TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The biggest expansion of school vouchers in Florida history cleared its first committee in the state senate on Tuesday.
The proposed legislation would make every K-12 student in Florida eligible for a voucher to put towards private school. It also gets rid of low-income requirements to qualify for the voucher program.
Republicans say the change levels the playing field between public and private schools.
The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Corey Simon said Tuesday, “We give those parents an option we can’t try and take away those options. Giving them less options isn’t making schools better and it’s not improving the educational opportunity for those students.”
Democrats raised concerns about the bill’s price tag.
“It almost looks as if we are putting forth a blank check,” Sen. Shevrin Jones said.
This bill has two committee stops in both the House and Senate, where it could face changes. If passed, Florida would become the third state in the nation to implement “universal school choice.”
