Minnesota could learn from Florida

Article by: MATTHEW LADNER

Actually, Sunshine State schools lead the way in gains for low-income kids.

The Star Tribune recently editorialized that "Emulating Florida is a failing strategy" (May 21) but suffered from some serious misperceptions.

The National Center for Education Statistics gives tests of academic achievement to random samples of students. All 50 states have participated in NAEP since 2003, and since that time, Florida's low-income students have made greater gains on the main NAEP exams (fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading) than any other state.

The gains of Minnesota's low-income students have amounted to a bit more than a quarter of Florida's progress. The Sunshine State ranks first for gains among low-income students; Minnesota ranks 37th, approximately 50 percent below the national average.

In the 1990s, Florida hovered near the bottom of the NAEP rankings. Today, Florida ranks near the top.

Daniel Patrick Moynihan once jested that scores on the NAEP are perfectly correlated with proximity to the Canadian border. States wishing to improve their scores, he said, should move closer to Canada.

If Moynihan were alive today, I believe he would be greatly pleased to see such substantial gains in Florida -- a state with a majority-minority student population and with about half of students qualifying for a free or reduced price lunch.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush addressed the Minnesota Legislature about Florida's multi-faceted reform strategy in April.

Deadline arrives for education chief applicants

The national search for Florida's next education commissioner has yielded three applicants so far, but several more are expected before the deadline Wednesday.

The pool of candidates likely will include at least one or two who aren't career educators, fitting with Gov. Rick Scott's promise for a "new era for education in Florida."

Florida's search overlaps with several other states' searches, potentially limiting its pool of candidates. But its reputation for reform and improved academics are a likely plus, at least to those with like-minded education ideas.

"We are competing against some other states, which is a challenge for us and our advisers. However, I'm pretty happy with the names mentioned during my last briefing ....and our chances look good," said John Padget, a member of the State Board of Education, in an email.

The State Board, appointed by the governor, hires Florida's education commissioner. It set Wednesday as the deadline for applications from those who want to oversee the state's public schools and colleges. Education Commissioner Eric Smith steps down June 10.

Read more of this Orlando Sentinel article here.