A charter school operator has notified Duval Schools of its intention to claim space in more than two dozen public school buildings for its own schools, according to documents Jacksonville Today received from the district through a public records request.
The documents show Duval Schools received letters from Miami-based Mater Academy detailing its plans to open charters inside 25 existing schools, which the company referred to as “underused/vacant/surplus” facilities.
The move takes advantage of recent expansions to Florida’s Schools of Hope program, which allows a handful of charter operators to move into neighborhoods served by struggling traditional public schools. New rules compel districts to allow “Schools of Hope” to use district buildings rent free, and to allow existing schools to share common areas and resources with the private operators…