As the fight over school vouchers continues in the Texas legislature, one only has to look at Florida to see what is in store for the state if the voucher system ultimately passes.
Like Texas, Florida has long been advocating vouchers under the banner of “school choice,” claiming that allowing residents to spend taxpayer money on private school tuition would enable parents to place their kids in schools where they are better fits. Many of the proponents argue this will be a boon for children with learning disabilities or who have other special needs. Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill vastly expanding vouchers this past March.
As vouchers progress in the Sunshine State, fears that public schools would be negatively impacted are shown to have been true. Over the past three years, the percentage of students who left public schools for private ones more than tripled, and is expected to reach 30 percent by the end of next year thanks to DeSantis’s expansion. The state government has consistently been rerouting money from the public school system to pay for these private schools.
To view the full story, visit https://www.reformaustin.org/education/florida-offers-grim-prediction-of-texas-voucher-program/