Bills aimed at helping Florida school districts screen people who apply to open charter schools didn’t survive this year’s legislative session, but those efforts may be revived.
During a visit this week with the Broward County School Board (hat tip to the Sun-Sentinel), state Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami said elements of this year’s plan would help form the “starting point bill” when lawmakers return to Tallahassee in the fall.
Fresen said he was willing to consider going further in some areas, like requiring new charter schools to post a surety bond before they open. Such a proposal has been floated the past, but some lawmakers worried it could create hurdles for smaller schools. It’s intended to keep school districts from being financially liable for schools that suddenly fold.
“I’m in favor of the concept, because it provides a lot of assurance to a school district,” Fresen said.
School board member Rosalind Osgood said the area of Broward she represents has faced a rash of “drive-by charter schools” that are “hurting the community.” The district has recently seen small charters close, leaving it on the hook for more than $1 million.
Fresen, who chairs the committee that writes the education budget, told the board he didn’t want them to be liable for that money, and that he was intent on preventing such incidents in the future — as are the operators of reputable charter schools who don’t want shuttered schools hurting their reputations.
“Let’s prevent that school from ever opening again,” he said. “I’m your biggest champion when it comes to that.”
Sheela VanHoose, Broward’s legislative director, said she’s been talking with other top lawmakers about surety bond proposals, as well as plans to give districts clearer authority to vet charter school applicants.
“If we tackle those issues in a proposal, it would solve a lot of the problems we’re seeing now,” she said.
The past two years have seen omnibus charter school legislation fall apart amid disagreements over other issues, like an overhaul of the charter school application process proposed in 2014.
In the meantime, the state Department of Education and groups like the National Association of Charter School Authorizers are creating new tools aimed at helping districts scrutinize charter school applicants.
