TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The House's education panel cleared a bill that would give Florida parents a vote on turnaround plans for failing public schools.
The House Education committee Friday cleared the "Parent Empowerment in Education Act" (HB 867) on a 10-7 vote.
It's also known informally as the "parent trigger" bill. It would allow parents to vote on what to do with a failing school. Options include reassigning students to other schools or handing the school over to a private company to run as a charter school.
Opponents say it's a back-door way to hand public schools over to private educational companies. Backers say that it will encourage parents to get involved in their children's education.
