Interview with Governor Jeb Bush on History in the Making: A Look at Recent Charter Legislation

This past year, Florida’s charter schools celebrated a decade as a vital part of the state’s school choice movement. During the 2005-06 school year, Florida ranked second in the nation in the number of students attending charter schools. Since 1996, the number of charter schools in Florida has risen from five to 334 this past school year. Charter schools have been part of the rising tide of student achievement in the state.
In fact, of the 206 charter schools in Florida that were graded, 65 percent received an “A” or “B” this past year and 35 percent have been recognized by the federal No Child Left Behind Act as having made adequate yearly progress.
A few months ago, I proudly signed House Bill 135, which creates a state-level charter school authorizer - the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission. This independent statewide commission will directly sponsor charter schools and authorize municipalities, state universities, community colleges and additional entities to co-sponsor charter schools in Florida, expanding educational opportunities for students.
Florida's charter schools offer a valuable public school option for students. This legislation opens the door for the expansion of more high quality charter schools in Florida, and the newly created Commission will ensure that these schools are held accountable for serving student needs. To learn more about charter schools in Florida, visit the Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice Office website at www.floridaschoolchoice.org.