The aim: Make sure their families' moves don't keep them out of the best academic programs.
By MONIQUE FIELDS
Published August 8, 2004
A new state law says the children of active duty military parents who transfer to Florida can cut in front of other students waiting for admission to popular academic programs.
The policy is part of a little-noticed bill approved this spring by Florida lawmakers. It says military children who qualify for particular programs must be allowed in, even if there are waiting lists hundreds of students long.
The preference covers magnet and charter schools, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. It applies to military children who transfer in from out of state, and those moving from one Florida school district to another.
The state Department of Education estimates 33,000 children of military families now live in Florida. About 11,000 such children move to the state each year.
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, co-sponsored the bill. He said it was intended to ensure that military families aren't penalized when they are transferred. "I've watched those children pay a price for that movement," said Jim Warford, chancellor of Florida's K-12 system. "The bill simply tries to address that. As to whether it's fair or not, I'll leave that in the hands of the Legislature."
Fasano said he expects few complaints about the policy, not when many military parents are risking their lives for the country.
Educators are trying to figure out how to handle the change.
The waiting list at Perkins Elementary, a Pinellas County arts and international studies magnet, is 480 students long. More than 100 students are waiting to get into Stewart Middle School, a Hillsborough magnet that emphasizes aerospace. At least 174 students are in line at Ferrell Middle School, a Hillsborough magnet focused on technology.
Pinellas officials said they will do their best to accommodate the new policy, except where it conflicts with the district's court-approved "choice" plan for pupil assignment. The plan sets race ratios and enrollment capacities for every school.
"To the extent possible, we're going to do what the state statute requires," said Jim Scaggs, an assistant Pinellas School Board attorney. "But if it runs afoul of the court order, then we have no choice but to follow the court order."
Jim Madden, the district's choice coordinator, said the district can't increase capacity at any of the countywide programs, which include magnet and fundamental schools.
Pinellas will try, however, to accommodate qualified military children who miss the application period for such programs by putting them first in line for openings, said Cathy Fleeger, the assistant superintendent for secondary and workforce education.
In Hillsborough, home to MacDill Air Force Base, administrators are assuming many military children won't meet eligibility requirements for affected programs.
To qualify for the county's International Baccalaureate program, for example, students must have been in Hillsborough while in the eighth grade. "It's not like we're going to have hundreds of students of military families who are going to displace other students," said Connie Milito, government relations officer for the Hillsborough district.
In Pasco, the impact should be "minimal," said Max Ramos, supervisor of the district's charter schools. He said two of the county's five charter schools have available seats.
Fasano said the new policy was one of several approved this spring aimed at improving the quality of life for military families. That's critical, he said, with decisions looming about possible base closures.
Florida wants "to show Washington that we have created a friendly state to military families," Fasano said. "We don't want any base closures."
