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Charter Bills Update: Florida 2015 Legislative Session
Charter school bills are moving again, at least in the Florida House. The bills are all beginning to look more alike. The charter school amendm
ent to HB 1145, filed this week, dropped the requirement for districts to share public school capital outlay millage with charters. This is good news for financially strapped public schools.
It added a provision stating that charters have a financial audit that does not reveal any of the financial emergency conditions in 218.503(1) for the most recent year. On the surface, this does not sound like a transparency move.
There are some differences in provisions between the House and Senate relating to charter advisory board conflict of interest rules. The Senate bill 1552 looks stronger than the other bills. They just require board members to be identified and two meetings be held in the district. Advisory boards controlled by their management companies cannot be very independent. Details follow.
Private Schools Respond to Public Money
This Orlando Sentinel article turns data into description. How Florida’s tax credit scholarships and McKay vouchers for students with disabilities impacts private schools is the topic.
Some private schools operate solely on public money. Others combine public scholarships and tuition. Some do not take public money.
The rules for private schools are different. Public accountability is limited. Teachers do not need certification. Academic achievement is mixed. The Sentinel story has been excerpted below. It is a side of the story worth telling. What we do not know is if it is money well spent.
Main Voucher Bill in Tennessee is Withdrawn
The main voucher bill HB 1039 in Tennessee died yesterday. This bill was similar to the Opportunity Scholarships that was declared unconstitutional in Florida. Tennessee’s version would give vouchers to students who qualified for free and reduced lunch and were enrolled in a school with achievement scores in the bottom 5 percent. A second bill, HB 138 survived. It would provide vouchers for students with special needs who have IEPs. While HB 138 has not become law, it was voted out of committee and is proceeding through the legislative process. Anne-Marie Farmer’s post in this blog describes the bills.
Is This the Year for Vouchers in Tennessee?
by Anne-Marie Farmer
Which way will Tennessee’s legislature go? There are two bills moving through the legislature. One bill would make any child with an IEP eligible for a voucher. There is no accountability required. The second bill is geared toward students in struggling schools.
In this post, Anne Marie Farmer explains the impact of the bills. This is serious for Tennessee’s public schools. It could be sad for their children.
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- League Members visit the office of Senator Marco Rubio
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- League Members wait to see Senator Bill Nelson
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- Education Team at the Department of Education
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