BESE Adopts Accreditation as Proof of School Quality

Amy Jeffries — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:24:55 +0000

The state's top school board Tuesday adopted revisions to its process for approving private and parochial schools. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will now accept accreditation from independent agencies as proof a school meets state standards.

In Florida, Vouchers Bring Modest Improvement to Public Education

Amy Jeffries — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Late Thursday night, the state house passed a bill that would allow public school dollars to be used to send students from low-income families attending failing schools to private schools instead. The legislation, which is a cornerstone of Governor Bobby Jindal's education reform plan, could hit the Senate floor this week.

The voucher program is modeled in part after a program in Florida, which was the first state to try vouchers on a large scale a decade ago.

David Figlio, a professor of education, social policy, and economics at Northwestern University in Illinois, has been studying Florida's program since its inception.

He was skeptical at first.