Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush responds to the filing of landmark education choice expansion legislation

Editor’s note: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, chairman and founder of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, issued the following statement in response to the filing of HB 1. The bill would significantly expand eligibility for education choice options to all K-12 students in Florida.

“The right to a publicly funded education is a promise our state makes to every student and yesterday, Speaker Paul Renner and members of the legislature took bold steps to ensure each and every Florida student can access the education of their choice.

“Florida stands on the monumental verge of restoring the original intent of publicly funding education – by funding individual students – so each child can reach their God-given potential. HB1 is a forward thinking and important move toward ensuring Florida remains the nation’s leader in student-centered solutions. I applaud Speaker Renner and the Florida House for their vision and leadership in creating this unmatched opportunity for Florida students and families.”

House Bill 1, released by Speaker Paul Renner and sponsored by Rep. Kaylee Tuck, will significantly expand school choice options for all Florida K-12 students.

• Creates universal eligibility for the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship program
• Expands eligibility for homeschool students who wish to participate in the program
• Removes scholarship caps for low-income based programs
• Eliminates the waitlist for students with unique abilities
• Transforms the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs into education savings account program, allowing funds to be used to pay for tuition and a variety of other educational material and expenses
• Improves the definition of part-time enrollment, enabling students who enroll in a traditional public school part time to receive their proportionate share of public school funding

You can read the full test of the bill here.