Florida needs to overhaul the way it funds school facilities, and make the system fairer for charter schools, the incoming Speaker of the House said Wednesday.
State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, speaks on the House floor during a June special session. Photo via Florida House.
During questions on the state budget, the chamber plunged into a perennial debate over state funding for public school buildings. Democrats like Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg, seized on a recent Associated Press investigation that found charter schools had received tens of millions of dollars in construction funding, but later shut down.
If the state was going to set aside $90 million for charter schools, Dudley asked, would there be any "clawback" provisions or "anything to assure taxpayers" that money for school facilities "will be protected and secure" if charters eventually close?
Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, who chairs the Appropriations Committee and is set to become Speaker after this fall's elections, tried to put the issue in perspective. School districts, he said, raise nearly $2.2 billion a year in local property tax revenue, plus hundreds of millions more in local sales taxes and impact fees. Charter schools, for the most part, do not share in that money, so they rely on funding in the state budget that has eroded over time. (more…)
The full Florida House is set to vote on a bill that would give private-school, virtual-school and charter-school students more access to extra-curricular activities at nearby public schools.
The bipartisan legislation has passed unanimously through three committees, and it seemed to be cruising toward a final vote without controversy. That changed on Wednesday, as the bill's supporters faced a series of tough questions from Democrats when it was introduced on the House floor.
HB 533 would broaden Florida's so-called "Tebow Law" that allows students in home education and other choice programs to compete on sports teams at nearby public schools. It would clarify that the rule also applies to other extracurricular activities, like drama or debate clubs.
It would also allow students – including those who attend traditional public schools – to participate in those activities at other schools in their district if their zoned school does not offer them.
Bill sponsor Rep. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, said the bill would ensure students have access to extracurricular activities as growing numbers of them choose options beyond their zoned schools.
"Students and parents have a lot of choices to make, and those schools are not bound by attendance zones, so why are we being hypocritical, and trying to keep these students out, from participating in athletics and activities?" he asked his colleagues, responding to a litany of questions from Democrats on the House floor.
"This concept bothers me a great deal," said Rep. Elaine Schwartz, D-Hollywood. Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, asked if the bill would allow schools to "quote-unquote recruit" students to build powerhouse programs in sports or other competitions.
Rep. Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg, warned about a potential "chaos factor." (more…)
