Teachers union gives Florida an F

TALLAHASSEE -- When it comes to class size, teacher salaries, test scores and five other indicators, Florida doesn't make the grade, the state's teachers union said Tuesday.

The Florida Education Association, a longtime critic of Gov. Jeb Bush, released what it said will become an annual report card on the state of the state's education system. Of the eight categories graded, ranging from spending to graduation rates and SAT scores, Florida failed in exactly half.

The union gave the state D's in three categories: spending per pupil, teacher salaries and scores on the ACT college entrace test. The highest grade was a C- for school spending as a percentage of the total budget.

The state failed in class size, school size, graduation rates and SAT college admission test scores, earning Florida an F overall.

"What you have is proof positive that Florida is failing its public schools," said Maureen Dinnen, president of the union.

The union released its grades two weeks after the state issued grades for Florida's 2,500 public schools.

The most common of the state's school grades was an A, earned by 861 schools. Another 560 schools earned B's and 707 earned C's.

The state's school grades are based on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test. Dinnen said her group didn't use FCAT in its grading of the state because the Florida Department of Education has changed the way it calculates the scores every year.

"It did not measure up to our standard of reliability," Dinnen said.

A Bush spokeswoman said the report lacked credibility because the union has endorsed one of Bush's Democratic opponents for governor, Tampa lawyer Bill McBride.

The union "will do anything, will say anything to defeat the governor," Katie Muniz said.

"This is brass knuckles politics. ... They do no favors for the hard-working teachers they represent who care about whether students learn," Muniz added.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright