In late January, Florida House Republicans announced a massive expansion of school “vouchers” or “scholarships” — a piece of legislation for the 2023 session to allow families to use public dollars for private education. Now, the Senate has its own version.
Sen. Corey Simon, a Republican who represents parts of the Panhandle and Northeast Florida, has filed SB 202 earlier this month.
While the House and Senate bills vary in certain parts, they both line up on the language that the taxpayer-funded so-called “school vouchers” should be available to a student who is “a resident of this state and is eligible to enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school in this state.”
This means that both House and Senate GOP lawmakers are fine with families of millionaires and billionaires utilizing public dollars to attend private schools, even if those families could afford private school costs and tuition.
Apparently, Gov. Ron DeSantis has not fully supported the expansion when it comes specifically to allowing rich families to participate in the program, according to a POLITCO story. The Phoenix asked the governor’s office about the issue in question, but has not yet gotten a response.
Currently, Florida law allows only certain students to take advantage of the tax-funded school vouchers, primarily focused on students of low-income and middle-class families and students with disabilities. Both the House and Senate bills still give priority to students of low-income families, while also expanding eligibility to all students regardless of income.
Simon’s bill in the Senate has a variety of provisions that also would impact Florida’s public schools, including teacher certification and teacher salaries.
The House and Senate will have to reconcile the differences in the two bills on the voucher expansion so that they can pass the same legislation.
There are committee meetings Tuesday and Thursday on the legislation.
Florida Democrats in the House and Senate said Monday that the school voucher expansion will effectively defund public schools.
“This bill will destroy public schools as we know them in Florida,” Rep. Fentrice Driskell, Democratic leader in the House who represents part of Hillsborough, said in a Monday media availability over Zoom. “It is a massive giveaway of our taxpayer dollars for private schools, who have their own rules and who can deny the students that they don’t want.”
She added: “Moving these dollars from our public school system would hurt the students still in public schools. And if Republicans think public schools are so bad, why don’t they just do what we’ve asked for years, and actually give them the money they need to best serve our kids?”
“We still rank near the bottom in teacher pay … and they’ve choked the school system and now want to declare it dead,” Driskell said.
–Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix
Greg says
Gee, I hear the teachers union talking here.
Deborah Coffey says
I think we will have to move from Florida. Fascism is not our thing. The Republicans here are destroying this beautiful state on a daily basis.
Eric-ji says
“This bill will destroy public schools as we know them in Florida,”…if by “public schools as we know them” is meant underperforming schools, what’s wrong with that? If the parents want better education for their kids, what’s wrong with that? Teacher unions are on record aligning with teacher issues and not student performance. Parents pay the tax, why not give them the $ to take their kids to a better school? For education or for teacher comfort? Sometimes it comes down to choosing. Parents taking their kids out of underperforming schools should help that school district to wake up and improve the educational outcomes. Remember, the ones suffering in underperforming schools can be kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Getting them to better schools is a benefit.
Florida Voter says
The most frightening part of this to me is that the bill will PAY parents to keep their kids OUT of SCHOOL. I don’t care how “home education program” is defined; there will be ways around those definitions to allow abuse of the system. (Also insert comments about parents avoiding the safety checks that schools provide: food, supervision, reporting of abuse, etc.)
Yet more evidence that the GOP fears a well-educated society. “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” Thomas Jefferson
186 (4) AUTHORIZED USES OF PROGRAM FUNDS.—
187 (a) Program funds awarded to a student determined eligible
188 pursuant to paragraph (3)(a) may be used for:
…
197 5. Tuition and fees associated with full-time or part-time
198 enrollment in a home education program,
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/202/BillText/Filed/HTML
Laurel says
The private schools will legally steal from us. What is it that the Republicans cry about? The “redistribution of wealth.” Florida is becoming an authoritarian country that makes the poor poorer, and the rich richer, on your dime.
Why do you vote for them? Because they have more commercials on TV?
JOE D says
The article begins with a picture of a Catholic Private school with the caption of Public money could be used through the voucher system to pay private school tuition…..
Well….MY Catholic High School was fully integrated in the mid 1960’s (“Open to All”)….and a significant amount of the student population was “non-Catholic”….and minorities!
I would ONLY support such a system if it included only low income students assigned to documented underperforming PUBLIC schools, and the private schools were required to accept ALL applicants, as a condition to receiving those vouchers ( no “Cherry Picking “ only the advanced academic students). One of the local school districts near me made the vouchers available through a LOTTERY system to avoid private schools being able to pick and choose relatives, friends and students of families with advanced financial means
Even with all this, it’s not a great consideration for the entire State to Finance…. with PUBLIC money…
Skibum says
The only reason that many private schools exist is because far too many have their own agendas and ideological bent, which they intend to teach. In addition to their educational curriculum, they do whatever they can to indoctrinate kids into their way of thinking and that is never truer than with religious based private schools. If you don’t believe that just ask any kid who has gone to a private catholic school. The regulations allowing private education are so loose, and the financial rewards are great because they have ae easy way to suck taxpayer money into their private schools… money that would have (and SHOULD have) gone toward the traditional public education systems in this country. If we allow this to continue and see private education’s advancement to the detriment of our nation’s public education system, before long the U.S. will either have NO public education for kids, or if it exists at all, will be a completely decimated and woefully inadequate education for millions of kids whose parents are unable to afford the biased and religious based private schools that are popping up all over the place.
Laurel says
Eric-ji: So de-funding public schools will improve public schools? You think that more students should go to one religion schools in order to get specifically controlled education? Parents opted out of public schools, so they should be opted out of public money.
Cuba Gooding III says
Right… allllllll of the millionaires and billionaires in Florida sitting around (with school aged kids mind ya) chomping at the bit awaiting this “voucher” so they can save a few bucks. Gimme a break. The tiny portion of the population that are millionaires with school aged kids is about as inconsequential as it gets. The smart ones will even utilize actually paying for their child’s education as a greater tax break versus receiving this perceived “gift”. Then there’s security. If you’re a loaded millionaire with school aged kids, you’re likely some sort of celebrity. Options for school are quite limited. Finally, the schools these millionaires and billionaires, again with school aged kids, are very likely not to even want to participate in the state program, for the simple (albeit shallow) reasons that they don’t want that kind of kid in their school – amongst the other millionaire and billionaire kids no less.
No, this “problem” is a big fat nothingburger.
Laurel says
Cuba: That “big fat nothingburter” will cost the taxpayers who don’t care to have their kids indoctrinated with single minded, religious teachings, and would prefer to have their public schools improved. That Improvement is not going to happen if the money is siphoned out. Parents who opted out of public schools, should opt out of public monies.
Sherry says
Hi Deborah,
You are “Right On”!
We actually have moved from Fascist Florida (our home state for many generations). In our new home we have found extremely kind neighbors, peace, a well educated populace, amazing natural beauty, an appreciation and support for the arts, a society of well traveled, open minded people. We are just so much happier to be “AWAY” from Florida! Peace, joy and love at last!
Ms Miller's 5th Grader says
Folks seem to be under the false impression that federal or state constitutions say that the monies must go to only “public” schools. They do not. Both the state and federal Supreme Courts have taken up the arguments several times. Government is to provide an education, be it “public” or “private”, your religion or otherwise be damned.
Pogo says
@Liar or ignorant — or both
https://www.google.com/search?q=separation+clause
Lauren says
Not all private schools are religious schools. I work in a school in Palm Beach county, we are a choice program. We are a school specifically for 504 students, and students who were having problems finding success in the public school system. Public school doesn’t work for everybody.
Lauren says
They’re paying the same if not more property taxes than you. Who are you to tell them where to spend their money. This gives opportunities to those in failing schools. So those schools can up their game, or lose students. Aren’t you guy’s the party of equity? Well, here you go. This gives an even playing field to the less privileged.