Florida Legislature considers measure to ease the process of converting public schools to charter schools

Florida Republicans have proposed two bills that would make it easier to convert traditional public schools into charters.

The companion bills, HB 109 and SB 246, would remove the current requirement that 50% of teachers in the school must approve of the conversion, while maintaining the requirement that 50% of parents approve.

As a result, parents would have a greater say in the matter. 

Additionally, the bills would enable municipalities to apply for a conversion. Current law only allows the school board, school staff, teachers or school advisory council to make such an application. 

The measures would also give charter schools first dibs to purchase vacant or surplus school district property. 

Democrats in the Legislature are resistant to the proposals, claiming they would defund traditional public schools. 

“We need to stop blaming the schools and calling them failing government schools,” said Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville. “We need to start blaming ourselves for pushing these horrible policies that are detrimental to our children.”  

But Republicans insist the problem is local mismanagement. 

“I think this puts our public schools on notice to get their act together,” said Rep. Fabián Basabe, R-Miami Dade. “There is a tremendous lack of accountability. They are not underfunded. The money doesn’t go where it’s supposed to go.” 

“Public schools in Florida have never been funded as high as they are today,” added Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, HB 109’s sponsor. 

Meanwhile, charter school enrollment is booming nationwide, especially among minority students. 

The more independent and flexible models often produce better academic results with less funding than their traditional, government-run counterparts.  

Florida’s charters are no exception.  

The Florida Charter School Alliance reports that most charter schools have higher proficiency rates and smaller achievement gaps than public schools. 

Unsurprisingly, charter enrollment between 2019 and 2023 grew over 16% or 53,000 students. In the same period, traditional public schools shrank by 1.6% or 41,600 students. 

Both HB 109 and SB 246 are being discussed by their respective chamber committees on education. If passed, they would go into effect on July 1.