{"id":17801,"date":"2013-04-05T07:56:45","date_gmt":"2013-04-05T11:56:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/?p=17801"},"modified":"2013-04-05T09:01:30","modified_gmt":"2013-04-05T13:01:30","slug":"group-seeks-to-inform-unite-floridas-education-activists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/04\/05\/group-seeks-to-inform-unite-floridas-education-activists\/","title":{"rendered":"Group Seeks To Inform, Unite Florida&#8217;s Education Activists"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_17802\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/04\/05\/group-seeks-to-inform-unite-floridas-education-activists\/4-5-fundeducationnow\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-17802\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-17802\" title=\"4-5 FundEducationNow\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2013\/04\/4-5-FundEducationNow-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2013\/04\/4-5-FundEducationNow-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2013\/04\/4-5-FundEducationNow-620x465.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2013\/04\/4-5-FundEducationNow.jpg 1632w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">John O&#39;Connor \/ StateImpact Florida<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kathleen Oropeza, Christine Bramuchi and Linda Kobert former Fund Education Now in Orlando. They&#39;re joining an effort to organize state education activists toward common goals.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A loose-knit network of education activists generally opposed to the direction Florida has been taking its schools recently is attempting to organize into a more potent political force.<\/p>\n<p>The groups include parents, people who want more state funding for schools, and others who are fed up with the brand of testing-based school accountability that Florida has become famous for. Under the umbrella of the Alliance for Public Schools, they are hoping to bolster their fundraising capacity and step up their efforts to influence legislation at the statehouse.<\/p>\n<p>Their inspiration is one of their most frequent targets of criticism \u2013 two nonprofit foundations launched by former Gov. Jeb Bush. Bush\u2019s foundations have taken <a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2012\/05\/30\/jeb-bush-taking-florida-education-ideas-nationwide\/\">political and policy wins in Florida and pitched them to states across the country<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Melissa Erickson, a past president of the Hillsborough County PTA who is leading the effort, said the goal is to create \u201ceducation voters\u201d \u2013 regular people who will become knowledgeable about education issues and vote for state and local politicians based on their views on education. \u201cWe want to make sure we have a presence up there (in Tallahassee.)<\/p>\n<p>The new group, Erickson said, is a way to work with parents, school districts and teachers and get ahead of the debate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost of what we\u2019ve done, it\u2019s been reactionary,\u201d she said. \u201cMost people are incredibly happy with their public schools and think none of this matters to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Erickson said the group hasn\u2019t fully outlined its agenda. A primary goal is to educate parents.<br \/>\nMany of Florida\u2019s activists have opposed lawmaker-mandated requirements on school districts. The biggest complaint has been the ways standardized test results are used to determine graduation requirements, schools ratings and teacher pay.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content alignleft\"><h4 class=\"related-header\">Related<\/h4><div class=\"links\"><h5>Posts<\/h5><ul><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/04\/05\/explaining-the-differences-between-501c3-and-501c4-non-profits\/\">Explaining The Differences Between 501(c)3 And 501(c)4 Non-Profits<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/01\/08\/what-research-says-about-the-florida-model-of-education-policy\/\">What Research Says About &#8216;The Florida Model&#8217; Of Education Policy<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/04\/04\/education-reform-101-how-the-common-core-relates-to-other-big-ideas-sweeping-florida-schools\/\">Education &#8216;Reform&#8217; 101: How The Common Core Relates To Other Big Ideas Sweeping Florida Schools<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"topics\"><h5>Topics<\/h5><p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/07\/120634732-60x60.jpg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/topic\/the-laboratory\/\">The Laboratory: Florida&#8217;s Education Experiments<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<p>As with Bush\u2019s outfits \u2013 the Foundation for Excellence in Education and the Foundation for Florida\u2019s Future \u2013 organizers of the Alliance for Public Schools plan to create two nonprofit groups. That structure allows one group to take the lead on research and information\u00a0 efforts while the other lobbies in Tallahassee and is more involved in education politics.<\/p>\n<p>The structure also means the Alliance for Public Schools will be able to raise &#8212; and spend &#8212; unlimited amounts of money from businesses and unions. Erickson said the Alliance currently has about $400 in its bank account.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/04\/05\/explaining-the-differences-between-501c3-and-501c4-non-profits\/\">(For more on the differences, click here)<\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Opposing Perspectives<\/h4>\n<p>Foundation for Florida\u2019s Future spokeswoman Jaryn Emhof said they\u2019re willing to listen to the Alliance\u2019s point of view, but suspect the group will become a mouthpiece for the state\u2019s largest teacher\u2019s union.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe welcome people to the discussion about what is the best policy for Florida,\u201d Emhof said. \u201cWhat are they going to advocate? Are they going to advocate solely for public school funding?<br \/>\n\u201cI\u2019d be disappointed if they became an echo chamber for the Florida Education Association.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Erickson finds it demeaning when critics try to dismiss their positions by accusing the group of being union-funded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t get money from the union,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cThat\u2019s what they do to try to discredit and it\u2019s not true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Often, she said, what\u2019s good for students and parents is also good for teachers. <a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2013\/03\/28\/union-says-eliminating-pension-will-cut-teachers-annual-retirement-income-by-8400\/\">One example: The debate about ending Florida\u2019s traditional pension<\/a>. Good benefits are important for recruiting high quality teachers, she said.<\/p>\n<p>The Alliance for Public Education has signed on advocacy groups in Hillsborough, Hernando, Seminole and Orange counties. That includes <a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2012\/08\/01\/florida-parent-group-wants-a-commissioner-who-will-listen\/\">Fund Education Now, a group founded by three Orange County mothers which has become the most outspoken opposition<\/a> to test-based accountability, expanded school choice and other policies supported by Bush.<\/p>\n<h4>Educating About Education<\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_68\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 220px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/topic\/jeb-bush\/220px-gov_jeb_bush-2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-68\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-68\" title=\"220px-Gov_Jeb_Bush\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/07\/220px-Gov_Jeb_Bush1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"326\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">State of Florida<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Erickson is the niece of a former Speaker of the Vermont House and says it\u2019s no coincidence the group is focusing first along Interstate 4 \u2013 the crucial corridor of swing voters running from Tampa to Daytona Beach which often decides statewide elections.<\/p>\n<p>But part of creating education voters, said Erickson, is educating parents about the issues.<br \/>\nOne way it\u2019s sought to do that is by making parents more familiar with the services offered at their schools.<\/p>\n<p>The Alliance for Public Schools has partnered with the Hillsborough County school district to create a parent university program. The one-day seminars offer courses on Hillsborough County school choice options, its STEM programs (science, technology, engineering and math), and the new Common Core standards scheduled to take effect in the fall of 2014.<\/p>\n<p>Brandon resident Vickie Carpenter-Duncan was one of 175 people who attended the March Parent University seminar. She sat in on a session about Hillsborough\u2019s STEM\u00a0 and another session about how to help your child\u2019s school.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want him to have as much as he possibly can,\u201d she said of her high school-aged son, one of three children. \u201cIt\u2019s confusing, daunting, overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carpenter-Duncan said she could only take two courses during the four-hour event, but left wanting more. She said she wasn\u2019t the only one who felt that way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt also helped me see how much the parents didn\u2019t know,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen they found out what they (Hillsborough schools) had to offer, they were floored.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hillsboroughparentu.org\/\">Click here for more information on the April 27th Parent University session<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A loose-knit network of education activists generally opposed to the direction Florida has been taking its schools recently is attempting to organize into a more potent political force. The groups include parents, people who want more state funding for schools, and others who are fed up with the brand of testing-based school accountability that Florida [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":17802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[811,67,62,1026,1006],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17801"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17801"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17813,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17801\/revisions\/17813"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}