U.S. Education SecretaryArne Duncan  ridiculed Florida’s Republican-ruled Legislature on Thursday for sidestepping a  sought-after waiver from the federal government to help private vendors retain lucrative tutoring contracts.

Speaking in Washington, D.C. ,to the Florida Council of 100, the business-dominated advisory group, Duncan criticized lawmakers for requiring school districts to spend 15 percent of federal funds for low-income students on private tutoring programs.

Under pressure from state officials, the Education Department had granted Florida and several other states waivers that shielded them from a federal standard demanding that a set amount be spent on tutoring.

State officials had argued that data was inconclusive about whether the tutoring programs, which range from online to in-home student assistance, were effective.

“I find it ironic that Washington is offering flexibility but Tallahassee is taking it away,” Duncan said.

A federal study released this month analyzed results from No Child Left Behind tutoring programs in Connecticut, Ohio and Florida. It found that for students in grades three through eight, there was “no statistically significant impact” on performance in reading or math.

“Why is Florida keeping the set-aside for tutoring that is showing little or no impact on children?” Duncan asked. “Is it because of pressure from the industry?”

The Florida legislation (SB 7127) takes effect July 1. It was signed into law last month by Gov. Rick Scott.

The Council of 100 has long been an ally of Republican governors. But in recent weeks, the council’s appeals to Scott have fallen on deaf ears.

 The council sent a letter last month urging Scott to veto legislation creating the state’s 12th public university, giving independence to the University of South Florida’s Polytechnic campus in Lakeland. The council also called for Scott to approve legislation giving the University of Florida and Florida State University authority to charge whatever tuition they wanted, as part of a push to enhance the schools’ science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs.

Instead, Scott approved the new university — and vetoed the UF/FSU tuition bill.

U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, a Boca Raton Democrat, praised Duncan’s criticism of the Florida legislation. He called on Scott to suspend the 15 percent requirement before the law takes effect in July.

 ”This statute will deny our school districts the flexibility the Obama Administration intended to give them by awarding Florida this waiver,” said Deutch, a former Florida state senator.  ”At a time when school districts throughout Florida are struggling with inadequate resources, top-down mandates, and high-stakes testing, we cannot afford to spend 15% of our state’s Title I funds on an ineffective, for-profit earmark for private vendors.”

Stephanie Monroe of the Tutor Our Children Coalition in Washington, which represents providers of the service, swung back at Duncan. She questioned the accuracy of studies that challenged whether the tutoring effort was effective.

“Secretary Duncan’s comment today on free tutoring services offered to low-income students at under-performing schools misrepresents the program  and does a disservice to the 74,000 students who access free tutoring in Florida,” Monroe said.

The Florida Council of 100, whose leaders include many of the state’s top corporate executives, urged Gov. Rick Scott to veto legislation that would create a 12th public university by separating the University of South Florida from its Polytechnic campus in Lakeland.

But the council said Scott should sign into law a separate measure (SB 7129) that would let Florida State University and the University of Florida raise tuition to whatever level the market will bear.

“Florida’s public postsecondary system has a historic opportunity to take a quantum leap that will ultimately mean more jobs and economic prosperity for Floridians,” wrote Steven Halverson, council chairman and president of the Haskell Company, a Jacksonville structural design company.

Halverson said the tuition bill follows the principles outlined in the counci’s 2010 report, Closing the Talent Gap, which called for bringing the state’s educational programs in line with future economic needs.

But the legislation accelerating the independence of USF’s Polytechnic campus isn’t a wise investment, Halverson wrote in a separate letter to Scott. He said the Polytechnic proposal hasn’t been adequately studied.

“The Council of 100 wholeheartedly supports making our state university system the best in the country,” Halverson concluded. “The future of Florida depends on it. Deciding where and how to invest scarce resources to achieve that objective should be the product of a fact-based, thorough analysis of the return on investment. That analysis hasn’t been done…”

Gov. Rick Scott was urged Friday to veto $149.6 million in hometown projects and other suspect spending in the state’s proposed $70 billion budget, including millions tucked in by legislative leaders.

Florida TaxWatch released its annual “turkey watch” as a prelude to Scott’s planned budget signing next week. Last year, Scott vetoed a record $615 million in spending but recently told the Post he didn’t expect to get anywhere near that level in the latest round.

Still, TaxWatch President Dominic Calabro said Scott should rely on a simple guide when reviewing legislative spending proposals.

“When in doubt, take it out,” Calabro said.

In addition to the amount TaxWatch targeted for veto, the business-backed research organization recommended Scott take a closer look at $21.3 million in economic development projects. TaxWatch said it’s likely some can spur the economy, but added that the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity should give this 16-project list more scrutiny.

A handful of Palm Beach County budget items were marked as turkeys Friday. Among them, $1 million for water treatment work in the Glades area, $250,000 for security at this fall’s presidential debate at Boca Raton’s Lynn University, $50,000 to help prepare a master plan for Torry Island development, and $500,000 for widening Riviera Beach’s 13th Street.

Tony Brown, executive director of the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Authority, earlier told the Post the 13th Street money would help the city complete a project it sees as vital to connecting a nearby industrial park to the Port of Palm Beach. He called the state’s expected contribution a “good public partnership” for a city strapped by several years of budget deficits.

Legislative leaders saw several of their hometown projects questioned.  Two of the biggest spending items TaxWatch opposed were in the backyard of Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, with $14 million for a Brevard College public safety institute and $10 million for economic development condemned as turkeys.

House budget chair Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, also would lose $520,203 for an international baccalaureate program at Sebring High School and incoming Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, would have $389,825 axed from a science and technology program at a local middle school, if Scott follows TaxWatch’s recommendation.

But one of the most controversial spending provisions of the spring session was given the go-ahead Friday. TaxWatch said Sen. J.D. Alexander’s push for accelerating the creation of a 12th public university by giving independence to the University of South Florida’s Polytechnic campus in Lakeland — in Alexander’s home county — was included in legislation that was debated by lawmakers.

As a result, it doesn’t fit the organization’s definition of a turkey. But it still may not be the best use of taxpayer money. Polytechnic would receive $27 million in state start-up funds, while USF would get $16 million to cover costs stemming from the separation.

“Do we need a 12th university? I think the preponderance of our thinking is no,” Calabro said.  

University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft and Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander held a closed-door huddle Monday over the Senate’s deep cut in financing for the Tampa-based school, which supporters said was retribution for the administration’s alleged resisting of  Alexander’s push to make USF Polytechnic an independent university.

Genshaft and Alexander met with reporters following the meeting, but provided little detail.

Genshaft said USF planned to provide more data to Alexander about its financial needs and proof of its effort to meet the benchmarks set last fall by the State University System’s Board of Governors. The benchmarks are to be reached before Polytechnic, based in Alexander’s home Polk County, achieves independence.

For his part, Alexander said he would reexamine the proposed budget cut, which currently takes $400 million from the state’s 11 universities.

USF would absorb the biggest cut, $78.8 million. Florida Atlantic University is facing a $47 million reduction, which FAU President M.J. Saunders called “devastating” for her institution.

Alexander said he was willing to take another look at the spending plan.

“We’ve got to work through what fair is,” Alexander said, flanked by Genshaft.

Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander is turning up the heat on the University of South Florida, after the State University System’s Board of Governor’s approved a slow rollout of plans to make USF-Polytechnic an independent university in his home Polk County.

The Lake Wales Republican wants the State University System to investigate USF President Judy Genshaft and other school leaders for what he said was misleading the system’s Board of Governors on details about construction at the Polytechnic’s campus. The BOG set benchmarks for the Lakeland school to achieve before it’s considered as the state’s 12th public university, but stopped far short of giving the school outright independence.

“As Polytechnic moves forward and begins the necessary steps to transition from a regional campus to Florida’s 12^th university, I believe it is imperative to correct the record and draw public attention to this campaign of misinformation,” Alexander said, in a letter to BOG Chair Ava Parker.