A Florida Tax Watch analysis of Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed budget released this week states that “it appears from the budget recommendations that the Governor’s main priority in education is the expansion of school choice.” #
The Tax Watch budget analysis continues: #
In fact, he proposes changing the name of the Florida Education Finance Program to the Education Choice Fund. He recommends expanding the Opportunity Scholarship Program to create additional public school choices, expanding access to high-performing charter schools, and ensuring that students have access to multiple virtual education courses and programs. #
Scott’s budget proposal states: #
THE EDUCATION CHOICE FUND, provides a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that offer elementary and secondary educational choice options to Florida’s children. #
Jon East, communications director for Step Up for Students, tells The Florida Independent that the name change from Florida Education Finance Program to Education Choice Fund is a change in verbiage for that category of funding: “The fact that it says ‘school choice’ may be a little misleading.” #
“The Florida Education Finance Program drives education funding in Florida and is distributed throughout the state,” East says. #
He adds that “in the materials [Scott] released yesterday, and both on the campaign trail and since he has gotten elected, he strongly expressed support for all kinds of education options, both in traditional public schools and private schools.” #
“Under ‘world-class education,’” East says, “[the budget] says expand the opportunity to scholarship programs to create additional public school choice, expand access to high performing charter schools and have access to multiple virtual education courses, all, of course, are option like ours.” #
Step Up for Students is a nonprofit scholarship corporation that administers the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program, which focuses on low-income K-12 students and currently serves 33,000 students and 1,100 schools. #
Step Up funding comes through dollar-for-dollar tax credits contributed by companies that receive tax credits. Under the Tax Credit Scholarship, the state authorizes nonprofit organizations that qualify as scholarship funding organizations, and Step Up for Students is the only one that exists in Florida. #
East adds that Gov. Scott, like previous Govs. Charlie Crist and Jeb Bush will continue to support this program. #
The Tax Credit Scholarship program was established in 2001 and provides income tax credits for corporations that donate money to nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations that provide school scholarships for eligible students to attend a participating private school or another public school. #
According to East, Step Up for Kids has the support of Democrats and Republicans, from the black caucus and Hispanic caucus, and has been building bridges with public school advocates. #
Florida Tax Watch concludes: #
Education funding may be the most controversial element of the Governor’s budget proposal. Three-quarters—or $3.3 billion—of the total $4.4 billion in net spending reductions proposed by the Governor are attributable to Education. #
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