Florida charter schools with high academic ratings would get a new path to expand under legislation approved Wednesday by a state House panel.
The bill, approved by the House education Choice and Innovation Subcommittee on a 10-3 vote, would create an Institute for Charter School Innovation, which would be tasked with studying charter school oversight around the state.
Charter schools that have earned a “high-performing” label — meaning they have clean financial audits and high letter grades — could apply to the institute to replicate their schools in a new location.
State law already creates an easier approval process for high-performing charters that want to replicate their existing model, but only school boards have the power to approve or reject their applications.
Advocates have long pushed for a state body that has the power to approve new charter schools, pointing to conflicts in districts like Palm Beach County and arguing school boards sometimes block applications from legitimate charters for political reasons.
Courts rejected a previous attempt to create a statewide entity with the power to sponsor charters, because the state constitution gives districts the power to control all free public schools in their geographic area. But courts have upheld the state’s system of charter school appeals, noting that while it allows the state Board of Education to decide the fate of some charter applications, local school boards remain in charge of charter contracts.
Under the House proposal, charters whose applications were approved by the institute would still be sponsored by local school districts, which would still negotiate charter contracts and monitor the schools.
Rep. Reggie Fullwood, D-Jacksonville, voted against the bill, saying it could take decision-making power away from local school boards.
“Wouldn’t that essentially usurp the authority of the school district?” he asked.
Rep. Bob Cortes, R-Altamonte Springs, said existing high-performing charters, by definition, have already had an application approved by at least one school board, and proven their ability to operate a school with above-average academics.
“It would create opportunities to allow high-performing [charters] in other parts of the state,” he said. “We want to make sure that we promote that as much as we can.”
The wide-ranging school choice bill won support from Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, who said it would strengthen accountability for charters. Among other things, it would give school districts clearer authority to reject charter school applications based on their operators’ history with other schools.
The measure would also clear up a conflict over high-performing charter schools, create a new system aimed at drawing successful charters into high-needs areas, and bar charters from counseling out students who struggle academically.
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, said the bill would bring the state closer to a day when lawmakers could say “there are no waiting lists” for sought-after schools.
“Our mission is to serve every student, not to serve an institution,” he said.
