Not long ago, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said former Californians had rendered their verdict on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom by voting with their feet and moving elsewhere.
In Florida, something similar could be said of public education.
DeSantis last week announced a record number of applications for state school-choice programs.
According to a press release issued Friday by the governor’s office, nearly 430,000 Florida families applied for scholarships under the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship.
In the news: DeSantis Champions The “New” New College Of Florida Where Enrollment Soared As The School Shifted Right
Those programs provide families funding for tuition and fees at participating private schools, and can also be used for curriculum and related materials and other contracted services. Some may opt to pay for transportation to another public school other than the student’s assigned school.
The governor’s office called the application total “historic.” Further, the state added that more than 407,000 students were already awarded scholarships.
In the release, DeSantis’ office said the number of applications this year was a “monumental increase” over last year’s enrollment of almost 250,000 students in the scholarship programs.
To put those numbers in context, the two-year total of scholarships under those programs is roughly equal to the combined number of students enrolled in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Duval (Jacksonville) counties.
In the news: Miami “Ultra Luxury” Realtor Bound For Prison After Ripping Off Feds For COVID Aid
“With our historic move to universal school choice, families in record numbers are choosing the best educational options for their children,” DeSantis said in a statement.
“I am proud of the work we have done so far, but we’re far from done—we will continue to empower parents and expand opportunities so that our students receive the best possible education.”
The governor was referring to House Bill 1, which he signed into law earlier this year. The measure expanded school choice for Florida students and families, allowing more families to choose the educational setting that best fits their child’s needs, the governor’s office noted.
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Signup for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps