Staff Reports
School is out for the summer and report cards are in — for Florida legislators.
The Foundation for Florida’s Future this week issued its “Florida Education Report Card,” which measures how lawmakers voted on education policy during the 2019 Legislative Session.
This year, the foundation backed bills to promote career and technical education (HB 7071) and to create the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program (SB 7070) — an expansion to vouchers covering private school tuition for students from low- and middle-income families.
Both priorities cleared the Legislature, and Gov. Ron DeSantis has already inked the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program bill.
“Thanks to the leadership, commitment and courage of Florida’s lawmakers, more students will have the opportunity to gain the necessary skills for success in college and career, and families will have the resources to choose the best educational fit for their children,” said Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the foundation.
“The work of the 2019 Florida Legislature builds upon the state’s two decade-long tradition of continually strengthening policies that promote equity, improve educational quality and expand choice for Florida students.”
Both chambers fared well, though the Senate scored better.
At pencils down, the all 23 Republicans in the 40-member chamber had done the work to earn either an A or an A+. Democratic Sens. Randolph Bracy and Bill Montford led their caucus with Bs.
No Senator earned less than a C.
The House, meanwhile, covered the gamut.
The majority aced the 60-day Session, with 74 out of 117 members earning an A or an A+. Still, the foundation handed down 18 Fs, 11 Ds, nine Cs and five Bs.
The Foundation for Florida’s Future calculated grades by taking legislators’ voting records and calculating the ratio of favorable votes cast for student-centered policies out of the total opportunities to vote on those policies.
Those who “went above and beyond,” among them Senate President Bill Galvano and House Speaker José Oliva, earned a spot on the honor roll.
The full gradebook for the House and Senate is available on the Foundation for Florida’s Future website.
One comment
Silence DoGood
June 9, 2019 at 10:34 pm
The foundation gives an A for voucher support. That is their only issue. Its ludicrous to even give them so much attention.
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