Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Of our community leaders, I ask: what good are new businesses if we have failed our children by failing to provide them the education they will need to compete and hold the jobs of the future?

Without an educated population we have not done our duty as elected officials. We must improve preschool to higher education as a top-tier priority. We need to prepare the new wave of students who will take on the newest high technology work and biotech jobs, which Florida can provide. Thus, bringing solar, alternative fuel networks, bio medical research & development and all the businesses that will support our new technical corporations willing to come to Florida.

We need legislation to provide for a School to Work program for our youth. Recently it was reported that 24% of young people ages 20-24 in Orange County were jobless. That was the highest reported jobless youth figure in our nation. I will make policy to help bring down that staggering statistic. We all can agree that Tallahassee has failed our children!

FCAT test should not be used to determine a teachers pay or the failure of students., In school evaluations by professionals and weekly tests in classrooms which generate grades should be the test used for performance. The FCAT should only be used as a benchmark for progress.

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