Isn't John White's homework overdue now anyway?

Didn't he say these so-called "tougher standards" for deciding which apostles, mythical creatures, and DVD players Louisiana will consider educational enough to receive voucher students were coming out sometime after September 1?

We're starting to get into significant "after September 1" territory now and John White's tough standards have yet to emerge.

But, as Lamar explains here, if White wants to "toughen" the standards for private schools in a way that conforms with the specific directives of the state constitution, he's going to have a hard time passing out vouchers this year.

There is no possible way that Superintendent White or any other elected or appointed official can honestly argue that schools like New Living Word in Ruston or Cenla Christian Academy in Pineville, among others, offer a curriculum “as strong as the state’s,” regardless of the “accrediting body” upon which they may rely. Schools that offer ACE, Bob Jones University, and/or ABeka curricula are inherently, indeed purposely, not as strong or as rigorous. Considering that the vast majority of private colleges and universities in the country and the entire public university system in the State of California can, by law, reject college applicants on the basis of the strength and merits of the coursework they took in high school, many of the schools that Superintendent John White approved for taxpayer funding under Bobby Jindal’s voucher program are in violation of the Louisiana State Constitution.
It’s open and shut.

And that, I imagine, is why Superintendent White is now frantically attempting to change the standards for private schools, to make it appear to the media and the public as if he has suddenly decided to get “tougher.”

Maybe we should give him an extension. 

Update: Well he's got partial credit since he just announced this voucher auditing policy.

Besides auditing funds, the state is considering tougher standards for approving private and parochial schools. Since the schools come up for annual review, the new standards would apply to new schools and ones that already have state approval.

BESE is expected to adopt the tougher standards at its October meeting.

White said one factor that will play a more significant role is whether the academic curriculum is “equal to what is expected of public schools.” Also, teaching methods and effectiveness will play a more significant role.

Yes, well, we hope the state's constitutional standard will play a "significant role."  But um... "BESE is expected to adopt" something in October that hasn't even seen the light of day yet.