By Gov. Jeb Bush
This piece was originally published in the Miami Herald.
When Florida began its education reform journey more than two decades ago, we led with a simple but powerful conviction: Every child, regardless of income, background or ZIP code, can learn and deserves access to an excellent education.
As part of that journey, we created programs to reward high performers, directed targeted supports and interventions for struggling schools and made Florida a national beacon of choice for families.
The result has been a remarkable boon for Florida. Families flocked to the Sunshine State, and our education system has served as a model for much of the 21st century.
Today, Florida is one of a handful of states expected to increase its total K-12 student population by 2030 thanks to families increased interest in choice.
Despite this success, far too many students remain stuck in “persistently low-performing” schools that year after year fail to deliver on the promise of a high-quality education.
