Florida senators on Wednesday rejected a proposal to limit how families can spend their state-aided education vouchers, in the face of fierce opposition from parents who opposed the changes.
Nine days earlier, senators defended a plan to limit purchases to items directly related to core academic courses. They cited the need for strong regulation before abuse by “bad actors” becomes rampant, and said states need to balance families' schooling choices with good financial management.
These comments reflected the views of House leaders who issued this recommendation in January.
However, as the bill was debated in committee, parents who homeschool their children and receive vouchers spoke out against the bill. They said efforts to limit the use of this funding to materials directly related to the basics, such as language arts, math, science and social studies, would hamper the ability to provide art, music and physical education to children.
Some lawmakers, including several who opposed expanding vouchers in 2023, expressed similar sentiments. They argued that if families were to be able to obtain vouchers to fund their educational choices, access to enrichment activities should not be restricted to only those who could afford it.
By the time the bill, HB 1403, was introduced to the Senate floor on Wednesday, Perspective won that day. However, that did not mean that concerns about the possibility of the funds being used for purposes other than education were eliminated.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee), said parents “know best how to educate their children,” but they must always be wary of whether they are doing the right thing with state funds. He emphasized the need to do so. He noted that many of them have heard about inappropriate activity in social media chat groups.
“All you guys doing right, don't let a few bad apples ruin what we have here,” Simon said. The Ministry of Education says, “If you find a malicious person, the most important thing is to report them.''
The bill requires organizations (Step Up For Students and AAA) to administer and fund the vouchers. Scholarship Foundation — Develops purchasing guidelines each year, including prohibited items and those that require prior approval. Failure to comply will result in a $10,000 fine.
Sen. Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach) asked whether organizations would be subject to any oversight as they develop guidelines. “Does[the Department of Education]have veto power over what is included in the buying guide?” she asked.
Simon said the department does not have that authority, but will have the opportunity to provide feedback before the annual revision is published.
The publication of Step Up for Students' 2023 guidelines has raised questions about permitted uses. The items included items such as 55-inch televisions and paddle boards, and some parents complained that their educational needs had to take a backseat.
The bill also introduces a new schedule for when organizations must pay approved expenses. This is a direct response to numerous complaints that lawmakers received in the fall about long payment delays, threatening the survival of many private schools serving voucher recipients. .
Despite some concerns, the Senate passed the amendment unanimously.
“As a homeschooling family, I want to thank you for the balance,” Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, told Simon during the debate.
The Senate then sent the bill back to the House. Simon said he has negotiated the change with House leadership and expects it to be adopted.
Norin Dollard, a senior policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, questioned the cost of expanding the state's vouchers and argued that the regulations the senators removed appear necessary.
“Policymakers are the stewards of taxpayer money, so this eleventh-hour change to HB 1403 and the state’s failure to ensure adequate guardrails for voucher purchases are particularly concerning. ,” Dollard said.