BUSH UNVEILS EDUCATION BUDGET
Miami Herald, The (FL) - Wednesday, January 12, 2000
Author: LESLEY CLARK, lclark@herald.com
Gov. Jeb Bush rolled out a nearly $12 billion education budget on Tuesday that he says will help teachers make Florida schools ``second to none in the world.''
Bush is asking the Legislature to boost state spending on students in kindergarten through grade 12 by $720 million - giving schools more money for tutoring and mentoring students as well as rewarding teachers at high-performing schools .
``These budget recommendations will go a long way in supporting our teachers in their efforts to increase student performance,'' said Education Commissioner Tom Gallagher.
But the funding plan was immediately attacked by critics, among them the state's largest teachers' union and Florida Democrats, who said the proposal was ``long on hype and short on substance.''
``The only way I can characterize this as a great budget is if I had very low expectations,'' said Cathy Kelly, assistant executive director of Florida Teaching Profession-National Education Association. ``It just doesn't reflect any amounts that are going to make a big difference. It's what I would call a standstill budget.''
Miami-Dade deputy superintendent Henry Fraind said district officials were pleased with the initial proposal - but are hoping for more.
``The governor has done well by us, but we're hoping we can have him do a little better for us,'' Fraind said, noting that Miami-Dade schools in just the past six months have enrolled more than 12,000 expensive-to-teach foreign-born students. ``All that we are expected to do, we never seem to have enough.''
Under the governor's proposal for 2000-2001, Miami-Dade stands to get $1.9 billion, a 7 percent increase. Broward County would receive $1.2 billion, an 8 percent increase.
DEMOCRATIC CRITICS
Florida Democrats said the proposal merely keeps schools at pace with the continuing growth in student population.
``This incomplete plan shuts the door on overcrowded classrooms, ignores the need for more and better teachers, neglects school safety and continues to abandon low-performing schools,'' Sen. Democratic Leader Buddy Dyer and House Democratic Leader Les Miller said in a joint statement.
The package includes $560 million to be spent statewide on class-size reductions, tutoring, mentoring, after-school programs, extended school year and summer school.
The districts would be free to spend the money as they chose, Bush said.
``We don't want to mandate or dictate from Tallahassee, but to give the flexibility to the districts to allow teachers to do their own thing,'' he said.
The plan also calls for a $30 million increase in spending on technology; $192 million to spend on instruction materials, including textbooks; and $60 million for a program to reward improving and high-performing schools.
CASH INCENTIVES
Teachers would get cash incentives for working in areas that are short of teachers, for showing outstanding performance and for developing creative ways to teach.
The initiatives include $11.5 million to be distributed in small grants for classroom projects; a $1,000 bonus to each public school Teacher of the Year; $10 million for a mentor teaching program; $5.2 million to forgive students loans for new teachers who agree to teach in underserved areas; and $3 million in scholarships to lure 1,000 college students to commit to three years of teaching in Florida.
Bush said the proposal would enable school districts to give teachers a 7 percent raise.
Kelly, however, questioned his math.
``I really think this is a budget long on public relations but short on financial commitment,'' she said. ``It does nothing to address a critical teacher shortage and there's nowhere near enough money to provide for 7 percent increases. School boards can only deal with the amount they get.''
UNREALISTIC RAISES
Fraind, too, said he believed a 7 percent raise was unrealistic under Bush's budget proposal.
``We as a district love our teachers, but we wouldn't be in the financial position to give a 7 percent raise,'' he said.
Bush is unveiling his budget package in bits - on Monday he outlined a $57 million crime-fighting package to give raises to prison guards working for the embattled Department of Corrections. He also wants to give some judicial districts - including Miami-Dade and Broward - new ``gun crime prosecutors'' to handle cases under the state's new 10/20/Life law, which imposes tough prison sentences on criminals who use guns.
Bush also proposes waiving $15.5 million in annual fees for license renewal for about 250,000 people, including some electrical contractors, accountants and real estate agents. And he proposes to spend $35 million more in a $442 million drug-fighting strategy that seeks to cut drug use in half by 2004.
The governor's aides refused to say Tuesday what cuts Bush will propose to pay for the spending boosts.
``Stay tuned,'' said Bush spokesman Justin Sayfie.
The governor will release his entire budget Jan. 19.
Bush is asking the Legislature to boost state spending on students in kindergarten through grade 12 by $720 million - giving schools more money for tutoring and mentoring students as well as rewarding teachers at high-performing schools .
``These budget recommendations will go a long way in supporting our teachers in their efforts to increase student performance,'' said Education Commissioner Tom Gallagher.
But the funding plan was immediately attacked by critics, among them the state's largest teachers' union and Florida Democrats, who said the proposal was ``long on hype and short on substance.''
``The only way I can characterize this as a great budget is if I had very low expectations,'' said Cathy Kelly, assistant executive director of Florida Teaching Profession-National Education Association. ``It just doesn't reflect any amounts that are going to make a big difference. It's what I would call a standstill budget.''
Miami-Dade deputy superintendent Henry Fraind said district officials were pleased with the initial proposal - but are hoping for more.
``The governor has done well by us, but we're hoping we can have him do a little better for us,'' Fraind said, noting that Miami-Dade schools in just the past six months have enrolled more than 12,000 expensive-to-teach foreign-born students. ``All that we are expected to do, we never seem to have enough.''
Under the governor's proposal for 2000-2001, Miami-Dade stands to get $1.9 billion, a 7 percent increase. Broward County would receive $1.2 billion, an 8 percent increase.
DEMOCRATIC CRITICS
Florida Democrats said the proposal merely keeps schools at pace with the continuing growth in student population.
``This incomplete plan shuts the door on overcrowded classrooms, ignores the need for more and better teachers, neglects school safety and continues to abandon low-performing schools,'' Sen. Democratic Leader Buddy Dyer and House Democratic Leader Les Miller said in a joint statement.
The package includes $560 million to be spent statewide on class-size reductions, tutoring, mentoring, after-school programs, extended school year and summer school.
The districts would be free to spend the money as they chose, Bush said.
``We don't want to mandate or dictate from Tallahassee, but to give the flexibility to the districts to allow teachers to do their own thing,'' he said.
The plan also calls for a $30 million increase in spending on technology; $192 million to spend on instruction materials, including textbooks; and $60 million for a program to reward improving and high-performing schools.
CASH INCENTIVES
Teachers would get cash incentives for working in areas that are short of teachers, for showing outstanding performance and for developing creative ways to teach.
The initiatives include $11.5 million to be distributed in small grants for classroom projects; a $1,000 bonus to each public school Teacher of the Year; $10 million for a mentor teaching program; $5.2 million to forgive students loans for new teachers who agree to teach in underserved areas; and $3 million in scholarships to lure 1,000 college students to commit to three years of teaching in Florida.
Bush said the proposal would enable school districts to give teachers a 7 percent raise.
Kelly, however, questioned his math.
``I really think this is a budget long on public relations but short on financial commitment,'' she said. ``It does nothing to address a critical teacher shortage and there's nowhere near enough money to provide for 7 percent increases. School boards can only deal with the amount they get.''
UNREALISTIC RAISES
Fraind, too, said he believed a 7 percent raise was unrealistic under Bush's budget proposal.
``We as a district love our teachers, but we wouldn't be in the financial position to give a 7 percent raise,'' he said.
Bush is unveiling his budget package in bits - on Monday he outlined a $57 million crime-fighting package to give raises to prison guards working for the embattled Department of Corrections. He also wants to give some judicial districts - including Miami-Dade and Broward - new ``gun crime prosecutors'' to handle cases under the state's new 10/20/Life law, which imposes tough prison sentences on criminals who use guns.
Bush also proposes waiving $15.5 million in annual fees for license renewal for about 250,000 people, including some electrical contractors, accountants and real estate agents. And he proposes to spend $35 million more in a $442 million drug-fighting strategy that seeks to cut drug use in half by 2004.
The governor's aides refused to say Tuesday what cuts Bush will propose to pay for the spending boosts.
``Stay tuned,'' said Bush spokesman Justin Sayfie.
The governor will release his entire budget Jan. 19.
Caption: photo: Jeb Bush with Frank Brogan (a)
MARK FOLEY/AP BOOSTING THE BUDGET: Gov. Jeb Bush, left, with Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan, outlines his education proposal in Tallahassee.
MARK FOLEY/AP BOOSTING THE BUDGET: Gov. Jeb Bush, left, with Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan, outlines his education proposal in Tallahassee.
Edition: Final
Section: Local
Page: 5B
Dateline: TALLAHASSEE
Record Number: 0001130076
Copyright (c) 2000 The Miami Herald
Section: Local
Page: 5B
Dateline: TALLAHASSEE
Record Number: 0001130076
Copyright (c) 2000 The Miami Herald
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