Florida Legislature steals 4 years of achievement, $2500 from your child

April 27 UPDATE: vetoed

April 14 UPDATE: This item is now on Gov. Scott’s desk. He must sign, veto or allow HB 7129 to pass without signature by April 28  Scroll down and use the link to email the Governor.

The Florida legislature has passed a bill that would devalue the past four years of AP classes taken by Florida’s 150,000+ graduating seniors in the Class of 2012. According to the Miami Herald report:

First-year students entering the two schools (UF & FSU) this fall could not use credit they earned in high school in advanced placement classes or other dual enrollment programs to fulfill the requirement.

AP classes allow students to begin earning college credit in high school. For most Florida families, AP classes can reduce the cost of college, and get our students through faster. With some of the basic classes out of the way, college students can focus on those tougher STEM classes that Florida Governor Rick Scott has been focusing on.

Thousands of high school seniors who worked hard the past four years and planned on AP credits to make college affordable, are about to get the rug pulled out from beneath them. That’s wrong. Next year, thousands of college freshmen will be made to sit through calculus or chemistry or history…again. How many will drop out for lack of funds or just plain boredom?

As for the financial side of the equation, if your child has earned enough AP credits to count for just one semester, that’s worth about $2500 (tuition only!) at UF or FSU. Was worth, excuse me…

While there is nothing wrong with rising standards, there is something fundamentally unfair about changing the rules in the middle of the game. We expect more from our elected leaders. We expect them to create laws and regulations that allow Florida’s families to plan and prepare. We don’t expect Tallahassee to simply erase four years of hard work and achievement by our best and brightest. That’s like stealing candy from a baby.

Here’s the link to email Gov. Rick Scott. Why don’t you tell him to veto HB 7129 / SB 1725 right now

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