Florida and open enrollment

The controlled open enrollment  law, which was modified in 2016, is working, according to choice experts.

In the first year after Florida lawmakers passed legislation that lets parents choose public schools across county lines, the state Department of Education reports that 5,397 students took advantage in 2017.

As such, educational choice experts proclaim that the controlled open enrollment law signed by Gov. Rick Scott in 2016 is working.

“As more parents learn about this option, it will mean more students will have the opportunity to receive a quality education in the school that best fits their needs,” said Adam Peshek, managing director of opportunity policy at the Foundation for Excellence in Education.

Even so, there is still a lot that is not known about the effect of the law, including its impact on school districts. Several districts officials said the law’s failure to provide transportation options for transferring students is a serious shortcoming. The options for parents are also limited by capacity at the most popular schools.

“Florida does not have a lot of data on the topic and what they do have is self-reported enrollment data,” Peshek said. “We don’t know much about which schools students are leaving and which districts/schools are benefiting the most. “Transportation is a large issue. Florida has very large, county-based districts. So, in addition to transportation being a barrier, options may just be too far for a parent to consider.”

House PreK-12 Education Appropriations Chairman Manny Diaz, who sponsored the legislation, said his goal was to provide students access to quality schools and provide the best use of empty seats. Though Florida has long allowed students to choose among district school through a policy known as “controlled open enrollment,” students could attend districts in other counties only through specific signed agreements. Diaz found that process to be too daunting for families.

Sonja Baker said she was grateful for the open enrollment program, which gave her the opportunity to apply to several schools outside the district for her son, who has autism and struggles academically in traditional public schools.

“As a parent of a child with special needs, I realized the traditional setting wasn’t for my child,” Baker said. “We live on a county border line. It doubles the options of giving him the quality education I feel he deserves.”

Baker ended up choosing to put her son in a charter school in the district.

All told, 266,515 students participated in open enrollment in 2017, according to DOE. Most attended schools within their district, but both programs present challenges, according to district officials.

Peter Licata, the assistant superintendent for choice and innovation for Palm Beach County Schools, said the lack of transportation options for students creates an inequity that hurts less-advantaged students. Some parents also have complained that more popular schools are not available because they tend already to be at capacity with traditionally zoned students.

In St. Johns County, for example, only two elementary schools had space available to be chosen under its open enrollment program. Countywide, there were only 29 applications this year for open enrollment.

Christina Langston, St. Johns chief of community relations, said in an email that no other schools meet the controlled open enrollment criteria to allow more students. She said the student population increases by more than 1,500 students each year.

Peshek suggested the state might consider offering financial incentives to schools that take students outside of their attendance zones.

“I can certainly see a scenario where the state would want to reward schools for taking students outside of their zoned district, in the same way they reward schools for academic success or providing access to advanced courses or industry certifications,” he said.