TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) — Senate Republican leaders on Thursday gave a glimpse of the education package they will reveal next week.
It would expand private school options for students, increase security measures in schools, and overhaul a program for teacher bonuses.
It aligns with Governor Ron DeSantis' education proposals.
The Senate is pushing to create a new voucher program called the "Family Empowerment Scholarship", which would help shrink the roughly 14,000 student waitlist for the popular 'Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program'.
Both taxpayer-funded scholarships would be aimed at helping low-income students attend the private school of their choice.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Manny Diaz, hopes to consider all of the ideas together, as one large bill.
"Our plan is to be able to roll this out as the education package from the Education Committee, having the input of my colleagues that are here as well as the other members of that committee, and giving that bill the chance to go through the entire process," said Senator Diaz.
Senate Democrats and the Florida Education Association have blasted the plan as another attempt at privatizing the public school system.
