U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today issued the following statement on the Florida Supreme Court's narrow decision to strike down the state's Opportunity Scholarship program:

"The Florida Supreme Court's decision is an unfortunate setback for educational accountability and freedom. In a matter of months, it could cause parents to remove their sons and daughters from good schools and, in some cases, return them to underperforming schools. It may also make it more difficult to close the achievement gap, a major priority under the No Child Left Behind Act.

"Accountability is only as good as its consequences. Florida's Opportunity Scholarship program holds all schools accountable by turning a monopoly into a marketplace and helping parents become educated consumers. If a public school can't meet the high standards promised by the Florida Constitution, we must work to fix the school, not punish the families, many of them minority or economically disadvantaged, who seek a better alternative."

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