The bill cuts class time from 720 hours a year, recommended by the state Board of Education, to as few as 540 hours.
By Associated Press
Published March 19, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - The author of Florida's universal prekindergarten amendment said a diluted House plan to implement the legislation slights both the 4-year-olds who will enter the voluntary classes and the voters who approved the proposal two years ago.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas, who is among three candidates seeking the state's Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, described the House bill (HB 821) as "a meaningless, shallow effort" that would "be a travesty to future generations" if passed.
"Our bill has been watered down to basically just a babysitting program," said Penelas, who threatened to make the November elections in Florida a "one-issue referendum" if the House legislation prevails.
"We will go back and rally the base of mothers and fathers, grandparents and educators who worked tirelessly to get this amendment passed in the first place. And we'll remember those state lawmakers who betrayed Florida voters and sold out an entire generation of 4-year-olds."
There are major differences between a pre-K proposal approved by the state Board of Education last month and the amended measure sponsored by Rep. Gus Barreiro, R-Miami Beach.
The board recommended 720 hours of pre-K class time spread over 180 school days and a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1. The House bill would call for as few as 540 hours and allow a student-teacher ratio of as high as 18 to 1.
Republican Gov. Jeb Bush has said he favors the plan approved by the state board.
The pre-K amendment was approved by 59 percent of voters in 2002 and provides for free "high quality" prekindergarten to 4-year-olds starting in 2005. The startup cost is estimated at $262-million.
A point in House version suggesting a reimbursed, Web-based, self-instruction alternative was assailed as "laughable" Thursday by service providers and Reps. Shelley Vana, D-Lantana; Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood; and Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach.
They also criticized a recommendation that would keep schools rated D or F from hosting prekindergarten programs.
"This bill tells teachers they're not worthwhile," said Vana, saying she was disgusted with the way Republican committee members rolled it through by a 21-8 vote Wednesday, ignoring members of the public along with lawmakers opposed to the version.
"We will not be quiet," she said.
Rep. Bev Kilmer, R-Quincy, the committee chairwoman and a sponsor of the House bill, did not immediately return a message.
The Senate has yet to unveil its prekindergarten proposal. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said the chamber's plan will "be education-based, not child care-based."
"We're going to come up with something we hope is a consensus product," Constantine said.
