On the last day of Florida's 2025 legislative session, lawmakers quietly changed a program called "Schools of Hope." These changes will move millions more of your tax dollars away from public schools and into charter schools. Many of these charter schools hire for-profit companies to run them, which means your tax money can become private profits.
In 2017, Florda created the "Schools of Hope" program to help students in low-performing schools (Fla. Stat. §1002.333, 2017). The plan was to bring in good charter school operators who would open schools near failing public schools. This would give struggling students better options.
Eight years later, Florida has spent over $300 million on this program. (Oxenden, 2025) But it hasn't worked well. Many Hope schools do no better than the regular public schools they were supposed to replace. (Florida Department of Education, 2025; Orlando Sentinel, 2025)
There are only about a dozen Schools of Hope in Florida. In 2024, eight of them got C or D grades. (Orlando Sentinel, 2025)
In September 2025, the State Board of Education passed a new rule that completely changed the program. (Fla. Admin. Code R. 6A-1.0998271, 2025)
Under the new rule:
This is not what voters were promised in 2017.
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What We Were Told (2017) |
What's Happening Now (2025) |
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Charter schools only near failing schools |
Charters can claim ANY building with empty seats |
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Charter operators pay for their own buildings |
Districts give free buildings and services |
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Competition makes all schools better |
No proof this actually works |
As of November 15, 2025, charter schools have sent hundreds of notices to school districts saying they want to move into public school buildings. (Walker, 2025; Kumar, 2025) In our area, three Sarasota schools and two Manatee schools have been targeted.
If you have kids in public school:
If you pay taxes:
If you believe voters should control their schools:
If you care how your tax money is spent:
Every school district in Florida could be affected. What happens depends on whether:
If you're concerned about these changes, use your voice.
What you can do:
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David Daniels
Another example of how our own state senator jim Boyd "represents" us - by selling out our schools and letting for-profit investors make money off our schools. And just like SB180, Boyd remains silent. You can bet Boyd has taken campaign money from these private school interests. It is time we say HELL NO JIM BOYD and vote him out.
Sunday, November 30, 2025 Report this
lib224
Another Republican fiasco. When will voters get tired of this!?
Sunday, November 30, 2025 Report this
san.gander
It is time the taxpayer stopped funding private schools of any kind! If someone wants my money to educate their children - I should have some input as to what I pay for, including what is taught! And it is wrong to use tax paid for resources to support "for-profit" private schools. Corrupt!
Sunday, November 30, 2025 Report this
N_Alice_Newlon
Go to LWVmanatee.org and get the link to attend a Zoom workshop on Schools of Hope and its impact on public schools and how to fight the takeover and waste of tax dollars. Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. LWVFL Education Action Team, in partnership with Families for Strong Public Schools will cover
What Schools of Hope really are and how the new rule expands them
How co-location and takeovers impact students, funding, and local control
What letters of intent mean and what to watch for in your district
Organizing strategies to activate your community fast
How to use the Schools of Nope toolkit to educate, organize, and mobilize
Ways to plug into statewide efforts and connect with local advocates
Sunday, November 30, 2025 Report this