by Livi Stanford and Travis Pillow
A trio of lawsuits taking aim at last year’s major education law could pose tricky questions for lawmakers — if they succeed.
One Friday, a Leon County judge rebuffed one school district’s attempt to halt implementation the law, which is set to steer more than $91 million in local property tax revenue to charter schools on Feb. 1.
However, the underlying case is still proceeding, along with two others. That means a hard-won new funding source for charter schools is still in question.
Several key lawmakers who backed the new law, known as HB 7069, say they’re confident the state will eventually win the cases. But if it doesn’t, they said, it should try to make charter schools whole.
Right now, the state is providing approximately 544 charter schools with their share of $50 million in state funding. That’s down from $75 million the year before. But that's before factoring in the new law, which provides charters with an additional $91.2 million from school districts, according to a memo sent out last week by the state Department of Education.
Without the funding the new law provides, charter schools would absorb a facilities funding cut of about a third, and their lowest per-pupil capital funding since the state created its charter school capital funding system.
Friday's decision by James Shelfer means the lawsuits are less likely to change schools' budgets in the current school year. But it doesn't change the potential implications for charter and district finances in future years.
Florida charter schools would have a greater authority over their federal education funding if a bill approved today by the state House finds a path through the Senate.
HB 7101 would increase charters' ability to form their own local education agencies, or LEAs in federal parlance. That would allow them to receive federal funds for training teachers and supporting low-income students directly, without going through their local school districts.
And districts would have to give all public schools, including charters, authority to decide how most of their federal Title I funding gets spent.
Those are two of many changes in the measure, which passed on a nearly party-line vote, with two Democrats joining Republicans in support.
Rep. Wengay Newton, D-St. Petersburg, opposed the bill, arguing charter schools are part of a "separate but equal" public education system. Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, questioned whether allowing charter schools to form LEAs would raise "constitutional" issues. (more…)
Sullivan
The Florida House this afternoon unanimously passed legislation that would strengthen two private school choice programs.
HB 15 would increase per-student funding for tax credit scholarships. Children would be able to receive larger scholarships in high school, where private school tuition tends to be more expensive.
The bill would also allow military families to apply for the school choice program year-round.
Maximum scholarships in a branch of the program that reimburses transportation expenses for children attending public schools across district lines would increase from $500 per student to $750.
The measure would also expand the list of conditions that allow students to qualify for Gardiner scholarships, which provide education savings accounts for children with special needs. (more…)
A bill that would accelerate the growth of Florida's tax-credit scholarship program could be headed for a vote on the House floor.
Rep. Michael Bileca
The House Choice and Innovation Subcommittee approved the measure on a party-line vote Tuesday, after approving changes that would raise limits on the program's growth and voting down a proposal to require that scholarship students take the same standardized tests as their public school peers.
After the changes approved Tuesday, the program could grow to about $401 million next school year, raising the cap for that year by about $43.6 million. That would allow as many as 76,680 students to receive scholarships. (The program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.)
The hearing was packed with parents, teachers, students, political activists and clergy members on both sides of the school choice debate. Students weighed in on both sides, including Artayia Wesley, an eighth-grader who said she has used a scholarship to attend St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando since she was in fourth grade.
"Before, I was academically challenged," she said. "I wasn't the best student in the class, grade-wise. But as I went to St. Andrew, now I'm an A-B student and working to be on the honor roll."
Democrats on the committee, who opposed the bill, said they wanted the state to measure for scholarship students's academic progress with the same standardized tests taken by public-school students. Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, introduced an amendment to create that requirement. It failed on a party-line vote after setting off a debate about how schools should be held accountable.
Representatives of the Florida Education Association and Florida PTA said they supported Jones' proposal.
Some members of the Florida House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee grew up attending public schools and, later, went to work for them.
Others sent their children to parochial schools and charter schools while at least one representative home-schooled his kids.
In all, 13 members of the new subcommittee said they have had first-hand experience with an array of educational options – perhaps a good sign for a group that will help shape Florida’s growing school choice movement.
During the first official meeting Tuesday in Tallahassee, members introduced themselves and listened as state education leaders explained how school choice works and what options are available.
Here’s what members revealed about their educational background:
Rep. Michael Bileca
