State: Bush turns to carrot, stick

TALLAHASSEE -- To reduce class sizes as much as voters want, Gov. Jeb Bush is proposing a carrot-and-stick approach: reward school districts that have already tried and punish those that fail.

The most controversial part of his plan allows school districts to offer parents vouchers to send their children to private schools.

"The old rules need to be put aside for a moment," Bush said, adding that he wants to give districts flexibility while focusing on student achievement. "It's important to get this right."

Critics wasted no time attacking the proposal.

Senate Democrats called Bush's plan "deja voodoo vouchers," while the architect of the class reduction plan voters approved in November called it "sour grapes."

"Gov. Bush should pick on someone his own size," said U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, who led the campaign to amend the state Constitution. Shifting the cost to counties violates provisions of the amendment, which called for the state to pay for it, Meek said.

A Bush spokeswoman said the $2.4-billion Bush put in his proposed budget to pay for new classrooms and the $630-million he earmarked for new teachers gives districts what they need to fulfill the constitutional requirements.

Bush's sweeping proposal, which must be approved by the Legislature, goes far beyond dollars and cents. Bush would:

-- Repeal state laws limiting portables and charter schools, which he says should be exempt from the provisions of the class size amendment.

-- Encourage students to take dual enrollment at community colleges or enroll in online learning classes.

-- Encourage school districts to redraw their school zones to shuffle more kids into less crowded schools.

-- Force school districts that fail to reduce class sizes to accept what he called "more onerous" alternatives -- vouchers, double sessions, year-round schools or school boundary changes.

Bush said it would be unfair to reward school districts that have not addressed classroom crowding with money that could go to districts that have. Hillsborough County, for example, passed a local tax to help pay for school construction and devised ways to build schools cheaply. It would be rewarded from a special incentive fund. The money could be used both to reduce class sizes and raise teacher salaries.

House and Senate Republicans praised Bush's plan and promised to follow his guidelines when drafting the required legislation.

"I think it's a good start," said Sen. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, who heads the Senate Education Committee. But he wants to expand some of the suggestions to include things like encouraging districts to make use of existing space in office parks. That way, parents could take their young children to work with them, Constantine said.

Districts like Marion County that upped teacher pay in exchange for increasing teacher loads shouldn't miss out on state classroom cap funds because their class sizes are lower than those districts that haven't been as innovative, Bush said.

"They should be rewarded, not punished, for those efforts," Bush said. Also, he said, "There needs to be consequences for noncompliance. The tools in the toolbox need to turn into a hammer."

The specter of vouchers drew a sharp rebuke from Senate Democrats.

"Floridians voted for smaller class sizes and improved public schools," said Senate Democratic leader Ron Klein of Boca Raton. "They did not vote for vouchers. They did not vote for double sessions, year-round schools or increased busing."

Democrats conceded that Bush had workable ideas, but said vouchers, combined with proposed budget cuts of key social services, would harm Floridians.

"Just days after presenting a budget based on "deja voodoo economics,' Gov. Bush is presenting a "deja voodoo voucher' plan to reduce class size," said Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, a leader of Meek's class size coalition. "Vouchers were not on the ballot in 2002. Reducing class size was."

Florida School Board Association president Wayne Blanton said an explosion of the state's voucher program is unlikely.

"I don't see a district in Florida taking that as an option," Blanton said. More likely, districts will lengthen the school day and encourage kids to take dual enrollment courses at community colleges before embracing vouchers.

Hillsborough school superintendent Earl Lennard said Bush's proposals made him feel better about the district's efforts to build schools through a voter-approved sales tax.

"At this point . . . I feel as though all counties will be treated equitably. I'm gratified. Districts that have worked toward reducing class sizes will not be penalized," Lennard.

Some Pinellas School Board members were pleased to see so many options and praised the governor's proposal to distribute funds equitably.

But there was plenty of room for concern. Board members didn't like the proposals to reward school districts that raise local taxes and extend voucher programs, and a provision that would not hold charter schools accountable for their class sizes.

"I think it's the state's responsibility to adequately fund schools," said Pinellas School Board Chairwoman Linda Lerner. "It's interesting how he will preach no new taxes but just say the local governmental bodies will do it."

Board members said vouchers -- Bush called them "school choice grants" -- could cause serious problems. More than 500 disabled students left the district for private schools using McKay Scholarships, resulting in a $4-million loss.

"They're looking at what I perceive as extending and increasing the opportunities for vouchers," said board member Carol Cook. "The McKay Scholarships are killing us."

Hernando County School Board member James Malcolm also said the county had done its fair share to address crowding and he is "eagerly looking forward to funds from the state."

He'll believe it when he sees the check. "That's the rhetoric," Malcolm said of Bush's pitch. "Let's see what the reality really is. Let's see if we get more percentage wise than Miami-Dade."

-- Times staff writers Monique Fields, Kent Fischer, Melanie Ave and Will Van Sant contributed to this report.

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