In 2023, the Legislature approved what is often called “universal school choice,” which removed income as a qualification and made private school affordable to many more Floridians. But it’s also reduced enrollment in public school districts, which receive less funding as a result. Now public schools are worried about their funding for the upcoming year.
The Senate has approved a budget that its leaders say will do a better job of having the money follow the student. That’s roughly $9,000 per student per year. It can go to private schools, charter schools, public schools or home schools. But as more families take advantage of the state’s school choice programs to help their kids attend private schools, traditional public schools are seeing fewer dollars.
“The reflection of the budget is a reflection of the fact that there is, in fact, a reduction in enrollment in the districts based upon the growing number of students and families that are choosing universal school choice,” said Zephyrhills Republican Senator Danny Burgess.
Burgess is in charge of the section of the Senate’s budget on PreK-12 schools.
“But that’s a choice for the family, and that’s a choice that we as a legislature elected to make several years ago," he said. "And so, the budget is simply a reflection -- not a reduction or an offset -- as much as it is a reflection of where the students are actually going.”
Burgess says the Senate’s PreK-12 budget proposal is $34.7 billion dollars. The Family Empowerment Scholarships -- the major voucher program signed into law two years ago – is earmarked for $4 billion, a $700 million increase.
This session, lawmakers are trying to fix some flaws in the funding formula. The funding is supposed to follow the students, but the students often shift from one type of school to another. For instance, many students have been changing their minds in mid-year, which could mean that a private school gets the money but the student goes back to public school without the money following. But some Democrats say the fix won’t do enough.
Orlando Democratic Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith notes that the inflation rate in Florida is higher than the proposed increase per student in the Senate budget. He says traditional public schools need more money.
“Do you consider inflation?," Smith asked. "Because my understanding is that the inflation rate in Florida is 2.7 percent, so if we’re simply going to keep up with costs as it relates to inflation, the 1.5 percent base student allocation doesn’t even cover inflation.”
It’s a concern for Leon County School Superintendent Rocky Hanna as well. During a recent school board meeting he said the numbers are keeping him up at night. He says as students use the state’s school choice options to help pay for private school instead of attending traditional public schools, the Leon school district’s budget is taking a hit.
“The scholarship program in Leon County alone is going to gain 880 students next year," Hanna said. "So, we’ll be down around 500 students in their projection, times $8,000 is $4 million.”
And while he says lawmakers are considering an increase, he worries it won’t go far. The House budget includes a $50 raise per student and the Senate budget a $66 raise per student.
He says the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, which provides security, will require more money in the upcoming year. Nurses and food services will require increases. And there are also higher costs for fuel.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it this bad," Hanna said. "I’m being bluntly honest. When I talk about it keeping me up at night, that we may be overextended in the number of people we’re bringing back in the fall.”
Hanna says he’s nervous about what’s to come. Meanwhile, the House and Senate are working to finalize their budget plans before meeting to hammer out their differences.
