School Vouchers

Florida’s expansion of vouchers for families who want to enroll their children in private schools is leading to tighter budgets at public schools across the state. In 2023, the Republican-led Legislature passed a bill that eliminated the income requirement for families to receive the vouchers, called family empowerment scholarships and Florida tax credit scholarships. These vouchers, intended to help families who could not afford private education, allow for public state aid to be redirected to families to cover the costs of the private school.

3 teachers were suspended without pay or benefits for comments made regarding the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. That is one of the issues facing Southwest Florida public schools.

The school year begins with a major expansion of vouchers for parents to send their children to schools other than public ones. The Florida Policy Institute said the current state budget includes up to $3.9 billion for vouchers and the companies that manage the program. The candidates for Lee County School Superintendent said they believe vouchers make the public schools do better.

Governor DeSantis was in Naples this morning, where he visited the Freedom Institute.

Florida Republican lawmakers voiced confidence in their estimated costs for the state’s newest expansion of school vouchers, but they’re setting aside money just in case those estimates are off.

Florida lawmakers Wednesday reached the halfway point in this year’s 60-day legislative session. The House and Senate have passed high-profile bills involving issues such as affordable housing and school vouchers, but major issues remain to be resolved.

The measure (SB 48), filed by Republican Sen. Manny Diaz of Hialeah, would expand eligibility for school-voucher programs and allow parents to use taxpayer-backed education savings accounts for private schools and other costs. The Senate Education Committee approved the proposal (SB 48) in a 6-4 party-line vote Wednesday, with Republicans overriding Democrats’ fiery objections to the plan.

State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith of Orlando is working to change Florida’s private school voucher program ‘Step Up for Students’ because he...

The Florida House and Senate are at odds over how to make good on Governor Ron DeSantis’s promise to eliminate a 13,000 student wait list for private...

Two main views tend to emerge when it comes to the topic of school vouchers. Advocates say they give disadvantaged kids access to better schools. But...