vouchers

The audit looked at funding accountability challenges for the 2024-2025 school year.

Legislators on the PreK-12 budget subcommittee grilled voucher funding executives and one state education department director in search for answers on how to avoid another multi-million-dollar crisis as the popular school choice program expands.

Islamic leaders in South Florida have pushed back against Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's claims that tax-payer funded vouchers for private Islamic schools violate Florida law and pose a national security threat. The schools should be treated as other religious schools receiving voucher funds, they told WLRN.

Some families using the voucher for students with disabilities have faced financial and emotional hardship due to payment delays, WLRN has found. Private school providers have also felt the ripples of mismanagement. More oversight is needed to ensure every student is properly funded, according to an influential Republican state senator.

The Florida Policy Institute says the vouchers cost the state $4 billion this school year.

The Personalized Education Program, which provides voucher funds to students who are not enrolled full-time at public or private schools, is on pace to double in size.

Many Florida families still have not received private school vouchers promised to them after House Bill 1 was signed into law last year.

The Florida Policy Institute and 30 of its partners called on Education Commissioner Manny Diaz to be more transparent about school vouchers.

Using public money to send kids to private school— does it work? Is it too expensive? The debate over school vouchers continues once again.

DeSantis, during a ceremony at St. John the Apostle Catholic School in Hialeah, said the bill (HB 7045) will help provide educational choices to families who might otherwise struggle to pay private-school tuition.

The measure (SB 48), filed by Republican Sen. Manny Diaz of Hialeah, would expand eligibility for school-voucher programs and allow parents to use taxpayer-backed education savings accounts for private schools and other costs. The Senate Education Committee approved the proposal (SB 48) in a 6-4 party-line vote Wednesday, with Republicans overriding Democrats’ fiery objections to the plan.

TALLAHASSEE --- Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed legislation that will dramatically expand a voucher program that helps students go to private…