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05/24/2012 2:29:00 AM
Can I ask what school you are referring to? My friends and family all live in the Ft Myers/Cape Coral area and I want to warn them to stay clear.
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05/24/2012 2:28:00 AM
No one is saying that ALL schools accepting the McKay Scholarship is "bad", but there are serious problems that plague the program. I would think that as parent that has a child who benefits from the program, you'd want to make sure that it is reformed to provide an appropriate education for ALL children and has protections to ensure that ALL children are SAFE in their schools from direct or indirect harm. Injustice for ONE is an injustice for ALL.
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03/11/2012 2:44:00 PM
Louisiana is touting its education reform package is modeled partly after Florida's "successful" model. GOD, please help us! Louisiana has enough issues without being an experimental lab. Don't the powers-that-be recognize reform is not a hit and miss approach. We must get this right!
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12/16/2011 7:02:00 PM
The Miami New Times has published an extensive expose of on-going fraud in an article by Gus Garcia-Roberts McKay scholarship program sparks a cottage industry of fraud and chaos (published Thursday, Jun 23 2011).
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Tinting 10/05/2011 8:38:00 PM
There is a school here in ft.myers that runs on McKay. The owner of the school/principal/bball coach/ accountant/ sports director is a fraud. Everyone who works there is behind 4 paychecks. He threatens if they don't come to work they don't get their backpay. We've asked who we can contact about him and everyone says there is no one to contact. He's done this for plenty of years. There are so many shady things he has done and lied about that can get him years on jail but no one will listen or help get this man out! There were great business men who wanted to take it over and clean it up but he refuses because he doesn't want anyone else controlling the money. Families have lost homes and vehicles because he doesn't pay employees and threatens them.
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Daniel's Mom 09/30/2011 10:02:00 PM
My son is in his second year at a McKay school and I, who have taught in the public schools and am certified K-12 in three subjects, am very happy with his educational opportunities. Our son is still on grade level or above in all academic areas.
How did we get so lucky? We asked a lot of questions about the curriculum, the teachers' and therapists' credentials, the P.E. program and art and music programs. We asked for the input of other parents, also certified teachers, whose children were in McKay schools. We toured the facility. I have volunteered at the school, chaperoned field trips and helped with the After School Program.
We did recently change to another school, but that was only because it would provide better support for our autistic son's unique needs, not because the school was not still an excellent school.
If parents would put the same thought and research into selecting a McKay school that good parents put into choosing a daycare or preschool, schools like the one's highlighted in this article wouldn't have any students and therefore no money, McKay or otherwise.
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08/17/2011 4:48:00 PM
The problem with McKay is that they don't let parents know that these schools don't have to follow public school rules, teachers not certified, only rule school has to follow is attendance, whoopee! To get Mckay private schools want IEP';S and school records, but they do not maintain. I had my daughter in a private school in Tampa, Center for education school of the arts. Worst thing by far I ever did as a parent, under the illusion
my child would get a better education in a smaller setting. Husband/wife runs the school, they put there 3 autistic sons as teachers aids. The boys don't teach only yell at the students, the oldest one John sat in the back of the school masturbating during a play, last year, its all excused because of the autism.
By the time I realized how bad this school was my daughter was so far behind I didn't know just where to put her. This school is nothing more than glorified babysitters, scamming the state. If there were ever a reason to get rid of McKay this school is it.
A typical school day there is Tae Kwon do, lunch, meditation & Band, unless they are working on a play. At that time the play is 90% of the day, that is except on the days they watch movies all day or go on field trip.
The only academics were a phamplet sent home once a month for them to do on there own, and If they came into the school and asked a question, the teacher would threaten to demote a grade if they had to ask a question.
They cut my daughter hair without my permission, this school thinks they can do anything they want.
Had a parent meeting with them the week before Thanksgiving last year and had asked them why math had only been taught twice all year? (Teaching with them was phamplets being sent home). I was told if I didnt like it to leave like it to leave.
My daughter had already let it slip to them I was looking into another school. At that point I knew she wasnt coming back after the break.
My daughter finshed her last week there, by attending the Thanksgiving function. She really wanted to go to spend time with her classmates, before leaving the school. We went to the Thanksgiving function, (my daughter has frequent sinus infections) she wasnt feeling well, so we left early. Couple hours later another kid from that school called us to to let us know the director/teacher Dawn White has told her my child had aids & cancer. WTF! My daughter doesnt have aids nor cancer. That was one of many lies, she had told. What kind of teacher would do something like that? I really shouldnt have been surprised since I had caught her in lies before.
The school has not responded to a records request on 12-2-10, from my daughters new school. NOW 8/17/11. 8 MONTHS LATER AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FORWARDED MY DAUGHTERS SCHOOL RECORDS THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE NO RULES/REGULATIONS.
BTW A girl in Tampa was killed and the last people to see her alive was Dawn & her husband Ronald White, makes me wonder.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article1085033.ece
Yes Private schools need regulations and consenqenses of there actions. What happened to professionalism? Why are taxpayers footing the bill for schools that dont teach?
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08/17/2011 4:15:00 PM
The problem with McKay is that they don't let parents know that these schools don't have to follow public school rules, teachers not certified, only rule school has to follow is attendance, whoopee! To get Mckay private schools want IEP';S and school records, but they do not maintain. I had my daughter in a private school in Tampa, Center for education school of the arts. Worst thing by far I ever did as a parent, under the illusion
my child would get a better education in a smaller setting. Husband/wife runs the school, they put there 3 autistic sons as teachers aids. The boys don't teach only yell at the students, the oldest one John sat in the back of the school masturbating during a play, last year, its all excused because of the autism.
By the time I realized how bad this school was my daughter was so far behind I didn't know just where to put her. This school is nothing more than glorified babysitters, scamming the state. If there were ever a reason to get rid of McKay this school is it.
A typical school day there is Tae Kwon do, lunch, meditation & Band, unless they are working on a play. At that time the play is 90% of the day, that is except on the days they watch movies all day or go on field trip.
The only academics were a phamplet sent home once a month for them to do on there own, and If they came into the school and asked a question, the teacher would threaten to demote a grade if they had to ask a question.
They cut my daughter hair without my permission, this school thinks they can do anything they want.
Had a parent meeting with them the week before Thanksgiving last year and had asked them why math had only been taught twice all year? Taught
was 2 phamplets being sent home.
I was told if I didnt like it to leave like it to leave.
My daughter had already let it slip to them I was looking into another school. At that point I knew she wasnt coming back after the break. My daughter finshed her last week there, by attending the Thanksgiving function. she really wanted to go to see her classmates, before leaving the school
We went to the Thanksgiving function, (my daughter has frequent sinus infections) she wasnt feeling well, so we left early. Couple hours later another kid from that school called us to to let us know the director/teacher Dawn White has told her my child had aids. WTF! My daughter doesnt have aids. That was one of many lies, she had told. What kind of teacher would do something like that? I really shouldnt have been surprised since I had caught her in lies before.
The school has not responded to a records request on 12-2-10, from my daughters new school. NOW 8/17/11. 8 MONTHS LATER AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FORWARDED MY DAUGHTERS SCHOOL RECORDS THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE NO RULES/REGULATIONS.
BTW A girl in Tampa was killed and the last people to see her alive was Dawn & her husband Ronald White, makes me wonder.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article1085033.ece
Yes Private schools need regulations and consenqenses of there actions. Why are taxpayers footing the bill for schools that dont teach?
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s. vardas 07/28/2011 12:46:00 PM
There definately needs to be a cut-off of funds immediately to schools that hire criminals if this is discovered- period. But for those families, like mine that use the McKay because the public school system is a joke for our children and one of the worst out of 50 states, we should have a choice, and there are great private schools that help our children become valued citizens in their community!
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Celeste122 07/26/2011 12:09:00 AM
My son, who has Autism, is a beneficiary of the McKay Program. He is also in a private school. As I am very involved in the school he attends, I am well aware of the curriculm he's using and am happy with his progress. His accomplishments are the best it's been since he's been in a school setting. I can honestly say it is 100% better than it was for him in public school. Now THAT is saying something.
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Allison Hertog 07/19/2011 12:08:00 AM
McKay Under Scrutiny. Parent Voices Needed! http://tinyurl.com/6a9wkrh
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07/18/2011 7:56:00 PM
Calling all parents. McKay Under Scrutiny in Tallahassee. Your Voices Are Needed! Coffee and Chat July 29th NSU Library 1-3 pm Here is the invite: http://tinyurl.com/3umy3l9
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Atty1981 07/18/2011 5:20:00 PM
I hope there will be more oversight and more prosecutions as a result of this article. But not all small schools run with McKay scholarship money are scams. My nephew (with autism) attends a small school run by a teacher with over 20 years of experience in the pucblic school system. She teaches life skills and academic subjects to children with autism in classroom space rented from a Catholic school on their campus. My nephew, due to a compromised immune system, needs to be in a small school (there are 6 other students). Accountability and oversight are good, but not all regulations are created equal and if the Legislature goes overboard, the students McKay was meant to help will have no where to go.
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07/14/2011 5:31:00 PM
I noted that a number of people said "Where are the parents?" in their comments. If you read the article, it said in at least one place, and I'm thinking several, that the people running these bad schools are targeting students that don't have a lot of parental involvement at home - being raised by an overtaxed grandparent or other relative, in the foster system, etc. This is the mark of a CON ARTIST. Which means that Florida Taxpayers AS WELL AS at-risk children are the victims of numerous cons perpetuation, and in some cases flagrantly allowed, by the taxpayer-supported government of Florida. This oughta piss you off if you're from Florida, even if your child is a recipient of the McKay funds. Call your state representatives and demand that your money stop being wasted on this kind of fraud - if a school can't prove who they are and what they do then they shouldn't get taxpayer funds, period.
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07/11/2011 6:36:00 PM
Great article that is well researched. Of course no one will do anything about the cold fact that there are many more bogus schools jumping on board as the public school system is dismantled by both major political parties.
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Dadsdooly 07/09/2011 6:17:00 PM
Great job, wish this reporter was around back in 09. But its a shame and disgrace that Brown is managing to open another school and ruin more kids lives. What he is doing is a crime, why isn't he in jail?
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Td84 07/09/2011 9:49:00 AM
Excellent article. Kudos to the reporter for finally exposing these people for what they truly are. Now what is gonna be done to clean up this B.S.
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07/03/2011 5:36:00 AM
I've been following these McKay scam stories by Gus Garcia-Roberts for the past few months. I would like to nominate him for a Florida Pulitzer prize in investigative reporting. This is exactly the kind of "true" journalism that is lacking in TV News. Keep up the good work!
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Bernie 06/30/2011 4:53:00 PM
Parents and students need to be responsible to find good McKay schools to put there children in. One incredible school I know about is Help Miami. They often handle children that public and other expensive private schools could not. They bring "learning disabled" students up to grade level and beyond by finding out what was not understood and clearing it up. (Not labeling disabled but educating.) For more information about HELP Miami go to http://www.elearnaid.com/rivera.html
Parents should be able to easily and rapidly pull a student from a bad school with the funding that goes with it. But is the really a problem? (Are the vast majority of schools that use the McKay program good schools?) Why would parents put their children in such horrible schools?
If this is a problem parents should do everything they can to help the good schools expand and take on more children! HELP Miami is expanding!
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Alec 06/29/2011 5:24:00 AM
For all of you defending this as "isolated" cases. Where are you when all the public schools are being bashed as if there are no good things happening in public schools.
80% of parents think their kids teachers are great. That same 80% think all the other teachers are terrible. You want to talk about an overhyped perception problem, trying being a public school or public school teacher. Waiting for Superman represented all public teachers and all public schools, but these voucher trash schools are isolated. You bet.
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Alec 06/29/2011 5:13:00 AM
This is obviously just a problem of over-regulation. If government would just get more out of the way these private enterprises would act more responsibly. De-regulate, cut regulations, get government out of the way.
Oh yeah, cut taxes too. For sure cut taxes. Especially for the wealthy.
Those two simple, common sense steps will solve all problems known to society.
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06/28/2011 9:45:00 PM
Keep defending this criminal fraud. Shame on you, Bubba. Thank goodness the press has shone light onto the cockroaches.
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06/28/2011 1:34:00 PM
Thank god the new times was able to find the few bad apples in the McKay program and only managed to put into jeopardy the hundreds of good programs helping children. This kind of reckless reporting is the norm for a magazine that trumpets Luther (I need a job) Campbell as their star columnist. My son has completely changed since he was able to get into a fine autism friendly school. If he was still in public school (don't see an expose' here do you?) he would be in special ed or be unable to keep up in regular classes because they can't be bothered to help those who need a little help. Way to go, maybe you can get the program cancelled completely.
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Howie 06/28/2011 1:19:00 PM
I also feel that the McKay program serves a vital purpose in educating our children. While the paper only discusses the problem areas, there are many areas of successes due to the McKay Funding. While, according to my knowledge of the process each child has to have an IEP which is then quantified into a matrix developed by the State. I find it hard to beleive that these individual tests can be so far off and the children that are evaluated are "faking it". The system probably does need to be assessed as any organization does for compliance, competence and answering the question of meeting it's yearly mission statements or goals.
The program has helped many children and I would love to see the paper editorialize that aspect - but newspeople don't show the good only the bad.
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Allison Hertog 06/27/2011 9:46:00 PM
This article, which highlights a few bad apples, could place the McKay Scholarship and other school choice options under attack in Tallahassee. These programs help FL's neediest students when more traditional options fail them. What McKay needs is some more safeguards, rather than broad based attacks! Any parents who want their voices heard in support of McKay, please contact me at AllisonHertog@gmail.com ASAP.
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Ngalloway86 06/27/2011 8:34:00 PM
This article is proof of what can happen if Florida continues to push for private and charter schools for our children. Charter schools are not held to the same standards and brutal testing that public schools are. In addition, charter schools are not required to take "problem children." They can remove students easily who misbehave or cause problems at school. They can remove students if parents are not involved and are not supporting their students academically. Where will the "problem children" go with uninvolved parents? Private schools. This is going to end up segregating students and reverting back to decades ago. Charter schools do not automatically equal a better education. In fact, if you take a look at much of the data you will see that many are not achieveing as high as public schools! I wish we could finally get some politicians in office that actually know something about education. They go to one type of school and then assume that they know everything. Out of touch with reality 100%!
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Orlandoisobel 06/27/2011 2:59:00 PM
Guess what? The address listed for Sunrise College Prep School in Orlando is an abandoned building.
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06/27/2011 12:23:00 PM
Thank you, could not agree more with what you said
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06/27/2011 12:20:00 PM
I aree with you the McKay scholarship that the public school has failed many, but it seems reading the entire story, i noticed that parents seemed either confused about the education their kids were getting, each Mckay child has a check sent to the school for the parents to sign quarterly. Some seemed to not be invloved at all in the kids education how could someone sending their kids to school day after day and NOT question the education the kids were getting. Where were these parents , did they ever open a book, question the homework, meet with teachers. Where were the parents complaints.
There are a goo dmany private school the do take Mckay, and they all have one common factor , PARENTS THAT CARE and demand their kids are push to learn more and do better. Fraud is able to grow mostly because those parents that used the public schools as baby sitters are doing the same when Public school as they are in private misuse the system.
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Ssernaker 06/27/2011 11:58:00 AM
Yes, there are crap schools and possibly fraud, but parents should be overseeing their child's education and making sure the student is enrolled in a legitimate school. It's a scholarship for special needs children, and parents should be responsible for making sure their child is placed in a safe environment. Furthermore, the school environment for special needs kids in many public schools is just as bad. The only difference is that without the McKay scholarship, parents would have virtually no choice. The McKay scholarship was set up for special needs students whose needs were not being met in public school. It allowed them to avoid much of the ugliness involved with the IEP system, and allows counties and the state to avoid many lawsuits that would have resulted if these students were stuck in the system.
We came from a state without McKay scholarships. My son is vision impaired, has had 5 sets of ear tubes and the related hearing problems, and is on the autism spectrum. He was reading by 3 and was academically advanced when he entered public school. Because he was "at grade level", he was not entitled to special education services, and because he didn't test gifted, he didn't receive any work at his level. And even if he was entitled to special education services, the school system probably didn't have the ability to meet his needs. Due process wasn't an option because in my former state, 95% of the rulings went against the parents. So for us, our only public school option would have been to spend $30,000 and spend 2-3 years of our lives in litigation.
Like many other parents of kids on the spectrum, I ended up homeschooling because the public schools refused to meet my child's needs. Unfortunately, most parents don't have this option because they have to work, or because their child needs so much support that they simply are not capable of providing it 24-7. So while fraud may exist with the McKay scholarship system, for many parents and children, it is their only hope.
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Caren 06/27/2011 2:07:00 AM
I HAVE WRITTEN LETTER ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE MCKAY SCHOLARSHIP NEEDS TO WORK WITH OUR PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH ARE NOT REGULATED. THEY CAN TEACH WHATEVER THEY WANT, HOWEVER THEY WANT, AND THEN WHEN A STUDENT RETURNS BACK TO PUBLIC SCHOOL - THEY ARE COMPLETELY UNPREPARED. WE NEED REGULATION OF OUR PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOL MONEY SHOULD BE BETTER SPENT!!!!!
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06/26/2011 10:03:00 PM
This is sad... What can we do to fix this problem?
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Debbiestewart 06/26/2011 4:33:00 PM
http://sunriseprep.com/ Check this out. Classes supposedly start August 29. This location is the former Central Learning Community's offices (of OCPS), is located in an ugly, big box, situation near SOBT and West Colonial in Orlando, near a car dealership. The website makes it look like, with stock photos, a premier academy, and are charging $8,000.00 a year for tuition! There is no gym, track, or anything remotely like what is described in the website. This is incredible-Julius Brown ought to be in jail!
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06/26/2011 10:47:00 AM
Broward schools DEMS, little oversight, run by Dems controlled by Dems, Abused by Dems.
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06/25/2011 12:06:00 AM
This is disgusting. I fought like hell to get this stopped a decade ago here in Pensacola. We had crooks, Angel and Al Rocker, who opened a school like this, and fed the kids from a food bank. No books, very few teachers...horrible. My kids all have their degrees, from public school. I just can't believe this is still going on. Criminal.
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Middle Class Floridian 06/24/2011 11:23:00 PM
Lots of legitimate private schools in Florida helping the disabled reach their full potential ... but lots of scams, frauds and con artists that should be rooted out ... not holding my breath since our Gov has already demonstrated his propensity and skill at defrauding taxpayers.
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A Special Needs Mom 06/24/2011 11:13:00 PM
Yes, Dude, there are. Here are a few reputable schools that provide an excellent curriculum and nurturing environment for children with special needs - and I am an involved parent, not an administrator:
The Marian Center - Archdiocese of Miami
Our PRIDE Academy
The Learning Experience
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Mckay Mom 06/24/2011 9:42:00 PM
There are many accredited, well established private schools that give an excellent education & accept McKay. Parochial Catholic Schools are some of the top in the state & accept McKay. My son attends Holy Rosary in Palmetto Bay FL & is thriving thanks to Mckay when he was regressing in the public school system. He is getting an amazing education & opportunities I never thought possible. The program needs better organizations to make sure the funds are going to accredited schools.
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Dude 06/24/2011 8:26:00 PM
Oh there are? Please list them. You can't because you're making it up.
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Lyn 06/24/2011 6:33:00 PM
Excellent article; but please remember that for every bad school, and theiving administrator - there a a dozen excellent schools serving children with needs beyond a public school classroom, and being good stewards of the State monies entrusted to them.
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Madrick91 06/24/2011 5:19:00 PM
I don't understand why Julius Brown isn't facing criminal charges. Child endangerment, child abuse, Fraud etc.
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06/24/2011 12:19:00 PM
Republicans LOVE privatization - with no oversight.
As long as anything government is destroyed - including public schools - that's fine with Republicans.
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Nail the FCAT 06/24/2011 12:11:00 AM
How about investigating the widespread school board corruption (start with the Grand Jury report against Broward County Public Schools and work your way around the state) and diversion of special education funding in general rather than focusing on a few isolated incidences of McKay abuse? Clearly you don't have a disabled child who has been neglected by the public school system for years and whose only hope for getting even an adequate education is a private school.
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Merpman2001 06/23/2011 8:20:00 PM
My eldest is in the Mckay program at Sunset Prep, and he has gone from C- Average at public school to an A- average at Sunset. Massive difference in approach and dedication.
On the other hand, my Wife was a teacher at a school in Homestead for a school year, and that school only cared about the money the Mckay students bought in as by the time my Wife quit, they were hiring 19 year olds with 1 year diplomas out of Community College for $10/hr to teach these McKay kids.
I was appalled that Private schools do no have to follow certain teaching qualification standards in order to be eligible to receive public money.
At the end of the school year, she felt one of the kids (who at age 6 couldnt even sound out basic Vowels when she started with him), although had improved dramatically, should not be passed out of 1st grade as she felt he would really struggle in 2nd. She was directed to pass him out by the school director.
Basically, many parents can only measure their childs education by the grades the school is giving them, and some schools are overgrading students just to keep that McKay money coming in, and stopping the parents going elsewhere.
We complain about big government, but in the places where we NEED oversight, there is none.
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Merpman2001 06/23/2011 8:17:00 PM
My eldest is in the Mckay program at Sunset Prep, and he has gone from C- Average at public school to an A- average at Sunset. Massive difference in approach and dedication.
On the other hand, my Wife was a teacher at a school in Homestead for a school year, and that school only cared about the money the Mckay students bought in as by the time my Wife quit, they were hiring 19 year olds with 1 year diplomas out of Community College for $10/hr to teach these McKay kids.
I was appalled that Private schools do no have to follow certain teaching qualification standards in order to be eligible to receive public money.
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06/23/2011 4:22:00 PM
Fraud and chaos are two words that best sum up Miami.
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Theloneconsumer 06/23/2011 3:33:00 PM
There was a man named Bob Metty, third year law student when Jeb Bush's inspector general decided he should be fired. He had challenged his supervisors and created a spreadsheet of voucher taxpayer deductions and the (lack of) donations to the schools. Some men were using the collection of money as a political slush fund.
The Palm beach post did articles about this, because State Senator Klein championed the law student DOE employee who was fired.
As is the tradition from the 1999 Jeb bush created Human Relations Board (Sandra Padron was the first recipient of the spider net) in spite of the newspaper evidence lifing up Metty, he was NOT declared a whistleblower. Neither was PSC Bob Crouch, Lee Munroe, Sandra Padron and Penetra(Bellsouth whistleblowers) and DEP lab tech Tom white.
I am sure if you look at bthe Dept of Ed and wrongful termination lawsuits that the CFO of Florida's financial services division handles in the way of litigation, you will find a couple squeelers.
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Steve M Moyer 06/23/2011 11:08:00 AM
When it comes to private schools, just like any consumer good, it's buyer beware. There are many excellent McKay Schools, and my son has been in several as we tried to find the right "fit." for his special needs. They were all staffed by qualified, caring, skilled and sometimes gifted teachers, and some were a good fit for certain kids and nor so much for others.
As was mentioned, some public schools are nothing but warehouses with bad babysitting. Disabled kids are entitled to an education with safety and dignity, and McKay offers choice for these kids beyond public schools. That said, there are some outstanding public schools for disabled kids, unfortunately there are many that are no better than warehouses with bad babysitting.
These bad McKay Schools would not exist if the parents just took their kids out and put them in another school. Its a free market and the McKay Program allows you to switch schools quite easily.
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MCB 06/23/2011 4:19:00 AM
Add to the list of McKay Scholarship abusers the Baptist Church in Central Florida who receives scholarship money towards an expensive program based on an unpublished Masters thesis referred to as the Discovery Program. So much for scientifically proven monitored programs and effective spending.
The money needs to go build up programs in the State Public Schools.
Though Public Schools are not perfect at least money and outcomes are more closely monitored.
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06/23/2011 3:35:00 AM
This is one of the very reasons I am terrified to send my kids to school and opt for home schooling although I have children with special needs. There used to be a time when you told your children if the parent wasn't around and you needed help to tell a teacher,pastor,neighbor or policeman. Even though I know there are still good adults in schools,the community, and law enforcement, there is a growing number of evil ones that just make me fear for the safety of children...not just mine.
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06/22/2011 10:49:00 PM
Medicare, Medicaid and other "social" programs are regulated and overseen. Money to private business, isn't. Republicans are against oversight. It's why we're losing the country. It's why Wall Street destroyed the economy. If you want to see how much Medicare fraud is discovered daily, go to the Department of Justice and sign up for the emails. Vote Democratic 2012.
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guest 06/22/2011 6:56:00 PM
My child receives a McKay scholarship, and goes to a private school, but it is because the public school system sisn't know what to do and warehoused him for 6 years. He learned nothing. IEP meeting after meeting, nothing was accomplished. It was aggrevating, frustrating, and hopeless. His new school - Broach is wonderful. The teachers and principal work with the parents and students and go the extra mile. They have a heart for disabled kids. I can't praise them highly enough. They have changed our lives and my son likes school and is looking forward to college. God Bless them and the McKay scholarship.
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Ttsturrup 06/22/2011 4:44:00 PM
i went to carol city high.
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06/22/2011 1:14:00 PM
Maybe they don't have enought education to make a good choice or they are desperate to get their children educated. Also, many years of frustration with the school system. I am sure the scammers are not spending a lot of time providing background information and other information so they can make an informed choice.
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06/22/2011 1:09:00 PM
Excellent article, Gus. Notice the similarity to many of the other issues in Florida regarding fraud. NO OVERSIGHT. Hand out the money and ignore the results. Medicare, Medicaid and a multitude of other social programs with give aways and no idea if the recipients are legitimate.
In this case, not just money lost but the educational lives of those children.
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tired66 06/22/2011 10:56:00 AM
all in the name of greed!these poor kids have no job skills!waste and a crime!!!
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daguilar0301 06/22/2011 4:07:00 AM
It's unfortunate that school's like the ones mentioned above exsist. If there was more room for accountability maybe these schools wouldn't even find a way to exsist. I'm sure all us tax payers would rather spend a few thousand on more accountability than see millions go to waste.
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06/22/2011 12:16:00 AM
I blame the parents! theh parents have a CHOICE of where to use the scholarship so WHY would they choose to send their kids to this place?
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06/22/2011 12:14:00 AM
Read the last three after I wrote, still pisses me off just reading the heading. But I agree should have read the whole thing before I posted MY bust
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06/21/2011 9:28:00 PM
One can't help but think that these scholarships and redistributed taxpayer funds for these schools were set up purposely without oversight to more readily enable the corporate-owned private for-profit schools to also suckle at the teat of public money. Some may well do a decent job, but the sheer lack of oversight is an affront to taxpayers. Even more of an affront that the recent legislation didn't assign oversight. So much for education reform Bush-Scott-huckster style.
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06/21/2011 8:12:00 PM
I take it you read the first two sections.
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06/21/2011 6:54:00 PM
There are a great number of schools that are doing a great job with Mckay kids, you can't take one school and make it look like the whole system is like this Brown knucklehead is running. Most good private schools are accredited, seems these parents up needed a babysitter. Just a one school report hack job for reporting. How about taking a good look at the good school were parents are found helping out everyday, wer ethey demand that the kids Education needs are being met and then some. "According to one former DOE investigator" who one more unnamed source that offers little.
And BTW the DOE can take a schools off Mckay.
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hang 'em high 06/21/2011 2:50:00 PM
I have a novel idea. Instead of cutting programs that help people, instill some oversight and stop the looting. We could help twice the number of people in Florida with half the money if our coffers were closed to these criminals. I'm not hopeful this will happen any time soon, however, considering our state is being run by one of the best there is. Where is Batman when you need him?
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Rburt004 06/21/2011 2:04:00 PM
This is so sad. I'm from North Florida, and my sister who has a learning disability used the McKay scholarship to go to a school as well...no surprise..she didn't learn anything.
