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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
The Need for Schools
Hardee County
Habitat for Humanity Builds a School
Costs
Basic Education
Curriculum
ACLU and educational equity
Programs to Keep Kids in School
Florida’s Teacher Promise
Conclusion
Appendix
Sources
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Page 3
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Page 5
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Page 6
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Page 8
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Page 11
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Executive Summary
In an unprecedented collaboration, Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF, and the ACLU
have come together to guarantee equal educational opportunity for children in
Florida. The promise of equal educational opportunity is a cornerstone of our
democracy, but millions of poor and minority children in the US are receiving an
inadequate education, the ACLU is involved to fight for the rights of these children.
Habitat for Humanity is branching out to build a new sort of shelter that is very much
in demand, a school. Children spend a majority of their formative years at school
and the quality of education that they receive there greatly impacts their future
quality of life. UNICEF is working on the educational programs and also programs to
keep children in school.
Hardee County was chosen as the initial location to receive a new school. Hardee
County was selected for its high level of people living below the poverty level
(20.6%), and high percentage of children (27.4%). We believe that this investment
in Hardee County will be well repaid by the improvement in their young peoples
lives. In addition to building a new school we are starting programs to help keep
children in school and starting the Florida Teacher Promise to attract quality
educators to the area.
Due to a great need, not just in Florida but in many areas of the United States for
increased numbers and quality of public high schools, our organizations hope to
match a success in Hardee County with successes in the Appalachian region.
Appalachia is another area in dire need of educational support.
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Introduction
Florida’s overcrowded schools cripple its student’s performance. In 2000, the state
government of Florida issued a statement requiring schools to reduce class sizes by
the 2010-2011 school years. Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF, and the ACLU (see
appendix) are joining forces to help improve the education for Florida children by
building a new school. Habitat’s mission in this project is to provide the building.
UNICEF plans on working with the education and providing programs to deep
children in school. The ACLU is involved to ensure that the promise of equal
educational opportunity for all children is upheld in Florida. Our goal is to have a
new school up and running within two years.
The Need for Schools
In Florida a shortage of funding for schools hurts students’ performance. The
average SAT score in Florida is ranked 47th in the United States with a score of 998
opposed to the national average of 1026 (Florida’s K-12). State testing scores
average show that 55.9% of the students are performing at or above proficiency for
reading and math (Florida Statewide). Another concern is that Florida’s state testing
scores show a sharp decrease in reading as grade levels increase indicated by the
graph below. Also, Florida has the lowest graduation rate in the United States with
49% of the students not graduating on time (Swanson 34).
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The Need for Schools Cont’d
The shortage of funds in Florida’s schools creates oversized classes. Florida
schools receive $6,540 per student, which is $1,533 less than the national average,
and the state ranks 42nd in the country. Low funding produces large class sizes with
a 17.9 : 1 student teacher ratio ranking at 43 rd in the nation compared to the average
ratio of 15.47 : 1 (Florida’s K-12).
A small class size mandate was passed to reduce class sizes at the state’s
expense in Florida. It requires max class sizes of:
18 students in grades 3 and below
22 students in grades 4 to 8
25 students in grades 9 to 12
The mandate allows 10 years to
accomplish this task, and there are
only 4 years remaining with a
deadline of the 2010-2011 school
year. It is estimated to cost about
4.5 billion dollars to complete
building the schools, and only $1.1
billion was made available for the
project (Stein).
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Hardee County
Hardee County was picked for its high level of
people living below the poverty level, and high
percentage of children. The US Census bureau
report on Hardee County indicated that as of
2005 the county had a population estimate of
28,286. Of that number, 20.6% or about 5,500
people live below the poverty level. Hardee
County’s population is also made up of 27.4% or
7,750 minors.
Households, 2000
Persons per household,2000
Per capita money income, 1999
Median household income, 2003
Persons below poverty, percent 2003
Persons under 18 years old, 2004
Hardee County
8166
3.06
$12,445
$27,762
20.60%
27.40%
Florida
6,337,929
2.46
$21,557
$38,985
13.0%
23.00%
USA
105480101
2.59
$21,587
$43,318
12.50%
25.00%
Habitat for Humanity Builds a School
Habitat for Humanity is starting a new division to build schools. Through experience
of building homes it has been able to streamline construction projects to produce
quality structures at low cost. Funds for building the school will come from
donations, government funds, and state funds, which recently made 1.1 billion
dollars available for the construction of additional classrooms. Habitat’s five affiliates
located in Florida will supply equipment and experienced workers to direct the
project. Labor will come from volunteers, apprentice carpenters will work in
exchange for training, and the state agreed to award community service hours to
participants. With virtually no labor costs, Habitat for Humanity is hoping to
substantially reduce the price of the school building and free up funds for teachers’
salaries and school supplies.
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Costs
Building a school is an expensive operation, and Habitat for Humanity is going to
reduce the cost. The majority of the costs for the school will be the building
supplies, but other building costs still factor into the total price. Schools require
about 45% of the construction budget for labor and the other 55% on supplies
(Sturgeon). School buildings cost on average $150 per square foot, and Habitat will
reduce the price to an average of $82.50 per square foot (Haberlin). Habitat is
building a large high school that normally costs $40 million with approximately
260,000 square feet of space for only $ 22 million (Woodland). To keep the project
on task, Habitat would reserve an extra $1 million for small costs such as building
permits, architects, changes in supply costs, and other unpredictable costs.
Basic Education
Education is a vital source to the human population. Education
also enhances lives. A quality basic education will better equip
girls and boys with knowledge and skills needed to adopt
healthy lifestyles, to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and
other sexually transmitted diseases, and to take an active role
in social, economic and political decision-making as
they transition to adolescence and adulthood (Basic).
(Photo can be found at: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/indonesia_34513.html)
Curriculum
Any school that uses federal funding dollars must follow state educational standards.
The Florida Department of Education Website provides the following information
about Florida’s educational standards:
“The Sunshine State Standards were approved by the State Board of
Education in 1996 to provide expectations for student achievement in
Florida. The Standards approved in 1996 were written in seven subject
areas, each divided into four separate grade clusters (PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8,
and 9-12). This format was chosen to provide flexibility to school
districts in designing curriculum based on local needs.
However, as Florida moves toward greater accountability for student
achievement at each grade level, the Sunshine State Standards have
been further defined. In the subject areas of language arts,
mathematics, science, and social studies, the Sunshine State
Standards have been expanded to include Grade Level Expectations.
These Grade Level Expectations will eventually become the basis for
state assessments at each grade 3-10 in language arts and
mathematics--and may eventually be used in state assessments in
science and social studies.”
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Curriculum Cont’d
In addition to the Sunshine State Standards, the Florida Department of Education
published Preparing All Learners for Tomorrow's Work Force: Florida's Applied
Technology Curriculum Planning Companion for the Sunshine State Standards.
Regarding curriculum the companion states,
“The applied technology curriculum encompasses and utilizes all facets
of (1) planning, (2) management, (3) finance, (4) technical and
production skills, (5) technology, (6) labor, (7) community issues, (8)
health, safety, and environment, and (9) personal conduct. The
curriculum includes competencies from all aspects of industry, and
incorporates the knowledge and abilities required of ALL members of
the work force, both for today and for the future. Learning begins at
birth and continues as students are immersed in various aspects of
applied technology at home, in the workplace, and in the community.
At the secondary level, selection of a “major” career area should
occur. Also at this level activities that promote the application of each
aspect of industry knowledge should be increased. These activities
should also be more specific to each career area. Integrated
experiences help students develop a variety of strategies, behaviors,
and attitudes to fulfill their educational, and individual occupational
goals. This chapter describes the kinds of learning and teaching that
promote thoughtful, creative, and responsible citizens who are able to
interact and contribute effectively in their local, state, and global
communities.”
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ACLU and educational equity
As stated on the ACLU website, the promise of equal educational opportunity is a
cornerstone of our democracy, but millions of poor and minority children in the US
are receiving an inadequate education. The ACLU has brought several “educational
equity” lawsuits charging states with violating their own state constitutional
requirements that every child receive a “thorough and efficient” or a “minimum
foundation of” public education.
All children living in the United States have the right to a free public education. The
Constitution requires that all children be given equal educational opportunity no
matter what their race, ethnic background, religion, or sex, or whether they are
rich or poor, citizen or non-citizen. Even children that are in this country illegally
have the right to go to public school. The ACLU is fighting hard to make sure that
this right isn’t taken away.
Programs to Keep Kids in School
As of June 6, 2006, Governor Bush signed a bill that will require Florida High School
students to declare majors and minors like college students. It is designed to bolster
poor graduation rates by allowing students to study subjects that excite them
(Kennedy). We believe this may help, but we want to go on further by having
programs that include:
 Counseling
 Intensive academic instruction during the summer and school year
 Career guidance over the years
 Summer activities and mentoring
Our organizations believe that these programs will show higher graduation rates
and improve the state testing scores.
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Florida’s Teacher Promise
Florida’s promise to children is a quality education that allows them to reach their
highest potential. The best way to invest in an excellent education system is to
recruit and retain the best and brightest to teach the children. The only problem is
the fact that teachers in Florida are woefully underpaid, making about $6000 per
year less than the national average. With the
rising costs of housing, gasoline, insurance,
property taxes and other expenses, they are
being forced out of the classroom and into
better paying jobs. High costs of living and
low salaries cause a problem since teachers
leave and then there is a shortage of
teachers that are not there (Davis).
We plan on proposing an idea that will have
teachers want to come and teach in Florida.
This program will pay for college tuition if the
student comes to teach in Florida for 5
years. College tuition is increasing in price
as the years go by, which causes some
students not being able to pay for it. We
believe by having this program more students out of high school will want to become
teachers. For students all ready studying education at the state college in Florida
and are willing to teach in Florida, we will pay off any loans that they may have after
they graduate. It’s time to keep Florida’s promise to the children by investing in the
teachers.
Conclusion
With the joint efforts of the ACLU, Habitat for Humanity, and Unicef, we hope this
new school will improve students’ performance. By choosing Hardee County, one of
the poorest counties in Florida, we hope to drastically improve the quality of
children’s education with the help of our programs to keep children in school and the
Florida Teacher Promise. Our organizations believe that these programs will show
higher graduation rates and improved state testing scores. Due to the great need
throughout many areas of the United States for increased numbers and quality of
public high schools our organizations hope to match the success in Hardee County
with successes in other areas. Our next goal is in the Appalachian region.
Appalachia is in dire need of educational support.
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Appendix
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International started in 1976 and is inspired from a Christian
community in Koinonia. The goal of Habitat is to provide adequate living conditions
for needy families at an affordable price. To accomplish this the organization has
homeowners and volunteers build homes to reduce labor costs. Then donations are
used to provide interest-free loans, which make monthly mortgage payments
affordable. Today the organization has over two thousand affiliates, built over
200,000 housing units, and continues to grow at a rapid rate.
UNICEF
“UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the
protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their
opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF responds in emergencies to
protect the rights of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and
humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response
available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide
their care“ (UNICEF’s Mission).
UNICEF was established on December 11, 1946 by the United Nations to meet the
emergency needs of children. In 1961 UNICEF began to expand its interest to
address the needs of the child through education. Thus starting with a support to
teacher-training, and classroom equipment, in newly independent countries.
UNICEF has a wide range of services to children. Some include Child Survival and
Development; Basic Education; HIV/AIDS; as well as Child Protection.
ACLU
According to the ACLU website, “The ACLU is our nation’s guardian of liberty. It
works daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the
individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the
Constitution and laws of the United States. Our job is to conserve America’s original
civic values: the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.” One of the main focuses of the
ACLU is extending rights to portions of our population that traditionally have been
denied their rights. If the rights of society’s most vulnerable members are denied,
everybody’s rights are imperiled.
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Sources
“American Civil Liberties Union”. 2006. June 11
<http://www.aclu.org>.
Basic Education and Gender Equality. Introduction. 10 June 2006
<http://www.unicef.org/girlseducation/index.php>.
Davis, Jim. “Keeping Florida’s Promise”. Jim Davis’s First Class Teachers Plan. 20 June 2006
<http://images1.istandfor.com/images/FE/chain192siteType8/site149/client/first%20
class%20teachers%20plan.pdf>.
Florida’s K-12 STEM ED Report Card”. 2006. 24 June
<http://www.aas.org/cvd/CVD06STEMFlorida.pdf>.
Florida Statewide Education Highlights. 2006. 24 June
<http://www.schoolmatters.com/pdf/state_reports/SFL.pdf>.
Haberlin, Steven. “Building blocks” 2005. December 4.
<http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20051204/NEWS/212040336/1318/NEWS>.
Kennedy, Kelli. ”Bush Signs Education Bill Requiring High School Majors”. 6 June 2006.
Naplesnews.com. June 22 2006 <http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006
/jun/06/bush_signs_education_bill_requiring_high_school_majors.html>.
“Preparing All Learners for Tomorrow's Work Force: Florida's Applied Technology Curriculum
Planning Companion for the Sunshine State Standards”. Your Florida Department of
Education. 2006. June 11
<http://www.firn.edu/doe/workforce/title.htm>
Stein, Letitia. “$1-billion may go to build schools”. 2006. 26 April.
< http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/21/State/1_billion_may_go_to_b.shtml>.
Sturgeon , Julie. “Construction Costs: Is Your School Project at Risk?”. 2006. 24 June
<http://www.districtadministration.com/page.cfm?p=1347>.
“Sunshine State Standards”. 2006. June 11
< http://www.firn.edu/doe/curric/prek12/frame2.htm>.
Swanson , Christopher and Duncan Chaplin. Counting High School Graduates when Graduates
Count:Measuring Graduation Rates under the High Stakes of NCLB.
25 February 2003 < http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410641_NCLB.pdf>.
UNICEF’s Mission Statement. About UNICEF: Who we are. 11 June 2006
<http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_mission.html>.
“Woodland building 5 new schools in Florida”. 2005 September
<http://www.concretemonthly.com/monthly/art.php?1702>.
“State & County QuickFacts”. US Census Bureau 2006. 8 June
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html>.