Charter schools are not new, nor are they an uncommon occurrence in Hillsborough County. For nearly 30 years, Florida has allowed these organizations, which open up choice schools across the state, to essentially function as public schools without all of the regulations and restrictions on curriculum. Nearly 56 exist in the district alone, comprising approximately 35,000 students in total.
What is new is the “Schools of Hope” program, created in 2017 and amended this summer when Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 2510, which allows for charter schools to operate within public school facilities. This is a system of co-location, meaning both schools operate in tandem in the same buildings; however, the buildings are still entirely owned and supported by the original public school. This means that it is the public school’s responsibility to pay for things like utilities, cleaning, transportation, and building maintenance costs, while the co-locating charter school is not.
Previously, the bill allowed charter schools to work within “underperforming public schools” with the idea of increasing student success by giving families increased options and choice in where to send their children to school…