Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature is moving forward with a series of proposals that would help charter schools, while Democrats argue the measures would chip away at traditional public schools.
At least five bills have passed the House or the Senate that could help lead to more charter schools, bolster charter school facilities and, at least in some cases, ensure charter schools get a cut of local tax dollars.
While the bills had not received approval from both legislative chambers and gone to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk as of Monday morning, they passed the House or Senate by large margins. Charter schools are public schools but are typically run by private operators.
During debates, Republican supporters of the bills repeatedly stressed the public nature of charter schools and pointed to the state’s wholesale move in recent years toward school choice. But Democrats argued the bills would harm traditional public schools, where most children continue to attend.
“This bill is basically a slow death for public education, traditional public schools,” Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, said during a debate about a bill that would help a type of charter school known as “schools of hope.”
But bill sponsor Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, fired back: “It is not a slow death of public education,” she said. “Let’s get something right — schools of hope are public schools.”
Charter schools, which are not bound by the same regulations as traditional public schools, have grown dramatically over the years.
For example, 382,367 students were enrolled in charter schools during the 2022-2023 school year, up from 229,428 students during the 2013-2014 year, according to data posted on the Florida Department of Education website. The state had 726 charter schools in 46 districts in 2022-2023.
The bills this year are part of long-running efforts by GOP lawmakers to spur school choice. Those efforts have particularly drawn attention in recent years because of a massive expansion of voucher programs for children to attend private schools.
The schools of hope bill (HB 1267), which passed the House last week in an 86-27 vote, has drawn some of the heaviest debate among the charter school bills. Lawmakers in 2017 created the schools of hope program to serve children in areas with “persistently low-performing” traditional public schools.
Florida has approved seven school-of-hope operators that run 12 schools, according to a House staff analysis. The bill would help schools of hope in at least two ways.
It would change criteria for determining whether traditional public schools are persistently-low performing, which could increase the number that would receive the designation — and, as a result, open the door for more schools of hope.
Under the bill, that designation would begin to apply to traditional public schools that are in the bottom 10% of schools statewide for student performance on third-grade standardized English-language arts or fourth-grade math exams in at least two of the previous three years.
Also, the bill would give schools of hope the right to use vacant school facilities or “co-locate” with other schools if space is available. Some Democrats questioned the fairness of that proposal.
Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, said school districts should be able to negotiate the use of their facilities for schools of hope, not be mandated. But Busatta said lawmakers should ensure that each school is used to its “full potential.”
Busatta’s bill also includes several education issues unrelated to schools of hope. A Senate version of the bill (SB 1708) has cleared two committees but has not gone to the full Senate.
The other charter school bills are:
— HB 1115, which would require that charter schools get a cut if school districts receive sales-tax money through what is known as a local-government infrastructure surtax. While such money can be used for facilities projects, it also could go toward instructional technology, according to a House staff analysis. A Senate version of the bill (SB 1702) was scheduled to be taken up by the Senate as early as Monday afternoon.
— SB 140, which would make it easier to convert traditional public schools to charter schools. Currently, such conversions must receive support from a majority of parents and a majority of teachers. The bill would remove the requirement for teacher support. The Senate voted 30-7 to approve the bill, while a House version (HB 123) has made it through committees.
— HB 443, which would give charter schools a “right of first refusal” if school districts seek to sell, lease or dispose of facilities. Also, the bill would allow charter schools to adopt their own codes of conduct. The House voted 83-28 to approve the bill. The Senate could take up its version (SB 822) on Tuesday.
— HB 569, which would make development-related changes that could help with charter-school facilities. For example, it would allow developers to get impact-fee credits for making contributions to charter schools. Such contributions could involve money or other things such as land, site planning or construction. The House voted 86-26 to pass the bill, while a Senate version (SB 1188) has cleared two committees.
