Bill an unfair gift to charter schools

On Monday, Florida needed one more senator to vote NO to stop HB 7069, a massive education budget-conforming “train,” which requires low performing public schools (a.k.a those serving mostly low socioeconomic students) to close or be privatized and become part of a state selected, corporate charter network, beginning July 1. HB7069 removes the requirement that such charters be nonprofit; it removes the requirement that they comply with local zoning ordinances; it removes a district's ability to negotiate beyond a standard charter contract; and it requires districts to find unused space in district owned buildings where the charter networks can set up shop.

Schools in the new charter network will not be required to hire certified teachers. The bill, also, requires districts to declare an education “emergency” if any of their schools receive a grade below a “C,” which would allow such charter networks to open a competing school within five miles of the “failing” school.

Rapid charter expansion in response to so-called “failing” schools has been the priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, whose wife owns a charter school that is looking to expand. The Senate spent a good part of the session crafting its response to problems with failing schools (SB549), which focused on providing much needed wraparound services to struggling public schools. The House refused to hear that bill, leaving the Senate no option but to vote up or down on this “charter expansion” bill.

The bill was presented in the Senate by Sen. Simmons (R-District 9), who admitted parts of it would be "exceedingly difficult to implement" and said "the thought is to try to correct it after we pass the legislation," suggesting legislators return in September and try to “fix” the bill. By September, by law, many of the targeted schools will already have been closed.

Senator Simmons voted “no” on HB7069. Sadly, Monroe’s senator, Anitere Flores, did not. Do you think it's a coincidence that she works for a foundation dedicated to promoting charter schools?

Given the available space in Marathon High School, Monroe citizens should expect a for-profit charter school to attempt to co-locate there the moment one of Marathon’s school grades drop. Unless the governor vetoes this bill, there will be nothing we can do to stop it.

This story was originally published May 12, 2017 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Bill an unfair gift to charter schools."