The Florida Department of Education has been hit with a lawsuit focused on the quality of public schools compared to the charter schools receiving taxpayer dollars.A group of parents, a teacher and the Florida Education Association filed the suit against the Florida Department of Education and state education officials, arguing that the funding of private-school scholarships and charter schools has created an unconstitutional, non-uniform education system.The complaint says the Florida Constitution requires the state to provide a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools.” Plaintiffs argue that directing public money to private schools and charter schools, while those schools operate under different rules and oversight, undermines that requirement.WESH 2 Investigates found more than 20,000 students in Central Florida receive taxpayer-funded vouchers to these private schools.The $8,000 yearly vouchers only cover a fraction of tuition at some private schools.The lawsuit calls out “major areas of disparity among the parallel systems,” which are traditional public school, charter school and scholarship programs (FES-EO and FES-UA). “Because the private schools or homeschools to which the state is dedicating public funds toward tuition and fees under the Scholarship Program are not subject to the same laws, regulations and requirements to provide a system of education that is ‘uniform,’ the state’s attempt to fulfill its constitutional obligation by paying tuition and fees to such schools violates Article IX,” the lawsuit says. The Florida Education Association’s president said in a statement that parents believe public schools are the best place for their kids to get an education.They say the lawsuit asks for a basic set of educational standards, and is “what every parent wants, regardless of where they choose to send their children.”WESH 2 reached out to the Florida Department of Education, which shared the following statement:”The Florida Education Association is once again wasting taxpayer dollars and members’ dues on a frivolous lawsuit.Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas posted on X, “Thanks to @GovRonDeSantis, every Florida family has access to universal school choice, empowering them to select the learning environment that best fits their child’s individual needs. We stand unapologetically convicted on the principle of always putting students first!”
FLORIDA —
The Florida Department of Education has been hit with a lawsuit focused on the quality of public schools compared to the charter schools receiving taxpayer dollars.
A group of parents, a teacher and the Florida Education Association filed the suit against the Florida Department of Education and state education officials, arguing that the funding of private-school scholarships and charter schools has created an unconstitutional, non-uniform education system.
The complaint says the Florida Constitution requires the state to provide a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools.”
Plaintiffs argue that directing public money to private schools and charter schools, while those schools operate under different rules and oversight, undermines that requirement.
WESH 2 Investigates found more than 20,000 students in Central Florida receive taxpayer-funded vouchers to these private schools.
The $8,000 yearly vouchers only cover a fraction of tuition at some private schools.
The lawsuit calls out “major areas of disparity among the parallel systems,” which are traditional public school, charter school and scholarship programs (FES-EO and FES-UA).
“Because the private schools or homeschools to which the state is dedicating public funds toward tuition and fees under the Scholarship Program are not subject to the same laws, regulations and requirements to provide a system of education that is ‘uniform,’ the state’s attempt to fulfill its constitutional obligation by paying tuition and fees to such schools violates Article IX,” the lawsuit says.
The Florida Education Association’s president said in a statement that parents believe public schools are the best place for their kids to get an education.
They say the lawsuit asks for a basic set of educational standards, and is “what every parent wants, regardless of where they choose to send their children.”
WESH 2 reached out to the Florida Department of Education, which shared the following statement:
“The Florida Education Association is once again wasting taxpayer dollars and members’ dues on a frivolous lawsuit.
Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas posted on X, “Thanks to @GovRonDeSantis, every Florida family has access to universal school choice, empowering them to select the learning environment that best fits their child’s individual needs. We stand unapologetically convicted on the principle of always putting students first!”