April 9, 1999 Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
Fla. Education Plan
For the record, I want to clarify two potentially misleading points in Walter Shapiro's column in USA TODAY on my "A+ Plan for Education" (Vouchers pass in Fla., but will schools?" Hype and Glory column, News, April 2).
Shapiro stated that private school students in Florida are not required to take the statewide assessment exam. While this is technically true, our plan requires that children in chronically failing public schools who use "Opportunity Scholarships" to attend a private school, continue to take the statewide assessment exam.
Shapiro also stated that Florida's private schools are not accredited by th state. In fact the state does not accredit any school, public or private. However, the vast majority of both public and private schools in Florida are accredited by regional accrediting organizations suth as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Furthermore, under our A+ Plan, private schools that accept Opportunity Scholarships must either become accredited or be working toward accreditation.
By requiring students using Opportunity Scholarships to continue to take the statewide assessment exam and by requiring accreditation of private schools accepting Opportunity Scholarhips, we believe that our A+ Plan is designed to determine whether they will work.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
Tallahassee, Fla.