Whether Bush wins his court appeal and reinstates vouchers almost is irrelevant to the school-grading and accountability procedures' larger goals, really. Yet the court ruling took reforms off the front burner, again undermining public understanding. Soon, however, unless breathlessly awaited Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test comparisons turn out better than insiders seem to expect, it suddenly could become clear that, in the state's eyes, the point is not that some schools fail, but that most all Florida public schools are mediocre at best, especially high schools. It's not easy, and Gallagher is in no position to change the subject. Now, even in the better schools, the quality of education many students receive is far better than the quality of education their school offers overall.
Vouchers practically are a side issue.
Many school superintendents, Bay County's Larry Bolinger among them, see the wisdom of FCAT standards and assessments. But they're not just another reform. Starting school in early August reflects the pressure superintendents and teachers are under. It's an overstatement to say that A-Plus requires destroying public schools as we know them in order to save them. Even so, the strongest advocates of reforms should be prepared to defend them in those terms.