Charter School Funding Change Proposed

The Florida Department of Education has started moving forward with a proposed change that would affect charter schools’ eligibility to receive money for such things as building facilities and buying property.

The department published a proposed rule Friday that involves “capital outlay” money and stems from a law (HB 1537) approved this year by the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The proposed rule deals, in part, with school grades, which are based on factors such as students’ results on standardized tests.

Current Department of Education guidelines say that charter schools that receive an “F” grade under the state’s accountability system, or two consecutive grades below a “C,” are not eligible for capital-outlay money.

The proposal would change the rule so that charter schools that receive two consecutive “F” grades or three consecutive grades lower than a “C” would not be eligible for the funding.

Lawmakers also during this year’s legislative session passed a separate measure (HB 1259) that requires school districts to share local property-tax revenues with charter schools.

Tags: News Service of Florida