|
LAW |
|
Year Passed |
1996; last amended in 2008.
|
|
Rank |
10th strongest of the nation's 41 charter laws. |
|
Grade |
B |
|
GENERAL DATA |
|
|
• Steady growth despite increased state regulations, including class size requirements
• Approval limited to school boards due to unchallenged lawsuit eliminating an independent authorizer
• Funding is complicated and inadequate
• School districts retain large amounts of charter funds and continue to challenge their authority |
|
INDEPENDENT OR MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - NO |
|
Approval |
School boards
(In December 2008, the state’s First District Court of Appeals ruled the
Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, an independent authorizer,
unconstitutional. The state did not appeal the ruling despite legal opinions
supporting its constitutionality and it ceased operations.) |
|
Appeal |
Yes. Applications denied by the school board may be appealed to the State Board of Education whose decision is binding. |
|
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED |
|
Cap |
No cap |
|
OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY |
|
State |
Yes. Blanket waiver from state and local rules and regulations. Specific
statewide statutes, such as class size limitations, apply to charter schools with
no exemptions. Virtual schools are allowed.Management contracts with
ESPs are not restricted. |
|
Local |
Yes. Charter schools are exempt from most local school rules and regulations with certain exceptions as prescribed by the district. |
|
Teacher Freedom |
Yes. Teachers choose to remain covered by district bargaining agreement,
negotiate as a separate unit, or work independently. Teachers on approved
leaves of absence must participate in state's retirement system. |
|
EQUITY |
|
Student Funding |
• Funding for charter schools follows same formula used for all other public
schools minus administrative fees retained by school boards.
• Funds pass through the district.
"Students enrolled in a charter school, regardless of the sponsorship, shall be
funded as if they are in a basic program or a special program, the same as
students enrolled in other public schools in the school district. (b) The basis
for the agreement for funding students enrolled in a charter school shall be
the sum of the school district's operating funds from the Florida Education
Finance Program as provided in s. 1011.62 and the General Appropriations
Act, including gross state and local funds, discretionary lottery funds, and
funds from the school district's current operating discretionary millage levy;
divided by total funded weighted full-time equivalent students in the school
district; multiplied by the weighted full-time equivalent students for the
charter school. Charter schools whose students or programs meet the
eligibility criteria in law shall be entitled to their proportionate share of
categorical program funds included in the total funds available in the
Florida Education Finance Program by the Legislature, including
transportation." [Fla. Stat. § 1002.33(17)(b)] |
|
Facilities Funding |
Yes. The state has appropriated $57 million in its capital outlay program for
per pupil facilities funding, which may be used for purchasing, construction,
or maintenance of facilities. It is limited to charters that meet certain
criteria, including: operation for at least three years, accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, financially and academically
stable, and is an expanded feeder chain or charter within the same district
(meaning an elementary charter serves a middle school which serves a high
school charter.) Charters receive between $500 and $750 per pupil. [Fla.
Stat. § 1013.62(e)] |
