Basically, it eliminated teacher tenure and pay-for-breathing and tied pay to individual student improvement based on standardized test scores. The problem with the Florida Constitutional Amendment mandating classroom sizes, aside from legislating via constitutional amendment, is that its purpose was simply to mandate an increase in union-dues-paying teachers, not really to benefit students, who may or may not need a particular classroom size to learn well. Decisions like that are best made locally, not from Tallahassee, the state capital. To quote you, “Seldom is there going to be a one-size-fits-all education policy that works well for almost everyone.”

A couple of sources of info:

From http://www.wtsp.com/news/mostpop/story.aspx?storyid=128236&provider=top

“The bill ties half of a teacher’s pay to student test scores. It is also eliminates multi-year contracts for annual contracts. School districts that don’t set up this new evaluation system are financially penalized and would have to turn to a local tax to recover the money lost.”

From Jeb Bush, via http://blog.reidreport.com/2010/04/todays-herald-column-debating-sb6-with-jeb-bush/

“Florida’s stunning and sustained progress began a decade ago after Florida enacted the A+ Plan.

“Since that bold — and controversial — legislation became law, Florida has graded schools based solely on student performance on the FCAT. The result: more students are learning. In fact, since the annual progress of students with disabilities was added to the school grade, their performance has improved. Those schools that earn an A or improve a letter grade — even from an F to a D — get a cash reward, which is used primarily for bonuses to teachers and staff.

“Using a similar model, Senate Bill 6 will make learning a measure of effective teaching and will reward teachers whose students make progress. Because some students start the school year below grade level, teachers will not be measured on what their students know. Rather, teachers will be measured on how much each individual student learns during the year. Students will not be compared with each other, only to their own progress from one year to the next. Moreover, the bill requires even higher salaries for truly exceptional teachers who help their students make up for lost ground.

“Nearly half of all teachers leave the profession in the first 10 years, many because of the low pay in the early years. Rewarding effectiveness instead of longevity will keep the best of the best in our classrooms. …”

Hope this helps-

Fla Mom