JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There’s a new effort to walk back a state law passed earlier this year that gives charter schools more leeway to co-locate in traditional public schools or occupy empty district facilities.
Before the Department of Education finished its rule-making process related to the new law, charter school operator Mater Academy filed petitions to co-occupy 25 Duval schools.
That law requires districts to allow charter schools called “Schools of Hope” to co-locate in traditional public schools or occupy vacant district facilities at no cost.
Duval County parent Katie Hathaway argued the law stands to create a two-tiered system within schools.
“It makes no sense, like who gets to use the art room, the gym,” Hathaway said.
Damaris Allen with Families for Strong Pubic Schools noted what’s happening in Duval isn’t unique.
“They sent letters to districts all over the state. There’s over 100 letters that went out,” Allen said.
She argues because districts are still on the hook for costs associated with facilities, the law stands to further financially burden public education.
She also notes the law leaves little wiggle room for districts to say no.
“They can offer another option or they can appeal to a general magistrate, and all of those things are going to cost the school district money,” Allen said.
Now legislation has been filed for the upcoming legislation seeking to repeal the Schools of Hope co-location law altogether.
But Danny Aqua, with Teach Florida, argued that would be shortsighted.
He explained that when districts were given an option on co-location, facilities were left empty.
“Policymakers are saying we just can’t have all this empty educational space laying vacant when there are kids that need access to different kinds of schools,” Aqua said.
And while Aqua’s group generally works in the private school space, he sees the current law as a good first step towards expanding educational options.
Ultimately, he’d like to see private schools offered similar opportunities.
“We’d even be willing to pay leases and pay for this space. Just in the private sector, there’s not so much available school space,” Aqua said.
Hathaway wants to see the opposite happen and is hoping lawmakers support the repealer bill next year.
“Parents are sick and tired of our tax dollars being funneled out of our public schools for these private operators that are coming down and basically squatting in our schools,” Hathaway said.
The cohabitation petitions filed locally by Mater Academy were initially dismissed, given they were filed before rules were finalized.
They were able to reapply as early as Tuesday.
We asked the company if it was prepared to refile, but have not yet heard back.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
