane, Chef Lucy Mawhinney, and student judge Alison Friedman.
“We had an exceptional group of competitor here today who prepared a menu of Shrimp Cocktail, Sautéed Breast of Chicken, Fresh Broccoli, and Rice Pilaf,” said Chef Kane. “They all did extremely well but we can only send one to Dallas.” The participants included: second place winner and silver medalist Maria Lowenthal, of Weston, FL; third place winner and bronze medalist Travis Boles, of Naples, FL; Sarina Riley, of Oakland Park, FL; and Jodi-Lee Morrison, of Lauderhill, FL.
Participating Art Institute campuses include The Art Institute of Atlanta, The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, The Art Institute of California-Los Angeles, The Art Institute of California-Orange County, The Art Institute of Dallas, The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, The Art Institute of Houston, The Art Institute of Indianapolis, The Culinary Institute of Las Vegas, a division of The Art Institute of Las Vegas, The Art Institutes International Minnesota, The Art Institute of New York City, The Art Institute of Philadelphia, The Art Institute of Phoenix, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, The Art Institute of Seattle, The Art Institute of Tennessee-Nashville, The Art Institute of Tampa, The Art Institute of Vancouver, The Art Institute of Washington, and The Art Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale www.aifl.edeu is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/btc), with 34 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals.
Background
Micha Tucker, 18 year-old senior at West Boca High School, started cooking when he was 10 years old. “I like to eat,” Micah confesses. He loved to watch and still enjoys watching cooking shows on television and his uncle, who is a chef, inspired Micah to continue pursuing cooking. When he’s not in school, Micah works six days a week at an upscale restaurant in Boca Raton called Bistro Zenith where he is a line cook and sous chef. When he’s not working, Micah volunteers for charity events sponsored by the American Culinary Federation. Upon graduation, Micah hopes to own a restaurant, become a certified executive chef, a personal chef, and chef instructor. His favorite dish to make is mushroom spinach gouda stuffed chicken breasts with yellow rice and asparagus and orange jus lie.