We can have school choice and strong public schools
Does universal school choice in Florida mean the end of public schools? The truth is simple: No it will not. Despite the constant repetition of this myth, school choice actually leads to improved public and private K-12 education.
Thanks to leaders like House Speaker Paul Renner, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida has the opportunity to forever solidify its position as a national leader on education.
Two bills are making their way through the legislative process. These proposals, HB 1 and SB 202, would implement two important changes to Florida law that will have an extraordinarily positive impact on families across the state.
The first change would expand eligibility for school-choice scholarships to all students in Florida, opening the door for every parent to have the freedom to choose the best school for their child. This will break down artificial barriers erected by ZIP codes and give families a range of options — from virtual schools and charter schools to home school or public school.
The second important change included in this legislation would clear the scholarship waitlist for students with disabilities or unique abilities. These students are exceptional children who often need extra support to unlock their full potential. For the thousands of students currently on the waitlist in Florida, this will be a dream come true.
Opponents of school choice like to use hyperbole and hysteria to paint this legislation as the “death of public schools.” They use eye-popping figures and fuzzy math to justify their claims.
Some assert that this will force public schools to shut their doors or divert billions of dollars away from classrooms. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Right now, public schools get more than $10 billion annually from local taxpayers. Those funds remain firmly with public schools regardless of where parents choose to send their children.
It’s also important to recognize that, while education options have expanded in Florida over the past 20-plus years, public school enrollment has grown every year (with the exception of one year during the pandemic). A strong and healthy public school system is an important part of our education system.
Unfortunately, these same myths and misrepresentations about education were used when Gov. Jeb Bush passed the state’s first school choice legislation back in 1999. Back then, Florida’s high school graduation rate was 60% and today it’s soared to 87%. We’re also now among the top five states for fourth grade reading and math scores, a key predictor for student achievement. It’s living proof that creating options is a catalyst for opportunity.
Fortunately, those tired claims that school choice is bad for students weren’t true then, and they certainly aren’t true today.
Here’s what is true: Across the country more than 75% of Americans support school choice scholarships. That’s evidenced by a growing wave of bipartisan legislation popping up in state capitals across the country.
I recently had the privilege of leading a group of nearly 100 parents, students, and educators to Tallahassee so they could share their stories and perspectives. They met with dozens of legislators on both sides of the aisle and talked about what school choice means to them.
These conversations didn’t center on policy nuance or funding hypotheticals — instead, the discussions revolved around personal stories of children whose lives were forever changed because they found a school that could help them flourish and grow. After all, at the end of the day, that’s why we do what we do.
As state lawmakers continue their annual legislative session, my hope is that they’ll remember those stories and continue to put parents and students at the forefront of every decision.