Charter schools eye space in Miami-Dade public schools
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Charter school operators are seeking to share building space with close to 100 public schools in Miami-Dade County.
Why it matters: It's the latest charter school expansion that public education advocates worry will come at the expense of traditional schools.
- Under the state law setting the framework for campus colocation, school districts foot the bill for custodial, food and other services.
Driving the news: Last month, Miami-Dade County Public Schools received letters of intent from three charter companies — Mater, KIPP and Success Academy — seeking to share roughly 90 school campuses, according to records obtained by the nonpartisan Florida Policy Institute (FPI).
Between the lines: Success Academy, New York's largest charter school conglomerate, announced in September its plans to expand into South Florida, thanks to Florida's expanded Schools of Hope law and the financial backing of billionaire Ken Griffin.
- The founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel pledged $50 million to Success to support its work.
Catch up quick: Tucked last minute into a sweeping education package this year, the campus-sharing law allows certain charters to move into schools with low enrollment.
- It expands Florida's Schools of Hope program, created in 2017 to urge high-performing charters to open in communities with low-performing traditional public schools.
- Charter schools are publicly funded but often privately run, some by for-profit companies.
The big picture: Charter operators have sent nearly 700 letters of intent to 22 school districts across Florida, according to FPI, which called the policy "a new unfunded mandate on Florida's public schools."
- The letters refer to at least 450 schools, with some named in notices from multiple operators.
What they're saying: While Miami-Dade Schools officials have remained mum on the situation, public school advocates have denounced the effort.
- "This scheme forces taxpayers to fund a separate, privately controlled school system operating rent-free inside public schools," United Teachers of Dade president Antonio White told the Miami Herald.
Meanwhile, Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, called the colocation bill "heinous" and proof the DeSantis administration is "intent to sell off Florida's public education system to the highest bidder."
The other side: Academica, the for-profit company that oversees Mater, said it didn't intend to colocate in all of the schools for which company leaders sent notices.
- "At most, we will open a handful of schools for the 2027-28 school year," reads a statement on its website.
- "This is not about replacing or displacing existing schools," it says. "It is about working together to expand public access to underutilized school facilities and creating new educational opportunities for families."
What's next: State Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, filed a bill last month seeking to undo the colocation provision of state law.
- It so far has no companion in the House. The lawmaking session begins in January.