Tell Governor Crist: Veto SB 6!

Legislative leaders have rammed through legislation that will have a huge and immediate impact on the quality of classroom instruction, especially for the most at-risk kids. Teaching-to-the-test will be far veto this bad bill now.

You can learn all the details about the legislation in this article.

Your Information


* Required information

The Petition

Governor Charlie Crist

The undersigned Floridians, concerned citizens from around the state, urge you to veto SB 6.

While many Floridians agree that we need a better system of accountability, this bill punishes all public school teachers and students, especially those children most at risk. It would jeopardize the quality of public education in Florida, focusing inordinate attention on standardized tests and driving good teachers out of the public schools. Florida would be the first state in the nation to tie teacher compensation (and job security) so closely to standardized test results. Our children won't be taught to think...they'll just be taught to pass a test. We don't want Florida's classrooms transformed into test-prep factories.

How will we persuade good teachers to work in low-performing schools where they are needed most when they risk not just losing pay but losing their teaching certificate if those at-risk kids don't make sufficient gains on the test?

This bill also prohibits school districts from increasing the salary of teachers who seek graduate degrees and national certification. If we want better teachers, we should give them incentives to continue their training.

This bill takes control of our schools away from local communities, and it will hurt students and teachers. We oppose it and urge you to do the same.