Free local news and info, in your inbox at 6 a.m. M-F. A group of private school owners have filed suit against Step Up for Students, the Jacksonville company in charge of handling half a million school choice vouchers in Florida. The suit, which alleges Step Up For Students mishandled payments owed to the schools, comes amid a growing call for legislative reform to the school choice program from state- and district-level stakeholders, schools and families.
Step Up For Students is the largest of three funding organizations the Florida Department of Education designates to disburse funds to families who utilize the state’s robust school choice programs.
Recent state audits of the funding organization and the Education Department revealed funds disbursed to families through Step Up For Students have been mismanaged, and the school choice program has been plagued with inconsistencies and accountability issues that have resulted in voucher payment delays to students and schools — and some frozen funds…