Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said last's year's expansion of school vouchers has given parents access to more options. Now, it's time to unleash the power of public schools to compete.
"With universal school choice now a reality for Florida families, reducing bureaucratic red tape will give neighborhood public schools that have served our communities and families for generations a meaningful chance to compete right alongside other school choice options," Passidomo said.
The Naples Republican made the comments as part of an Opening Day speech at the start of the 2024 Legislative Session.
She spotlighted legislation filed by Sens. Travis Hutson, a Palm Coast Republican, and Corey Simon, a Tallahassee Republican, that will be heard in committee this week. She wants the Legislature this year to loosen a tight grip of mandates on public schools.
"For decades now we have rejected the idea that neighborhoods and ZIP codes should alone govern how and where a child is educated," she said. "We have recreated and implemented rigorous standards across every aspect of the public school system as a way to make sure every child has access to a great education regardless of where they live."
But she said over time, mandates have burdened school teachers and administrators, potentially stifling innovation to ensure a quality education. Now, it's time for the Legislature to correct course, the Senate President said.
"As part of that effort, every year, more and more regulations are placed on our school districts, which leads to more paperwork — more paperwork, more tasks — in an already packed school day, telling districts what to do and how to do it," she said.
She called her education agenda this year a first-in-the-nation effort to deregulate public education.
Passidomo said she doesn't want to end performance standards. But she said now that all parents have greater financial ability to choose what schools, public or private, a free market approach will create its own accountability.
"With 'Learn Local,' we do not lose 1 inch of accountability measures that we've instituted over the last 30 years," she said.
"These metrics and measurements provide information to help parents make the best decisions for their children. Parents are more involved than ever before. Parents are the ultimate arbiter of performance. Parents will hold neighborhood schools, charter schools and private schools accountable with their voices and their feet."
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