Bill: No recent bankruptcies for private voucher schools

Private schools that accept scholarships from Florida’s largest voucher program could not be operated by anyone who had recently filed for bankruptcy, under a bill filed Friday by Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando.

She was among the state lawmakers and advocates upset by an Orlando Sentinel investigation published in October that found private schools in Florida will take in nearly $1 billion in scholarships, or vouchers, this year but operate with little state oversight.

The newspaper found that system allowed some schools to hire staff with criminal records and teachers without college degrees, set up shop in rundown buildings and to falsify health and safety records.

Several schools the newspaper investigated also were run by people with recent bankruptcy filings, which the state does not take into consideration when school owners apply to take part in one of Florida’s three scholarship programs. The programs, which serve about 140,000 students, help pay private school tuition for youngsters with disabilities and those from lowincome families.

Stewart’s bill (SB 1736) would apply to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program, which serves about 100,000 students. The operator of a private school could not have a bankruptcy filing in the past five years and accept students using those scholarships.

After the stories published, she said the state needed to do more to ensure the private schools taking part in the scholarship programs were well run.

“There needs to be some accountability and some regulation,” she said.

Parents want to make good decisions for their children but may not realize the state provides little oversight, Stewart said.

“Parents are making those choices because they think we think it’s OK,” she added.