School Vouchers

Superintendent Peter Licata says closing schools is a last resort but it's still an option to save the district money.

Senate bill sponsor Jay Collins, R-Tampa, pointed to a waiting list of roughly 8,900 students seeking vouchers in the program.

The proposal would increase the number of students this school year while also placing a higher cap on the number of ESE students next year. The Senate is slated to vote on the issue Wednesday.

Proponents of the scholarships have touted them as allowing families to customize students’ educations.

Legislative leaders say the session will include an effort to provide “a mechanism to increase the number of students served under the Family Empowerment Scholarship for students with disabilities.”

Florida lawmakers are gearing up to provide additional funding to a part of the state's school-voucher program that serves students with special needs, as some proponents of the scholarships say demand has outpaced supply.

Florida is among at least four states that have made most children eligible for taxpayer-funded scholarships to private schools — and are seeing more families using the programs than planned.

School board chair Bridget Ziegler voted against the move to spend $40,000 to redraw the maps, saying she was "indifferent." Board member Tom Edwards questioned the need for the costly expenditure.

Debates over parental rights, school choice and what should be taught in public schools have embroiled state lawmakers and local school districts.

Debates over parental rights, school choice and what should be taught in public schools have embroiled state lawmakers and local school districts.

Debates over parental rights, school choice and what should be taught in public schools have embroiled state lawmakers and local school districts.

Since a major expansion of the program, Florida's private school voucher system has experienced delays in getting money to families and schools.