Florida House leader wants to expand school vouchers to all K-12 students
Florida’s school-voucher program could see a major expansion under legislation filed Thursday by House Republicans.
Standing at a lectern with a sign reading “Your Kids, Your Choice,” House Speaker Paul Renner introduced House Bill 1 to make vouchers available to all Florida children eligible to enter kindergarten through 12th grade.
Children from families with incomes up to 185% of the federal poverty level, which is $55,500 plus $9,509 for each additional family member, would continue to get priority for the funding. Children in foster care also would receive priority.
The bill would allow voucher recipients to use the public funds for more than tuition at a private school and transportation as is currently in law. Families would be allowed to spend the money on home-schooling, college courses, private tutoring and specialized testing such as Advanced Placement exams, among other expenses.
Students may not receive a voucher while enrolled in public school. The amount is the equivalent of perstudent funding in a public school — currently about $8,216 per year.
Families would receive the money through statefunded education-savings accounts, a longtime goal for Florida Republicans.
“It’s about freedom and opportunity,” Renner, RPalm Coast, said. “We empower parents and children to decide the education that meets their needs.”
He predicted broad bipartisan support for the bill, which he said also should clear the waiting list for students with special education needs to receive state scholarships. About 9,400 children are on that list, according to Renner’s staff.
DEMOCRATS CALL IT ‘DEFUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION’
House Democratic Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell disagreed with Renner’s comments regarding support for the bill. She called it a “defunding of public education” and said she expected most members of her party to oppose it.
“There is nothing in this bill that I like because we continue to take these public dollars and use them for private purposes,” Driskell, D-Tampa, said.
Other Democrats attending a news conference to counter the Republicans’ announcement held similar views. They said they support vouchers for students who need special services and agreed that parents deserve choices — including within the public schools, which 2.9 million children attend.
“Let’s not defund one institution to fund another one,” said Rep. Felicia Robinson, D-Miami Gardens, who also called for more accountability in the voucher system.
Schools that accept vouchers should at least have certified teachers, Robinson said. And parents who accept funding should have to prove the money is going toward approved education services, added Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, D-Gainesville.
”There is no accountability for tracking funds,” said Hinson. “This might be a get-rich scheme. I’ve seen it all over the country.”
Rep. Allison Tant, DTallahassee, referenced her city’s Red Hills Academy, a charter school that closed within weeks of opening last year, citing low enrollment and processing issues, according to the
Tallahassee Democrat.
”They got state funding to go create themselves,”
Tant said. “Then they turn the kids back to public schools and guess what? They kept the funding.”
In Palm Beach County, the founder of one charter school was found profiting off the venture by steering school contracts to companies that he owned, according to the Palm Beach Post.
RENNER’S REBUTTAL
Renner said critics who claim the Republicans are seeking to dismantle public education ignore that the Legislature has put more total dollars into district schools every year, something that he said would likely continue. He also pointed to the state’s efforts to improve teacher pay.
“It’s going to be a good year for our traditional public schools as well,” Renner said.
Hearings are set to begin on the bill next week. Florida’s legislative session begins March 7. The Senate does not have a companion bill at this time.