Florida lawmakers debate ending rent-free charter schools inside public school buildings

 

The debate centers on a law passed last year that allows for-profit charter schools, known as “Schools of Hope,” to operate in public school buildings without paying rent.

Senate Bill 424 and House Bill 6023 aim to roll back that policy.

Supporters of co-location say using empty classrooms makes sense. Critics argue the costs don’t disappear; instead, they put the burden on taxpayers and students.

Charla Fox, a Lee County math teacher, traveled to Tallahassee on Wednesday to share her concerns directly with lawmakers.

Fox, who teaches at South Fort Myers High School, says 25 years in the classroom have shown her how decisions made at the Capitol eventually trickle down into schools — and on students’ report cards.

“Part of what I feel my responsibility as a veteran educator is to make our voices heard,” Fox said.

Kevin Daly, president of the Teachers' Association of Lee County, says he also came to Tallahassee to push lawmakers to undo last year’s change.

He said allowing charter schools to use public school facilities rent-free puts extra strain on the districts.

“The district has to provide food, custodial, transportation, and space rent-free,” Daly said. “We think that's probably a misuse of public tax dollars.”

Fox said co-locating two different school systems under one roof stretches school districts' limited resources.

“Having more students, more teachers working off the same budget, but actually having less to educate our students with — yeah, those are all major concerns I have,” she said.

She also worries about discipline and accountability when two school systems share the same space.

“I'm not a teacher for them or for their school,” Fox said. “So, are they going to listen to us? Is there going to be disputes? How are those going to be handled?”

State Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, said he understands the concerns but is also weighing efficiency.

“We don't want wasted money," Martin said. "We don't want wasted classrooms. So, if there is an opportunity to co-locate and synergize, I think that's smart policy, but we also want to make sure that there aren't long-term consequences.”

Fox says she believes those consequences would ultimately fall on students.

“The knowledge that they are utilizing the funds that should be going to our public-school students, but they're making a profit off of it, is very, very distressing to me,” she said. “I know the challenges my students have. I have students who have a hard time eating every day. They work jobs to help put food on the table for their families. Having money taken away from things we can do for them is not what I think we need to do to help them.”

Director of Strategic Communications at the Lee County School District, Rob Spicker, said in a phone call that co-location has not yet occurred in the county.

He confirmed that the district received a request last year for two schools, but because the charter school company was not state-certified, the request was denied. 

Spicker says charter companies will likely have another opportunity to submit requests later this year.

Daly and Fox say they hope lawmakers pass legislation before that happens.

WINK News will continue to update you as those bills move through the legislative process.