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Bills to expand Florida vouchers march on, with costs still a question

A roundup of Florida education news from around the state
 
Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, in the center, is carrying the Senate's voucher expansion legislation. The bill could come before the full chamber this week.
Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, in the center, is carrying the Senate's voucher expansion legislation. The bill could come before the full chamber this week. [ PHIL SEARS | AP ]
Published March 20, 2023

The big story: Florida lawmakers are moving full steam ahead to offer vouchers or education savings accounts to all the state’s school-aged children, regardless of family income.

As anticipated, the House voted Friday along mostly party lines to approve its version of the proposal, given the priority label of HB 1. Critics blasted the measure as giving unneeded rebates to wealthy Floridians who would have sent their children to private school or home schooled them regardless, the News Service of Florida reports. Supporters meanwhile touted the goal of providing maximum educational choice to all families, Fox News reports.

The Senate is poised to adopt its own version of the bill (SB 202) as early as this week, leaving plenty of time for the chambers to work out the differences between them. One key division is the price tag. The House has estimated the program will cost about $210 million, while the Senate pegged the number closer to $650 million.

Neither amount comes close to outside projections that the model could end up costing taxpayers $2 billion more than the current iteration, if children that never have attended public schools lay claim to a share of the funds, WFSU reports. They pointed to Arizona as one example where lawmakers underestimated participation and, as a result, the needed funding. Some parents also have raised concerns that the bill could hurt public school funding, Bay News 9 reports.

SB 202 went through its final committee on Thursday. The Senate next meets in full session on Wednesday.

Today in Tallahassee ... The Senate Education PreK-12 Committee will consider four bills including SB 1320 on sex education and personal pronouns when it meets at 12:30 p.m. • The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up SB 1376 on school nutrition program requirements when it meets at 3:30 p.m.

Hot topics

Union news: Florida Republican lawmakers continue to target teacher and other public employees unions with more restrictive rules, WFSU reports. • Two young members of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association have launched a podcast to focus on union issues, Creative Loafing reports. • Teacher union and NAACP members gathered in Orlando to protest the DeSantis education agenda, WFTV reports.

Sex education: The Broward County School Board is considering a major revamp of its sex education curriculum to embrace abstinence only over its current comprehensive model, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Library books: The Florida Education Association has filed a complaint against the State Board of Education, alleging it inappropriately added classroom books to the rule implementing state law on the selection of instructional materials and library books, WUSF reports.

Diversity: Florida is not the only Republican-led state to vilify diversity in education as “woke-ness,” Politico reports.

From the court docket ... An appellate court upheld a ruling that threw out a case alleging sexual abuse of a student by a Sarasota County school district employee, saying the complaint was filed too late, the News Service of Florida reports.

In higher education

New College of Florida Interim President Richard Corcoran makes a call during a break in a meeting of the school's board of trustees on Feb. 28, 2023, in Sarasota. [ DIVYA KUMAR | Times ]

New College trustees have found funding to pay interim president Richard Corcoran’s salary through June. They’re still seeking money to pay the rest.

Florida Memorial University has finally sworn in its new president. Jaffus Hardrick actually began in the post four years ago, the Miami Herald reports.

Nova Southeastern University canceled a screening of “The Poison Garden,” a documentary film about South Florida racial injustice. Officials said the material was too contentious in the current political environment, WLRN reports.

A former University of Central Florida professor lost his job after tweeting that Black people are not systematically oppressed in the United States. Charles Negy filed a federal lawsuit against the school, alleging it violated his First Amendment rights by investigating and firing him over his views, Florida Politics reports.

Before you go ... “The Addams Family” musical comedy is one of the most popular shows being performed by schools these days. One Pennsylvania district said it promoted bad values, and refused to let the show go on. Here’s a clip. What do you think?

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