Since its inception, Florida's corporate tax credit scholarship program has proven both controversial and increasingly popular. The program, which provides vouchers for the state's poorest students to attend private schools, has seen its waiting list grow alongside the line of corporations seeking to contribute. So each year, Republican lawmakers have sought to expand the contribution cap, which in turn allows more students to participate. An increasing number of Democrats, meanwhile, has come to embrace the program, which serves many of their constituents.

This year, Pasco County Republican Rep. Richard Corcoran is carrying the legislation to grow the program, and he's thrown in a few new ideas aimed at further shoring up support, such as creating a path to have voucher recipients take the FCAT so the public can see if the students are truly doing better at their private schools. He's also proposed giving the state Department of Education more power to penalize private schools that abuse the system. (See his bill here.) Step Up For Students executive director Doug Tuthill said many private schools have asked for such reforms, to help prove they are doing a good job. Corcoran spoke with reporter Jeff Solochek about his legislation just before it won bipartisan support in its first committee stop in the House. 

First, why are you looking to expand it at all?

We have a waiting list in 11-12, it was about 8,000 students. In 12-13, I think it's about 13,000 students. So you have this huge waiting list. To the extent that we can get those children to be able to participate, and our extension now on our amended version only increases it by about 2,400 students over and above the additional 25 percent authorized increase to the cap. And the program is working. Studies have come out saying that similarly situated students in the public school system vs. the people who are on the corporate tax scholarship, the corporate tax scholarship has shown - albeit marginal - have shown better increases in math and English scores.

Now I saw the legislation would also allow the schools that take the scholarships to take the state assessments. I read that as the FCAT. Is that correct? ... Read more

In a nod to increasing demands for more education options, Pasco school district leaders are exploring whether to open the county's first magnet school.

They plan to spend the next month gauging community interest while also studying academic and financial possibilities.

"The climate is definitely becoming more competitive," assistant superintendent Dave Scanga said. "As a district, we need to make sure we have those choices that parents are seeking." 

Full story here.

If Florida is to continue down the road of expanding school choice options, including into private schools, Sen. Bill Montford wants to hold the receiving schools accountable for providing a quality education to students using those choices.

Montford has proposed in a newly filed bill that students who enroll in the state approved choice programs -- including McKay scholarship, Tax Credit Scholarship, home school and private tutoring -- must upon entry take a take a nationally norm-referenced assessment test, selected by the Department of Education, "for diagnostic purposes and for purposes of placing the student in the appropriate classes or grade."

Then each year, the Department of Education would have to submit a report summarizing "the learning gains and educational attainment of those students and, to the extent possible, quantify the learning gains and educational attainment of those students as compared to public school students in similar classes and grades." ... Read more

StateImpact Florida has focused its attention lately on the fact that many of Florida's charter schools do not serve students with severe disabilities. Its stories have pointed out that schools deny access because they do not have services the students need, despite laws requiring the schools to provide equal access.

Parents and their advocates have complained that their choices are limited and their children are segregated. It wouldn't be tolerated if the same were happening to kids because of race or gender, they suggest. School officials meanwhile have indicated that they don't have the finances or staff to provide adequate and appropriate services to the students with such specific needs. ... Read more