Florida students would be able to enroll in any public school in the state that has room under a sweeping education bill approved today by the Florida Senate.
The revised HB 7029 contains a wide range of provisions affecting everything from charter school facilities to state universities to associations that represent school board members.
It received backing from the full Senate on a 28-12 vote that largely followed party lines. Sens. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate and Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee joined the chamber’s 26 Republicans in support.
Portions of the omnibus legislation — including a standalone measure expanding public-school choice — have already passed the House, which will have to vote on the full bill before it can head to Gov. Rick Scott.
The expansion of public-school open enrollment has been debated for two years. It would allow students to cross district lines to attend charter or traditional public schools. It would also require every school district to create an open-enrollment policy and make it easier for students to remain eligible for sports if they transfer outside their zoned schools.
Districts would be required to give enrollment preference to certain students who might otherwise be at a disadvantage, including children from military families, children in foster care, and children forced to relocate by a parental custody battle. Students could also receive preferential treatment in the district where they live, to ensure they aren’t driven out by students who transfer in from elsewhere.
Some district officials have worried about the timing of the changes, which wouldn’t take effect until the 2017-18 school year. They’ve also raised questions about how they will share tax revenues that aren’t always even across districts, and how students will find transportation to public schools that may be on the other side of town.
If the bill clears the House and gets approved by Gov. Rick Scott, expect those debates to bubble up in the coming months.
