An expansion of Florida’s Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts wasn’t the only school choice-related issue that found new life in a state budget deal reached this week.
The new $78 billion spending plan, set to come up for a final vote Friday, would increase funding for public schools and address a handful of the issues we followed during the regular legislative session.
Digital classrooms. The classroom technology push would get a $20 million boost, or a 50 percent increase. Charter schools were less likely to take advantage of the program last year. Legislation tied to the budget would require the state Department of Education to create a “streamlined” process for charters to submit their digital classroom plans, which might make it easier for them to participate. The extra money might help make it worth their while.
Charter schools. Charter schools would take a haircut in their funding for buildings. Capital funding would decline by a third, to $50 million. School districts would also get $50 million for repair and maintenance, and a larger chunk of money would be divided among school construction projects in rural districts.
Principal autonomy. While the effort to give traditional school principals some of the same flexibility enjoyed by their charter school counterparts didn’t make it through the legislative session, the idea could get a favorable nudge from the state budget, which would offer $400,000 in training programs for principals whose districts give them greater flexibility and decision-making authority over their campuses.
Early learning. Per-student funding for Voluntary Prekindergarten, one of Florida’s most popular forms of school choice, would be held constant.
Projects. There’s funding for several school choice-related projects, including a funding increase for the SEED School of Miami, which would get a slight funding boost.
As for other issues, like dual enrollment, public school choice and charter school accountability, there’s always next year, and the next round of lawmaking is expected to start earlier than usual, with legislative committees convening next fall.
