Record number of Florida students cash in on school vouchers; could cost $2.5 billion

[Nevilledog]

No paywall
https://archive.li/YIHP5

This fall will mark the first year Florida families don’t have an income requirement to qualify for a school voucher, and many are cashing in.

As of mid July, about 240,000 income-based scholarships have been awarded to students so far for the 2023-2024 school year compared to the approximately 170,000 that were given out last year, according to Step Up for Students, a state-approved scholarship funding organization.

“There’s a lot of excitement out there. We’re still getting a couple thousand applications a day,” said Doug Tuthill, president of the non-profit.

With the state’s median funding at $7,775 per student, this adds up to an increase of about $519 million heading to private schools this year.

Some school districts are losing students and the money that comes with them as a result of the state’s most recent expansion of its voucher programs. More worrisome, however, is what this could mean for the state’s public school system, said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association.

*snip*

[Deuxcents]

1. This result is exactly what was warned about when the idea

Was first tossed around. Their goal to dismantle public education is alive and well 😡

[Mr.Bill]

4. Exactly. They want to destroy all public education.

They want the churches to be completely in control of the educational system.

[badhair77]

5. Exactly. They want to put that money into corporate schools that don't

pay their teachers well and don’t serve students with special needs. My experience has been if a student is failing in that charter school they send them back to their original school before state testing so the data does not reflect the charter school. There is no commitment to the student’s success.

[republianmushroom]

2. I like it

[delisen]

3. What do you like about it?

[Timeflyer]

8. You like destroying public education so corporate charter school/hedge fund bros can profit?

[Lovie777]

6. No worries..................

public education will be fine.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

7. I understand

that the public schools lose funding when they lose students, but I don’t get why that money would be going to the private schools. I thought the vouchers paid for the private tuition. Does the state help pay too?

Thanks for the free article, going to read it now.

[Timeflyer]

9. It's going to public schools, homeschoolers, corporate charter schools, no income cap on families.

DeSantis conservative billionaire donors want to privatize all education, so they control curriculum. Religious private school LOVE the extra money. Rich families love having their kids private schools subsidized by all tax payers. Florida--grifter central.