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2mo ago

Florida's Expanded Voucher Program Shifts Billions to Private and Religious Schools

A 2023 law removing income limits has redirected public funds to wealthier families and high-cost private schools, raising concerns about public education funding.

Sculpture of Jesus on a bench outside a filed at The Christ School at the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando in downtown Orlando, on Monday, May 20, 2024. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)
Across Florida, at least 85 campuses with significant voucher growth advertise tuition of $15,000 or more, an Orlando Sentinel analysis has found. North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, shown here on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, saw scholarship use jump from about 160 students to more than 1,000. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
An increasing number of students are using vouchers to attend private schools like St Luke’s Lutheran School in Oviedo, Fla, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Overview

  • Florida's school voucher program, now the largest in the U.S., expanded in 2023 by removing income caps, allowing families of all income levels to access taxpayer-funded scholarships.
  • Over $3.4 billion in public funds is being allocated to private schools, with 70% of new voucher recipients already enrolled in private institutions before the expansion.
  • Critics argue the program disproportionately benefits wealthier families and high-tuition schools, with 40% of new recipients coming from families previously too wealthy to qualify.
  • Public schools face financial strain as enrollment decreases, while private schools, particularly religious institutions, have seen significant growth in voucher-funded students.
  • Concerns include rising private school tuition driven by voucher availability and the lack of state oversight on curriculum, teacher qualifications, and discriminatory practices in private schools.