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. :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks for the ping! JEB is great in answering his email....probably much better than any other Governor.

I emailed him about another issue & I was amazed by his quick response.

GO JEB GO!

[summer]

BTTT! :)

[My back yard]

Thanks for the ping.

[dalebert]

Thanks for the ping

[nicmarlo]

I saw this earlier, summer, it's good to read what a governor who cares about his state thinks. kudos to you, as well, for staying abreast (and giving a little more p.r. to FR).

[sarasmom]

Thanks for the ping.

Another poster stated"Another problem is the creative aspect of things...teachers have actually become less innovative and creative, and more test-driven."

I really dont see this as a negative.While I am still uneasy about the FCAT,I feel the accountability standardised tests offer parents outweigh some teachers desires for "innovation and creativity".

IMHO Public schools should have as their primary goal the teaching of basic skills and knowledge.I am uncomfortable with "creative" approaches done on the whim of individual teachers and agenda minded bureucrats.My childs education should not include being a captive experimental subject for a teacher to play with.

Yes to vouchers!Go Jeb!

[mafree]

I might just do that-- GO JEB!!

[mafree]

OK summer- GO JEB!!

[iconoclast]

OK summer- GO JEB!!

Took the day off yesterday ... but, DITTO.

[rudypoot]

Great post. thanks.

[Brownie74]

Good post summer. Thanks for the ping. Another thread to send to the kids.

[summer]

capecodder, I noticed you have replied to other threads since I posted this thread, but, you have avoided this one.

Yet, I asked this question to Gov. Bush primarily for you, because you are the screaming the loudest about every voucher student taking state tests. However, you have not even acknowledged his reply here.

What's up? Are you another one of those posters who likes to yell about a topic, and then when a person spends the time and does the research -- no acknowledgement from you? I was hoping for something much better from you! Like, maybe: "Thanks" or whatever.

[Puddleglum]

Thanks for the ping, Summer!

[capecodder]

Thank you for asking Governor Bush a question primarily for me.

Among your posts, there are few with primary material, such as his answer. As you have noted, he has said the opposite in the past. How like a politician.

You are sinking to an ad hominem attack against me by characterizing my posts as "screaming" and by asserting that I like to yell. Please try to remain civil.

When you have a chance, please take a look at the Code of Federal Regulations and the mandate for state assessments.

All 50 states take fed ed funds. Therefore, all 50 states have accepted the regulations that accompany those funds.

The facts are there. Your exuberant opinions and personal experience cannot and should not be used as fact in a discussion about the legal requirements that are attached to government funds.

Additionally, history teaches us that government expands its bureaucratic power constantly and uses our money, with strings attached, in order to do so .

Next time you contact Governor Bush on my behalf, please ask for the statutory material about vouchers in Florida along with the attendant regulations. I'd appreciate the factual information.

[Coleus]

Thanks, it's too bad his older brother "W" acquiesced and gave in to Ted "the swimmer" Kennedy. I will pass this on to my Florida e mail list.

[summer]

As you have noted, he has said the opposite in the past. How like a politician....

Not true at all, capecodder -- and I am surprised you would say that.

I pointed out on this thread to you he was in fact accurate in his letter to USA Today in 1999 (A+ voucher students take state tests is what he said then, and is what he is saying now).

And, he was again accurate in his 2002 letter to the NYT, wherein he pointed out the parent is responsible for accountability in the case of a disabled student receiving a voucher -- which is exactly what he reinterated here.

He has not deviated at all -- what he said here repeated exactly what he said before.

The actual problem is that you and I were trying to assign only one rule for all three groups of voucher students. We were wrong in how we were approaching this.

[summer]

Among your posts, there are few with primary material, such as his answer.

And, I find this comment from you to be rather odd as well.

In my posts, I am constantly linking to information, but I notice people who want to stick to an agenda rarely, if ever, take note of that fact.

For example, in my two essays linked in my earlier posts on this thread, there are dozens of links therein to many sources of information -- these links are not "my opinion."

Consequently, I think you are being unfair both in your assessment of Gov Bush and of me.

[summer]

....Your exuberant opinions and personal experience cannot and should not be used as fact in a discussion about the legal requirements that are attached to government funds.

Well, since my asking Gov. Bush a question -- for you -- has resulted in your characterization of his answer being my "exuberant opinions and personal experience" then -- I am forced to conclude you actually have no interest whatsoever in: the facts.