FR EXCLUSIVE: Gov. Jeb Bush answers the question -- "Do FL voucher students take state tests?"

Email from Gov Bush to summer | July 8, 2002 | Jeb Bush; summer

[summer]

Thanks, Gov. Bush.

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-----Original Message-----
From: Jeb Bush
To: [summer]
Date: Monday, July 08, 2002 2:45 PM
Subject: RE: quick question

Opportunity scholarship students must take the FCAT grades 3-10. The information on the test goes only to the parent and is not published. Private schools are not graded. The majority of students in private school are using the McKay scholarship. They don't have to take the test. The corporate tax credit students don't have to take the test either.

Jeb Bush

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-----Original Message-----
From: [summer]
Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 2:18 PM
To: Jeb Bush
Subject: quick question

Vouchers and Government Control

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Gov. Bush,

A certain voucher question comes up repeatedly on FR.

I tried to answer it to the best of my knowledge on my post #40 on the thread above. Was I correct?

Briefly -- FR posters against vouchers keep claiming the FL voucher students are currently "required" to take all state assessments. But, I say, NO.

Who is correct?

Thanks,
[summer]

[summer]

FYI.

Now, I already know the next question to come from FR posters interested in this voucher issue:

Why are only the Opportunity Scholarship students (voucher students from failing schools) required to take the tests, and not the McKay voucher students (voucher students with a disability) and not the corporate tax credit voucher students (voucher students from low income families)?

I knew you would ask me that! And, I am not sure as to the answer. But, I will try to find out the reasoning behind it. :)

PS BTW, never let it be said 'Gov. Bush does not care about the people here on FR' - I think he cares a lot about his base. He does not take anyone for granted. That is why he answered my email, above.

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

FYI.

[aruanan]

Good work.

[Illbay]

My only comment is "Geez, doesn't Bush know how to speak Politician? There's not one obfuscatory sentence in that email. Why, it's almost as though he just dashed it off quickly himself, without going through his PR flacks!"

[summer]

For those who thought FL had only one voucher program, please note: FL has THREE voucher programs.

One voucher program is for students in failing public schools ("Opportunity Scholarships").

A second voucher program is for public school students with disabilities (the "McKay Scholarships"). A third voucher program is for ALL public school students who qualify due to their family's LOW INCOME. These students need NOT be in a failing school. (the "Corporate Tax Credit" voucher)

For more info about the 2nd and 3rd voucher programs, see the links throughout these two essays:

'The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows' - Part 7: Jeb's 'Other' Scholarship/ Voucher Program, to Help FL Students w/Disabilities

'The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows' -- Part 11: How Jeb's Newest, 3rd Voucher Program Helps Low-Income Students

In another post, I will link to info about the first voucher program.

[summer]

Illbay, you know what? He is well known for doing just that - answering his own email. A+ for him, in my teacher's book. Thanks for your post. :)

[summer]

Thanks, aruanan. Now, if only the HUNDREDS of posters who have been fighting about this issue lately would find this thread, we might be able to raise the bar in our discourse on this voucher issue! :)

[smith288]

bumpity bump a roo

[summer]

Thanks, smith288. I will have to ping a lot of people to this thread later, after I go back and look at all those voucher threads....

[smith288]

Sure thing. :)

[summer]

PSS Also, I should add, it is important for Gov. Bush, as a governor, to provide correct info to people who are FL certified teachers -- and I am such a person.

Because now, when people ask me about this, be they students, parents, teachers, supporters of Gov. Bush or non-supporters of Gov. Bush, I can provide totally accurate information -- before, I was only half-right. And, I know the teachers union is not going to get it right either.

[summer]

For more info on the numbers of FL students involved with vouchers, see this recent AP article:

374 students in failing schools sign up for vouchers

The end of the article mentions over 8,000 students have signed up for the McKay Scholarships.

But, out of 8,900 students eligible for the Opportunity Scholarships (for failing schools), only 374 met the deadline and signed up.

[summer]

And, here is the state's web site and info about the Opportunity Scholarships Progam:

FL Dept of Ed -- Opportunity Scholarships (vouchers for students in failing public schools)

[summer]

FYI - a good thread to bookmark, as this question keeps coming up! :)

[summer]

FYI -- maybe a good thread to bookmark, as this question keeps coming up! :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

:)

[summer]

FYI.