Under-the-radar bill would expand educational options in Florida

Members of both chambers of the Florida Legislature voted unanimously this afternoon for a bill that would expand several educational options for children with special needs and improve private school students' access to college courses.

Among other things, the measure, which advanced without controversy, would broaden the possible uses for the state's popular school voucher program for special needs students.

If Gov. Rick Scott approves the revised HB 837, among other things: 

• Special-needs students would be able to use McKay Scholarships to pay for job-transition programs offered by their private schools.
• Children in foster care would no longer have to attend public school for at least one year before becoming eligibility for McKay Scholarships.
• Homeschool parents would gain the ability to send special needs children to public schools for services (perhaps speech therapy, for example, or individual classes) without enrolling them full-time. Districts would receive proportional funding from the state.
• State colleges would be required to offer dual enrollment courses to private-school students in their geographic areas, free of charge.

The final change, added today by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, is intended to address a glitch that arose three years ago, when lawmakers overhauled state funding for dual enrollment courses. School districts were required to cover dual enrollment students' tuition, and some colleges began passing those costs along to private schools, too. Stargel has filed legislation to address the issue each of the past three legislative sessions.