Bills that could increase the growth of a school voucher program for students with disabilities and expand a state book-delivery program are ready to go to the full Florida House.
During a special legislative session in November, lawmakers approved temporarily lifting a cap on participation in the vouchers program, known as the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities.
With supporters citing high demand for the program, the cap was lifted for the rest of this school year. The House Education & Employment Committee on Tuesday backed a bill (HB 1403) that would set a growth rate for the program at 5 percent of the state’s total exceptional student education population starting next school year, an increase from a previously approved growth rate of 3 percent.
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The bill also would make changes related to how recipients can use the vouchers, which currently can be used for a wide range of purchases beyond private-school tuition.
“Equipment used as instructional materials may only be purchased for subjects in language arts and reading, mathematics, social studies, and science,” the bill would require.
Narrowing the range of allowable purchases got pushback Tuesday from some parents whose children receive vouchers.
The House committee also unanimously approved a bill (HB 1361) that would, in part, expand eligibility for what is known as the New Worlds Reading Initiative. Eligibility would be expanded to students in Florida’s voluntary pre-kindergarten program.
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The New Worlds Reading Initiative, which is designed to deliver books to the homes of children, currently is available to students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Under the proposal, pre-kindergarten students would be eligible if they exhibit “a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills based upon the results of the most recent progress monitoring” statewide exams.
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