CON: NEW VOUCHER SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE TO NO ONE.Byline: Rose Koscielny Here we go again. In the beginning there was Proposition 174, the Voucher initiative, and voters defeated this assault on children and public schools. Now we have Prop. 38, the return of the voucher. It is not new, nor has it been improved. It just has been repackaged with all the flaws intact, so even its supporters who drafted the first proposition seven years ago ``now dissociate dis·so·ci·ate v. dis·so·ci·at·ed, dis·so·ci·at·ing, dis·so·ci·ates v.tr. 1. To remove from association; separate: themselves'' from this voucher scheme (News Library): The San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. Union-Tribune, Aug. 29.) It is estimated that, at $4,000 a voucher, Prop. 38 will cost more than $3 billion to fund the almost 700,000 students already in private schools. Where will the voucher kids go? Must schools drop their tuition rates to accommodate voucher kids? Of course not. What assurances can Tim Draper, the Silicon Valley billionaire who is financing Prop. 38, give to taxpayers and parents that voucher schools can or will provide even a minimal education? The voucher initiative provides no accountability. There are no minimal qualifications for those who establish new voucher schools. Indeed, almost anyone can anoint a·noint tr.v. a·noint·ed, a·noint·ing, a·noints 1. To apply oil, ointment, or a similar substance to. 2. To put oil on during a religious ceremony as a sign of sanctification or consecration. 3. himself as schoolmaster SCHOOLMASTER. One employed in teaching a school. 2. A schoolmaster stands in loco parentis in relation to the pupils committed to his charge, while they are under his care, so far as to enforce obedience to his, commands, lawfully given in his capacity of of a voucher school. Teachers will not be required to earn a teaching credential A United States teaching credential is a basic multiple or single subject credential obtained upon completion of a bachelor's degree and prescribed professional education requirements. ever - or even a college degree. How about a high school diploma A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED. ? Not even that is required. Voucher schools will not have to meet the state's new curriculum standards, minimum performance standards or have students pass a high school exit exam. These schools will not receive an API ranking and are not subject to the Public Schools Accountability Act The Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) was passed in California in 1999 as the first step in developing a comprehensive system to hold students, schools, and districts accountable for improving student performance. . How much additional money would be required from taxpayers to provide remedial services when this experiment fails our children? Voucher schools will not be required to have parental input, fiscal accountability or even public meetings to inform parents and the community how funds were used. Will most funds go to salaries? What money will go to classrooms, supplies or textbooks? Who knows? There is no accountability or enforceable requirements to do so. Prop. 38 also exempts private voucher schools from earthquake building standards and health and safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory. that apply to public schools. Prop. 38 does not prohibit voucher schools from discriminating on the basis of religion or disability. These schools do not have to help struggling students to learn. Voucher schools can just remove these students. In the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. , our public schools are working. We already have quality elementary schools. Check out your own local schools, our API scores are excellent. Students are reading and learning math at record-setting levels, winning state and national recognition, and we are still working to raise the bar even higher. Schools are being modernized, technology is being integrated into curriculum, Character Counts is in full swing, and staff development to provide the best-trained teaching staff is ongoing. Vote no on Prop. 38 - it's an experiment our children and taxpayers cannot afford. |
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