Since 2012, some Florida lawmakers have pushed to require school districts to share their local property tax revenue with charter schools. Proposals to that effect have surfaced multiple times. But they've never passed, until now.

Under a wide-ranging bill, approved by the state House and Senate on the final day of an extended lawmaking session, a portion of local property tax revenue would follow students to whatever public school they attend — district or charter.

The proposal is based largely on legislation advanced by the House. An analysis by legislative staff estimated the plan would send about $146.4 million to charter schools, or almost twice the $75 million they received through the current state budget.

The money eligible for sharing with charter schools is based on the amount of construction funding districts have available after subtracting the money they need to pay construction debts they accrued before March of this year. The amount districts would have to share would also be reduced based on the amount of charter school facilities funding in the state budget, which this year would be $50 million. (more…)

One giant package approved on the last day of Florida's 2017 legislative session, HB 7069, included many priorities of the school choice movement, some of which had been floating around for years.

But the educational choice legislation headed to Gov. Rick Scott's desk did not stop there.

Here's a guide to what ultimately passed, and what didn't, this session, and what it would all mean for educational choice if it gets final approval from the governor.

Passed

High-impact charters. Lawmakers for years have drafted plans to bring more nationally regarded "high-impact" charter schools to areas where existing public schools struggle. That concept finally passed, in more headline-grabbing form: "Schools of Hope." HB 7069.

Charter school capital funding. Lawmakers have also pushed for years to require school districts to share their property tax revenue that funds construction with charters. The version passed this year would require them to share that money, but it would give them an allowance for district revenue that's tied up paying off past construction debt. HB 7069.

More generous scholarships. Per-student funding in Florida's tax credit scholarship program for low-income and working-class students would increase to $6,354 in elementary school, $6,643 in middle school and $6,931 in high school. Military families would be able to apply for the program year-round. A little-noticed portion of the program would increase transportation scholarships for families that send their children to public schools across district lines from $500 to $750*. HB 15.

Special needs scholarships. More children with special needs — including those with rare diseases and traumatic brain injuries — would become eligible for Gardiner scholarships. HB 15. Meanwhile, HB 7069 would set aside $30 million in new funding for the program, which is level-funded in the state budget*.

No boundaries for virtual schools. Students would be able to enroll in virtual charter schools, or participate in district virtual instruction programs, across school district lines. HB 7069.

(more…)

By Brandon Larrabee

News Service of Florida

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, May 9, 2017......... After lawmakers ignored their calls to vote down a sprawling education bill, opponents of the wide-ranging measure have turned to Gov. Rick Scott as their last hope to stop the proposal from becoming law.

It is not clear when the bill (HB 7069), which covers everything from charter schools and teacher bonuses to school uniforms and sunscreen, will hit Scott's desk. It could be weeks before the Legislature decides to forward the budget-related bill to the governor.

But within hours of its passage Monday night through the Senate by the narrowest possible margin, 20-18, opponents were already beginning to urge Scott to use his veto pen on the measure. (more…)

Nearly 200 of Florida's lowest-performing public schools would have to make dramatic changes, or could soon see more of their students leaving for "Schools of Hope" run by national charter school operators, under a bill headed to Gov. Rick Scott's desk.

The wide-ranging education policy overhaul would affect everything from charters and recess to teacher contracts and virtual schooling.

After passing the House earlier in the afternoon, HB 7069 cleared the Senate 20-18, meaning one more no-vote would have killed it.

Three Republicans joined Democrats in opposition, including state David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, who presented the bill in a tense debate on the Senate floor.

Simmons and his House counterpart, Rep. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, brokered a compromise that would speed up the timetable for public school turnarounds, while spending setting aside nearly $140 million in grants for proven charter school operators that come to Florida and expand wraparound services in persistently low-performing public schools.

But Simmons said the bill would only supply those grants to 25 district-run schools — or about an eighth of those that might qualify. And he said struggling schools would only have two years to shake their D and F state letter grades before they would face closures or charter conversions. He questioned whether that would be enough time.

At one point, he said, luring new charter schools to open in the vicinity of district schools that could eventually close would "lead to the potential of significant waste."

As a result, he told fellow Senators: "Vote your conscience."  (more…)

The biggest education issues of Florida's 2017 legislative session will be debated in dramatic fashion this afternoon, when lawmakers are expected to debate a 278-page omnibus bill.

The centerpiece of HB 7069, a product of end-of-session budget negotiations between House and Senate leaders, is a compromise plan to overhaul school improvement in Florida and bring new "Schools of Hope" to academically struggling parts of the state.

The revised school turnaround plan would set aside $140 million for persistently low-performing public schools — or new charter school operators that might enroll their students. (more…)

A bill that would bolster two Florida private school choice programs is headed to Gov. Rick Scott after recieving bipartisan support in both chambers of the state Legislature.

The Senate passed HB 15 this morning on a 27-11 vote. With a few minor changes, it received 101-11 support today in the state House, where it previously passed unanimously.

The bill would increase per-student funding for tax credit scholarships. Scholarships right now are capped at about 82 percent of Florida's core per-pupil public school operating funding.

The bill would allow low-income children to receive scholarships ranging from about 88 percent of average per-pupil funding in the Florida Education Finance Program (about $6,354 under the budget deal negotiated by lawmakers) in elementary school to 96 percent (or about $6,931) in high school, where private school tuition tends to be more expensive.

The legislation would also allow military families to apply for the school choice program year-round. And it would increase maximum scholarships in a branch of the program that reimburses transportation expenses for children attending public schools across district lines from $500 per student to $750. (more…)

Florida's academically "high-performing" charter schools would be allowed to increase their reach more quickly under legislation passed unanimously by the state Senate.

The upper chamber voted 38-0 for a sweeping education bill, focused mainly on paring back standardized testing.

The revised HB 549 includes a few provisions from wide-ranging charter school legislation that passed the House and surfaced this week in the Senate.

One key change would lift existing caps on high-performing charters that want to replicate.

Charter schools that earn mostly A and B grades and keep clean financial audits can receive high-performing status. That gives them access to certain perks, including a streamlined application process to open similar schools in new locations. The law currently limits them to one replication per year, but the bill would allow them to open multiple schools if they target areas served by struggling schools in the midst of a state-mandated academic turnaround process.

What else is in the bill? Everything from mandatory recess for elementary students to a new, professional mentorship-based path to a statewide teaching certificate. (more…)

The Florida Senate had a guest in the chamber to celebrate legislation that would expand an educational choice program for children with special needs.

Jimbo Fisher, Florida State University's football coach, brought his son, Ethan, to the capitol. The 12-year-old, who's celebrating his birthday, has been diagnosed Fanconi anemia, a genetic blood disorder.

Coach Fisher and his wife have founded a charity that funds research to fight the rare disease.

The Legislature is putting the finishing touches on bills (SB 902 and HB 15) that would allow children with rare diseases to participate in the Gardiner scholarship program* for children with special needs, and the Senate is expected to vote on the legislation tomorrow. (more…)

Proposed changes to the way federal funding flows to public schools have set off a late-session debate in the Florida Legislature.

Proponents of the changes argue money should follow students to whatever school they attend, and school leaders — not district administrators — should decide how the money gets spent.

School districts are fighting to keep their authority to decide where the money goes. They argue the changes would dilute funding intended to help disadvantaged students in schools with concentrated poverty.

In short, it's a state-level version of the national debate over funding "portability."

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday approved a major rewrite of SB 1362. It now resembles a bill that's already passed the House.

Among other things, the revised bill would remove caps on high-performing charter schools that want to expand in areas with low-performing public schools and move the deadline for charter school applications from August to February.  (more…)

A pair of bills that would strengthen Florida private school choice programs advanced through the Senate's full appropriations committee this morning with bipartisan support.

The committee approved SB 1314 by Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring. It would increase the amount of funding students can receive through the state's tax credit scholarship* program, with larger increases for students in high school, where tuition tends to be more expensive.

The bill would also allow military families to apply for the scholarships year-round. And it would increase per-student funding for transportation scholarships, which help low-income and working-class students cover for the cost of traveling to public schools across district lines. (more…)