By a narrow margin and over the objection of board Chair Charlotte Joyce, the Duval County School Board voted Tuesday to add a controversial charter school law to its list of legislative priorities for the state’s upcoming session.
The addendum asks state lawmakers to “protect school district resources” and clarify what the district says is ambiguous language around “Schools of Hope” that were added during the last hours of last year’s legislative session. As of now, the Schools of Hope law gives a handful of charter school operators wide latitude to move into public school buildings without paying operational costs.
The 4-3 school board vote came after a spirited discussion. Vice Chair April Carney, who represents Mayport and the Beaches, and Tony Ricardo, whose Arlington-area district includes both of the Duval schools still under consideration to host co-located Schools of Hope, joined Joyce in voting against the district’s opposition to the Schools of Hope expansion…