Education in Florida
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[edit] Primary and secondary schools
In the state of Florida, public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of Education.
Florida's public-school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of personal income usually rank in the bottom 25 percent of U.S. states.[1][2] Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. states.[3]
Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25 percent of many national surveys and average test-score rankings.[4] Former Governor Jeb Bush had been criticized by many Florida educators for a program that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by standardized tests, most prominently the FCAT) with fewer funding dollars. Supporters say the program's tough measures have resulted in vast improvements to the education system. Major testing organizations frequently discount the use of state's average test-score rankings, or any average of scaled scores, as a valid metric (for details on scaled test scores, see psychometrics).
Florida, like other states, appears to substantially undercount dropouts in reporting.[5]
In 2007, the state's school population grew by 477 students to 2,641,598, which was far below the projected 48,376 increase. School boards blamed rising insurance and property tax costs and the major 2004 and 2005 hurricane season, which have discouraged migration into Florida. Growth in counties such as Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas, and Duval counties was under state projections. Hillsborough County was the only one of these to have grown; growth in the county was projected to be 4,537, but the actual increase was only 536 students.[6]
Some school districts have backed up the start of the academic year well into August in order to complete the semester and exams before the December holiday break. In 2006, the legislature required districts to start no earlier than two weeks before the end of August.[citation needed]
[edit] Colleges and universities
[edit] State University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida manages and funds Florida's ten public universities and a public Liberal Arts college:
In 2000, the governor and the state legislature abolished the Florida Board of Regents, which long had governed the State University System of Florida, and created boards of trustees to govern each university. As is typical of executive-appointed government boards, the appointees so far have predominantly belonged to the governor's party. This effect has not been without controversy.[7] In 2002, former governor and then-U.S. Senator Bob Graham (Dem.) led a constitutional-amendment ballot referendum designed to restore the board-of-regents system. Voters responded by creating the Florida Board of Governors; however, each university still maintains a Board of Trustees which work under the Board of Governors. During Florida's 2007 legislative session, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law SB-1710, which allowed the Board of Governors to allow a tuition differential for the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida. This legislation ultimately created a tier system for higher education in Florida's State University System.[8]
[edit] Florida Community Colleges System
The Florida Community Colleges System manages and funds Florida's 28 community colleges.
Supplementing the state's public university system is a network of 28 community colleges, with over 100 locations throughout the state.[9]
[edit] Private Universities in Florida
The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida.[10]
Florida has many large and small private institutions. The "Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida", serves the interests of the private universities in Florida. This Association reported that their member institutions served over 121,000 students in the fall of 2006.[11]
[edit] See also
- Florida
- State University System of Florida
- Florida Board of Governors
- Florida Community Colleges System
[edit] References
- ^ “Elementary-Secondary Per Pupil Expenditure Amounts by State:2004-05”, Public Education Finances 2005, U.S. Census Bureau, April 2007, p. 8, <http://ftp2.census.gov/govs/school/05f33pub.pdf>. Retrieved on 13 September 2007
- ^ Table 12:States Ranked According to Relation of Elementary-Secondary Public School System Finance Amounts to $1,000 Personal Income:2004-2005 (XLS). U.S.Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
- ^ Teacher Pay Review, Florida Department of Education, May 2006, <http://www.fldoe.org/ARM/files/Teacher_Pay_Review.pdf>. Retrieved on 13 September 2007
- ^ Matus, Ron,. "Schools still rank near the bottom", St. Petersburg Times, 6 March 2005. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ^ Ramirez, Eddy (May 26-June 2 2008). Keeping Count of Students Who Drop Out. US News and World Report.
- ^ Comparison of 2006-07 third calculation FTE with projected 2006-07 FTE and 2005-06 FTE. Florida Department of Education. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ^ Klein, Barry. "Bush's trustees mostly in GOP", St. Petersburg Times, 8 May 2001. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ^ Zaragosa, Luis. "Tuition will jump at 3 universities", Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
- ^ Florida Community Colleges. Florida Department of Education. Retrieved on 2007-09-14.
- ^ Official website of ICUF
- ^ Atherton, Blair (August 2006), 2005-2006 Accountability Report: Quality, Productivity, Diversity, and Access, <http://www.icuf.org/_docs/2005-2006_Acct_Report.pdf>. Retrieved on 14 September 2007
[edit] External links
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