school choice

A measure removing income caps from Florida’s school voucher programs is now moving in the state Senate. Opponents are concerned about the costs, while grudgingly backing lifting restrictions on public schools so they can better compete with private options for students.

A proposal in the Florida Legislature would dramatically increase the number of students who are eligible for school vouchers. It could come with a huge price tag.

Proponents of the "School Choice" bill want to see school voucher programs expanded even more, while opponents call for "radical changes."

A measure to give nearly every K-12 student in Florida access to a stipend for private school or education programs is moving through the legislature.

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner's plan would move the state closer to what's called "vouchers for all." The path toward universal school choice has been laid out during the past 25 years.

Florida's multiple private and home school scholarship programs have been consolidated into one: the Family Empowerment Scholarship. Now that the change is fully in effect, local school districts like Leon are seeing what it really means for their bottom line.

The Leon County School District is facing long-term financial headwinds in the form of school choice. More families are taking advantage of tuition assistance to send their kids to private schools or home school. And traditional public schools—and even charter schools—are left holding the bag.

It’s National School Choice week and in Florida, the movement to give parents more ways to educate their children continues to grow. Erika Donalds, a former Collier County School Board member, has become a major voice in the state’s choice movement. Donalds continues to branch out into more areas of choice—most recently, launching a virtual charter school to bring Virtual Reality into more homes.

Florida's school choice programs are set to allow more students in and families will likely receive more money under plans approved by the legislature. There will also be fewer programs to choose from, a move supporters say streamlines the process and makes it easier for families to navigate.

Florida lawmakers want to expand school choice, but what that will look like remains uncertain. The House is nearing a vote on its plan while the Senate is expected to take up its version Wednesday. Still the two chambers remain far apart.