From the Orlando Sentinel, by Jeff Solochek
The Florida PTA has joined the chorus of organizations and leaders calling upon the State Board of Education to rethink its strategic plan that sets achievement goals based on races.
"Florida PTA believes all students, regardless of race, geography or gender should be expected to attain the same educational goals," the group said in a news release. "Given the proper tools, we believe every child can learn and be successful. By setting ethnicity-based goals, the door is open for continued discrimination."
The state board and the Department of Education have defended the goals as short-term targets on the way to full proficiency, amid criticism that has even come from the governor's office, as well as groups such as the NAACP and the legislative Hispanic caucus.
Florida is far from alone, though, in setting different goals for individual demographic groups. Setting of annual measurable objectives is done as part of a waiver from No Child Left Behind requirements, and had been measured to gauge progress toward NCLB targets and adequate yearly progress to this point.
Stay tuned to see if the State Board budges.
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