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Controversial law would expand 'Schools of Hope'
FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida lawmakers are heading back to work as the legislative session begins, and education is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched issues.
One of the most controversial topics is the expansion of rights for Schools of Hope, a group of charter schools that can move into unused space on public school campuses at no cost. The law took effect last year as part of the state budget after a similar standalone bill failed.
RELATED: Charter schools face pushback from Hillsborough County School Board over access to facilities
Under the new rules, Schools of Hope operators, including for-profit charter chains, can claim space in underutilized public schools through a process known as co-location.
Districts are required to provide transportation, food service, custodial support and other resources without charging the charter operator.
Two Democratic lawmakers have filed bills aimed at undoing those expanded rights, saying the policy has caused chaos for school districts across Florida.
Why are districts and parents concerned?
School board members, district leaders and parent groups argue the law forces public schools to subsidize private operators at the expense of traditional public school students.
Schools of Hope providers submitted at least 600 applications statewide to co-locate on public school campuses. Districts in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, and Sarasota counties are among those that received letters of intent.
Some parent groups and school board members have described the process as a hostile takeover of public schools, warning it could disrupt learning environments and strain already limited resources.
Pinellas County State Senator Darryl Rouson filed one of the bills that would reverse the law allowing co-location. If that effort fails, he says lawmakers should at least tighten the rules.
MORE: Charter school operators prepare to potentially move on public school campuses under new state rule
What they're saying:
Rouson, a Democrat, said parents are worried about how co-location could affect their children.
"Parents were concerned with, number one, the impact it would have on their own child getting a good education, both in terms of safety, in terms of health, and in terms of the efficacy of school district resources," Rouson said.
Damaris Allen, the executive director of Families for Strong Public Schools, said districts are being forced to absorb costs that charter operators do not have to pay.
"They aren't going to have to pay for expenses of things like shared spaces, maintenance, use of the cafeteria, things like that. And so it's going to come at the expense of public schools and, very specifically, opportunities for public school students," Allen said.
At the local level, school board members have echoed those concerns. Jessica Vaughn said public schools should not be subsidizing private operators.
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"If you're getting public dollars, you should be accountable and transparent, and you should be paying for the services that your students are utilizing at the bare minimum," Vaughn said last month.
Support from state leaders
The original intent of Schools of Hope was to provide additional options for families in low-performing schools.
Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida’s education commissioner remain strong supporters of the program. At a recent statewide conference in December, the education commissioner defended the policy and warned districts against resisting it.
"This is not the moment to protect half-empty buildings. This is not the moment to protect the way things work. This is the moment to put students first," Commissioner Anastasis Kamoutsas said.
What's next:
The Florida Board of Education announced it plans to review the new rules and consider clarifications for districts. So far, state education leaders have not responded to questions about specific concerns raised by school districts.
The Source: Information in this article comes from remarks made by state lawmakers, parent advocates, school board members, Florida education officials and previous reporting on the Schools of Hope co-location rules.