HB 1259

The House bill is on the Special Order Calendar for Tuesday, 4/25/23.

HB 1259 / SB 1328 Would give more capital outlay funding to charter schools at the expense of public schools.

We were told that charter schools could do it cheaper, but every year they ask for more and more of our tax dollars.

1. Five years ago, a deal was struck allowing that ,if charter school capital needs were adequately funded from state revenue (PECO funds, or Public Education Capital Outlay), public schools would not be required to share the local capital outlay revenue from their discretionary 1.5 millage levy. Since then, virtually ALL K-12 PECO funds have gone to charter schools. You can find how much PECO funds were given to each charter school by going to the FLDOE website:

http://www.fldoe.org/finance/fco/charter-school-capital-outlay/

2. The legislature forced us to give our local sales surtax dollars meant for neighborhood school renovations to charter schools on a per student basis rather than a needs basis in 2020 with HB 7097 beginning on line 1291:

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/7097/BillText/er/PDF3.

3. HB 7069 —2017 forced local school boards to share our property taxes meant for neighborhood school renovations with charter schools on a per student rather than a needs basis. Beginning on line 3866:

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2017/7069/BillText/er/PDF

4. Former Senate President Gaetz’ stated that it was “time to end the self-dealing” in a Miami Herald 2016 article.

5.Excerpt from this article: Those leases, paid for by tax dollars that go to the charter schools … allows the related private corporation that owns the school to reap enormous profit.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/09/14/charter-school-scams/

6. Please take a look at page 20 of this report:
https://www.integrityflorida.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Charterschoolreport.pdf

During the House Appropriations meeting, Rep. Dotie Joseph asked Rep. Canady how her bill HB 1259 distributed capital outlay funding to charter schools based on demonstrated need, as recommended by OPPAGA. Rep. Canady didn’t answer the question because the bill doesn’t follow the advice of OPPAGA.

Please ask your rep to vote no! Please stop the defunding of our neighborhood schools and the ignoring of expert advice.

Before the state legislature gives any more capital outlay funding to charter schools, they need to strengthen f.s. 1013.62(5). My suggestion:

Strengthen F.S. 1013.62 (5) in at least two ways:

1.Allow the school board to deny new charter applications if 100% of the tax for capital outlay funds and the assets they purchased can’t be recouped by the school district if the charter school closes
2. Allow the school district to withhold distributions of the capital outlay funds until the charter contract stipulates how the capital outlay funds and the assets they purchase can be recouped if the charter school closes