For several years, the debate over charter schools was defined by scarcity.
In the wake of the Great Recession, enrollment in Florida’s public schools was barely growing, so more the rapid growth of charters pushed enrollment numbers in district schools downward. Recently, that has started to change. Will the debate over charter schools change, too?
More people are moving to the state, and while charters are still growing faster than district schools in some places, both are seeing enrollment rise. As Florida Today has reported, the trend is expected to continue in Brevard County next school year.
Of the projected increase, 733 students are expected to enter into district schools, while 798 students are expected to enroll in charters.
The number of students in charter schools has increased significantly over the past 15 years. In 2000, the district reported 1,050 students in charter schools. For the 2015-16 school year, it is anticipated that 5,078 students will enroll in charters.
The same is true statewide. Public schools are projected to grow by more than 30,000 students next school year. If recent trends hold, tens of thousands of parents will continue to choose charters, and they will absorb much of the increase, but not all of it.
As this forecast document from state economists makes clear, growth won’t be spread evenly around the state. And as the Florida Today article notes, growth won’t be spread evenly within districts. In Brevard, it’s expected to be concentrated near the center of a county that extends some 72 miles from north to south.
This means more districts will soon be casting about for new money to pay for construction. At a time when both districts and charters find themselves increasingly squeezed for facilities funding, perhaps this presents an opportunity for collaboration. What if districts and charters work together to help new schools locate in areas where new growth is expected?
