![]() He added that collapsing “categorical” funding into the general fund can have benefits, so long as the adjusted formula is based on the needs and costs of helping students achieve the state’s academic standards. “Really, the goal is to increase the amount of money that will go with a kid to a private school,” he said. He said the House proposal appears similar to one that moved through Tennessee. The House would set aside $109 million in reserves for the program.īruce Baker, chairperson of the University of Miami Teaching and Learning Department, is a national expert on school finance. That’s about $500 more per student than this year. Rather than provide a line item total for vouchers like the Senate did, the House budget would establish a county-by-county voucher amount, averaging $8,707 per student statewide. In addition, it would revise the formula that accounts for differences in costs across the state. Her plan also would eliminate caps on the numbers of students who can get maximum funding for special education and language learning needs. “We are funding our public schools,” Simon said. He pushed back against criticism that the measure pits private against public education, noting that the legislation requires a review of ways to remove regulations from the public schools while also increasing total funding to record dollar amounts. “Parents deserve an opportunity to put their kids in the best place they can find,” Simon said. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, made an impassioned plea for the measure on behalf of Republican leaders. Rosalind Osgood, D-Tamarac, adding that many parents could not afford private school even with a voucher.īill sponsor Sen. “We want to make sure we’re providing true choice to all parents no matter what their socioeconomic level is,” said Sen. They called on colleagues to meet their constitutional requirement to provide a high-quality system of free public education, suggesting the voucher would be a rebate for families already paying for private education. “This is about privatizing education in the state of Florida, pure and simple,” said Sen. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |