By Lynn Hatter
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Tallahassee, FL – Lawmakers are looking at further expanding the state's charter school program. Right now, Florida has one of the largest in the nation, with over 400-plus schools that are exempt from many of the rules and regulations attached to their traditional school counterparts. And as Lynn Hatter reports, there's growing support to allow more of those schools to spring up, but districts are wary of any proposal that would cost them money.
A plan to expand the state's charter school program has cleared the Senate's K-through-12 Education committee. Under the proposal, certain groups could create charter schools, and the best of those schools would be allowed to expand. It's sponsored by Republican Senator John Thrasher of Jacksonville.
"This bill expands the current authority of our universities and colleges to approve charters. It establishes a "high performing" designation for charter schools which allows them to increase their enrollment, expand to more grade levels or offer VPK if they earn an A or B for the previous three years."
There's a similar bill in the House that excludes the colleges and universities. Both proposals have the backing of the Foundation for Florida's Future, the education lobbying group of former Governor Jeb Bush. Patricia Levesque is the director.
"The school for Arts and Sciences here in Tallahassee. It's been an A or a B school for six or seven years. What the bill would do is allow them to grow enrollment up to 25-percent a year. They could add a grade level, I think they're only authorized as a K-8, so if they wanted to add ninth grade, they could add ninth grade."
Under the charter bills, the schools could expand without the authorization of the school district, if the school has a proven track record of success.
"Let's say their original contract with Leon County was only for K-5. Leon County could keep them at K-5, so what the state law would do would say, if they're high performing, they can expand."
The proposals center around the concept of a "high-performing" charter schools. But what makes up "high performing?" Seminole County School Board representative Darvin Booth says the bar for what makes up a "high performing" charter school is lower than the standards in place now for traditional school districts.
"To be a high performing school district, a school district must earn an A-average over two consecutive years, and have no district operated school earning an "F". And all of their classes that are under class size, must meet the full requirement of class-by-class. We would ask that you would at least consider the requirement that high-performing charter groups meet the standards of high performing school districts."
Charter school supporters have long complained about hostile school districts that don't want them, and it's an issue that Senator Bill Montford, who also heads the School Superintendent Association, acknowledges.
"Obviously this particular bill, I have some concerns with it. And I won't go over all of them today, but it appears that we're forcing school districts to accept the decisions made by universities unilaterally, and that causes me some concern."
Earlier in the month, when the proposal first came to light, the Florida School Board association expressed some concerns about the bill. Dr. Wayne Blanton heads the association, and says in order for the bill to work, it's important that all parties are clear on what they're doing.
"I believe as long as the district and the charter school are entering into a joint agreement, all of those issues can be worked out. And that's the issue, as long as the district and the charter school are entering into a joint agreement, it doesn't matter about the size of the district, we can work it out."
Bill Sponsor John Thrasher says he believes charter schools are valuable, though he knows there are those that don't live up to expectations.
"They're not a silver bullet but they've certainly made a difference in driving student achievement in some areas of our state. In some instances we've had a couple that haven't been that good and we ought not support those kinds. But where they're doing good, we ought to give them the opportunity to expand."
The proposal cleared the senate committee unanimously, and another proposal is making its way through the house. They each have several committee stops left before heading to their respective chamber floors for a full vote.