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Politics

GOP, Florida Share Similarities, Differences in Education Platforms

July 20, 2016 - 6:00pm

The Republican Party released its platform on education at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week, highlighting areas the party hopes to prioritize over the next four years. Educational policies in Florida aren't exactly perfect fits to the party's educational puzzle, but the state has been shaped by Republicans, who have tried to make education a top priority throughout the years.

Republicans have had a heavy hand in many of the Sunshine State’s key educational policies. Under former Gov. Jeb Bush, the state honed in on education, focusing on revamping an education system which had been at the bottom of the barrel for decades. 

Here’s how the GOP and Florida compare on education:


Parental Choice


GOP Platform: “We do not believe in a one size fits all approach to education and support providing broad education choices to parents and children at the State and local level. Maintaining American preeminence requires a world-class system of education, with high standards, in which all students can reach their potential.”


Florida: Florida lawmakers have supported several policies to further parental choice, with some policies going hand-in-hand with school choice policies. 


On some policies, parents have gone head-to-head with state lawmakers and state education officials, specifically over Common Core and statewide standardized testing. In the wake of a lengthy battle against the national education standards, some Florida parents have fought back, requesting to opt their children out of standardized testing. The movement has grown since the state unveiled the controversial Florida Standards Assessment test, which was marred with technical glitches leaving many students unable to take the test statewide. 


Some anti-Common Core groups have clung onto the GOP’s platform on parental choice. Florida Parents Against Common Core, a group composed of parents statewide, expressed their support for the platform earlier this week.


“The GOP understanding, acknowledging, and documenting their resolution to engage parents in the totality of their child’s learning process, and in all aspects of education, with a goal of equity in opportunity and achievement, is significant because it corresponds so uniformly with the action our parents have been seeking from school boards and legislators for the past three years,” said FPACC state director Luz Gonzalez.


School Choice
GOP platform: School choice—whether through charter schools, open enrollment requests, college lab schools, virtual schools, career and technical education programs, vouchers, or tax credits—is important for all children, especially for families with children trapped in failing schools.


Florida: School choice has been one of the state’s hottest educational issues throughout the years. Florida generally soars in this comparison, with some caveats. The state’s tax credit scholarship program allows students in failing schools to transfer to private schools, but that program has come under fire from some as a way to funnel money away from the public school system. 


Recently-passed legislation would allow students in the Sunshine State to transfer to any public school in Florida as long as there is space. Students in Florida also have many options to expand their educational opportunities, like enrolling in virtual school.


School Funding


GOP platform: The 2016 GOP platform says more money for education doesn’t necessarily equal better performance. The party notes the federal government has spent $2 trillion on elementary and secondary education since the 1960s, but high school graduation rates haven’t necessarily improved. Thus, the GOP says if money were the solution, schools across the country would be problem free. 


Florida: State lawmakers in Florida generally agree with this principle, with some exceptions. For many years, Florida governors have boasted about record-high education funding and per-pupil spending. This year, Gov. Rick Scott prioritized education spending in the state’s $80 billion budget. 


STEM Education


GOP Platform: “We advocate the policies and methods that have proven effective: building on the basics, especially STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math) and phonics; ending social promotions; merit pay for good teachers; classroom discipline;parental involvement; and strong leadership by principals,superintendents, and locally elected school boards. Because technology has become an essential tool of learning, proper implementation of technology is a key factor in providing every child equal access and opportunity.”


Florida: Florida’s leaders have pushed to promote STEM education in order to promote jobs in the Sunshine State. Gov. Rick Scott promoted state spending to push for $10,000 STEM degrees and has made the initiative to focus on STEM education and careers in the Sunshine State.


Cost of College


GOP Platform: “College costs...are on an unsustainable trajectory, rising year by year far ahead of overall inflation….The first step is to acknowledge the need for change when the status quo is not working. New systems of learning are needed to compete with traditional four-year colleges: expanded community colleges and technical institutions, private training schools, online universities, life-long learning, and work-based learning in the private sector.”


Florida: Combating the rising costs of college has been a longtime priority of Florida lawmakers. State legislators have been looking for ways to make college more affordable for decades in Florida, with the Florida Prepaid College Plan, Bright Futures and using legislation to keep college costs down. 


Just this year, Florida lawmakers passed a plan to prohibit Florida’s public universities from raising tuition above levels set by the legislature. 

 

 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.

Comments

Excellent comparison between the two, GOP and FL, education policy.

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