http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/os-florida...
The Florida Senate today passed a lengthy, multi-pronged education bill that would allow parents to transfer their children to any public school in the state that had room for more students.
High school students who transferred, even mid-year, would be immediately eligible to play sports at their new school, under the legislation, as long as they hadn't played the same sport that school year on another campus
This is a first that I know of type of transfer rules. Allowing kids to go to any school that has space even if that school is outside your city or county. I see this impacting recruiting because you are going to see certain schools stock up on talent.
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Well that just laid the foundation for legal segregation again....
Yes and it will be accelerated by the fact these student's families will have paid zero taxes in that district. Who decides which students get in when 200 of them try to transfer to the rich part of town?
Sports coaches.
Except any segregation would be at the parent's choice rather than the State.
A much better set of circumstances.
If used wisely, it is association upwards by academic achievement or, academic opportunity.
So if I live in Green Cove Springs or Middleburg and I work at NAS Jax, then my kids have the option of not going to Middleburg or Clay High if Ridgeview and Fleming Island have vacancies.
If I live in Palencia and can afford to buy my kid a car (which by definition I can if I live in Palencia), then my kids can drive to Ponte Vedra or Creekside if they have an opening
Basically those with means can move and those who don't cannot.
edit: I did just write my State Rep recommending that the bill require showing of some type of hardship or logistical consideration and that it be handled on a case by case basis by local school boards.
Florida already has an excellent magnet school system...Paxson, Stanton, and Anderson here in Jax come immediately to mind. They can handle overcrowding through redistricting.
What is the motive for this again?
Agreed. It's a potentially dangerous libertarian-like move that could give advantages to a select-group over the unselected in a publicly funded educational institution. IMO, if people really want to select the school they go to, they should use their own funds for a private school.
I can't imagine why anyone thought this was a good idea holistically. Sure there are a few benefits, but overall this seems to be a negative thing.
I'm betting the good schools do not have room. This is likely to be an attempt to combat over crowding to get people to voluntarily go to a bad school because they have a good football team.
And that is a terrible message the state is sending. If you want me to dig up the statistics I will but in general terms, like 1% of high school footballers will play at a school that can feasibly send athletes to the pros. 1% of footballers at those colleges will go on to the actual pros (think it's less that 1% in reality). Sports are more important than staying is a strong, academically supportive district.
I'm biased. I work in college admissions and I take responsibility for every student that walks through our doors. If your school is not focusing on the education of a student and pushing them along saying they are going to go pro, no worries, and push them along you are failing as educators. I love when ESPN bangs the drum of academically talented athletes that want to be doctors, lawyers, or doctors. Those are great role models for young athletes.
So to get to my point, allowing students to hamstring their academics to be on the state championship team is setting a student athlete up for a potentially lacking academic high school career.
I agree. I was just saying this is what it is. Could get political, but won't. Used to teach high school. Unfortunately the farther you get from the students the less education becomes about helping the kids. The only thing worse than state regulation is federal regulation when comes to focusing on the student. This about politics, not education.
I don't think it's that bad of an idea. We have overcrowding problems here in the Lynchburg area. I think this can have negative implications but for the most part I don't think it will change much in the high school sports landscape. Only the serious athletes are going to uproot their families to change schools if it benefits them, and if does benefit them, so be it. I'd hate to see a kid lose a college scholarship because of where he goes to school.
That's the thing they don't have to uproot their family. You don't have to move into your new district.
Have they addressed logistics on this? The busing, the cost, any of that? It just seems like a logistical nightmare in some of northern Florida.
I would assume a student would be responsible for getting themselves to school outside of their district. I know in Ohio if your district school failed certain conditions you could apply to a nearby district but you had to provide transportation.
Hahahahaha.........Florida.
Sad, just sad. Student is going so far away from the first part of student athlete. Also I guess there might be some benefit gained from moving to another school district to reduce overcrowding I have a hard time believing the "good" school districts will have the ability to take lots of transfers...
I have a couple of of close friends who coach football in Fairfax Co and I got news for you, this goes on a lot in this county. But you do have to provide your own transportation.
VHSL rules don't allow someone to transfer and play in the same year.
http://www.fcps.edu/supt/activities/athletics/docs/VHSL_individua_eligib...
There are ways around this rule, such as a certsin class is not offered at a certain school. I just know it happens.
There is no exception for that. Unless your family moves the VHSL is very strict. They have been sued because of how strict they are in denying waivers.
http://pilotonline.com/news/local/education/because-of-rule-military-dau...
Sorry I can't be more specific. But it happens.
In other news, Jim Harbaugh just opened a new high school in Florida
Didn't he school Florida enough in that bowl game
So much for schools focusing on education. ..but I guess that not been much of a concern for many Florida schools/athletes. There are some exceptions, though, but not the norm.
Meh. Whatever the motivation, I'm all for all parents having the opportunity to get their kids out of failing local schools.
That said, I'd never send my child to a public school these days anyway for many reasons. If I can't afford a private school, I'll home school.