Public School Funding Task Force

Summary of December 11 Meeting

The Task Force meeting began with Senator Jim Horne welcoming the Task Force members and outlining the opportunities confronting the Task Force. Senator Horne remarked that "he has no preconceived ideas or concrete plans " regarding the outcomes of the Task Force's work. He went on to note that "it is important for all members to participate in the opportunity to decide how to spend from 8 to 14 billion dollars on education."

The Task Force members spent a considerable portion of this meeting developing some guiding principles for the Task Force. The members thought it very important to critique the entire current funding formula (the FEFP). They do not want a band-aid to the current formula, rather, they are considering constructing an entirely new funding model. Members began identifying key elements that may become part of a new funding program.

As they began this list of elements, the Task Force members became aware of possible resistance from those who may have a vested interest in the current program. The Task Force members are very interested in including performance indicators in the new funding program. They are, however, aware of the questions and potential problems embedded in measuring educational performance. There are questions of student and teacher performance and how best to measure each. There are also questions of special needs and how best to serve them, and so on.

The meeting concluded with a presentation by Dr. Donald McAdams, board member of the Houston Independent School District. This is the nation's second largest school district and is considered the biggest inner city success. Dr. McAdams reported that in Houston, student achievement is their first priority. In Houston several factors were identified and weighted to best measure students' progress.

A more comprehensive list of the Task Force's first order list of potential ingredients and associated problems will be available at the next Task Force meeting that will convene in Tallahassee on January 22nd. The meeting will be in the Knott Building's Room 117 and will begin at 9 am.