Ensuring Excellence in Education 

 The People spoke, the politicians didn't listen

     Though millions of voters went to the polls to demand that the Legislature fix the problem of over-crowding in Florida's schools, our classrooms remain some of the most crowded in the nation, preventing our children from receiving a quality education. Rather than listening to the voice of the people, politicians in Tallahassee have spent years ignoring this voter mandate. Meanwhile, research shows that smaller class sizes provide tremendous benefits to students by lowering drop out rates, improving student behavior, and resulting in higher grade point averages. It is time to step forward and take on the challenge of over-crowding, and it is time for the Legislature to respect the will of the people. 

 Accountability works if done correctly

     The road to academic excellence is paved with high expectations and solid accountability, not arbitrary standards and capricious punishments. I believe in holding schools accountable, and I believe in standards-based education. But while the FCAT has the potential to play an important role when used as a diagnostic tool to identify schools' strengths and challenges, the Legislature has repeatedly failed to provide students and teachers the necessary resources to make achieving high standards a reality. Simply "raising the bar" does not work. We must put in place accompanying resources and the needed support if we are to achieve excellence in our education system. The FCAT should not be used simply to punish our students and teaching professionals, but rather to make our schools among the best in the nation.