Family Empowerment Scholarship Update - Article from the Tampa Bay Times
This article written by education reporter, Jeffrey S. Solochek, summarizes so many frustrations with the Family Empowerment Scholarship. It is short and sweet, I hope the law makers sit up and take notice.
Florida families say school voucher reimbursements worse than ever
Tampa Bay Times
https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/09/17/florida-families-say-school-voucher-reimbursements-worse-than-ever
Advocacy - Written Testimony on HB3
This is part of an ongoing volunteer Advocacy cause where I am attempting to share with others as I learn.
I just did something I’ve never done before - I submitted:
Written Testimony to the Members of the: Appropriations Committee
On Monday, November 6th, the house is meeting as part of their November special session. One of the planned discussion items is the Family Empowerment Scholarship. The agenda item specifically is to discuss adding more funding to clear the waitlist of special needs kids who need funding as part of the school choice laws.
That is an awesome agenda item. I hope it passes.
However, for the current students and providers utilizing the scholarship - the reality of actually getting this funding - that is a train wreck of a program. The idea of the school choice laws are great. But carrying out the actual program is not happening well. at all. A company called Step Up For Students manages 99% of the money and they fail at distributing the money. Fail in big ways everyday.
This Monday’s meeting is an IDEAL time to have our voices heard.
And we don’t have to actually drive to Tallahassee - we have the option to submit a letter! (Although showing up would be fabulous if you are available to do that). Every single letter gets submitted to all members of the committee. Every single voice matters.
If you are a family utilizing the Family Empowerment scholarship and you would like to raise your voice - NOW is the time!
Here are the steps I followed to submit my letter:
Link to the Florida House of Representatives Meeting Testimony website
STEP 1: From the Florida House of Representatives Meeting Testimony website,
Find the “Appropriations Committee” meeting and click “Appear at Meeting” (you will get to select appear by written testimony soon…)
STEP 2: Complete the form with your Name, Address, etc (I’m betting you can put “No” for being a lobbyist)
STEP 3: Select the appropriate Agenda Item and Bill as shown in the screenshot
STEP 4: Click “add”
STEP 5: Affirm your human-ness
STEP 6: Click Submit-Print
STEP 7: Read the pop-up note (your letter is emailed to committee members, not necessarily read aloud) and SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY!
STEP 8: From the dropdown box, Choose HB 3C Family Empowerment Scholarship Program (yes, again)
STEP 9: NOW write your letter! or copy and paste if you typed your letter in a different program
STEP 10: Click Add
STEP 11: Another click to affirm human-ness (then I had to do one of those confusing puzzles, “find all the bicycles” I generally fail those a few times
STEP 12: SEND WRITTEN TESTIMONY!!!!!
Letter suggestions:
Be clear, concise, and brief
communicate your support of school choice
your personal experiences with the scholarship
specific, brief examples of scholarship funding delays, denials, misinformation, etc
Ask for oversight / accountability for the SFOs (Scholarship Funding Organizations)
Of course it is a twelve step program. :)
Please email me with any questions, I try my best to answer your questions!
Advocacy - Representative Spencer Roach
On Monday, October 23 - Anna (my 17 year old daughter) and I were fortunate to be invited to Ft. Myers to participate in an advocacy discussion with Florida District 76 Representative Spencer Roach.
My friend and mentor for advocacy, Barbara Beasley, prepared for the meeting with Representative Roach through a contact of hers, another educational advocate - Sarah Clements.
We were also accompanied by Mary Jo Walsh, a private school owner and special needs advocate from West Palm Beach, FL. As a response to the difficulties her school has faced receiving funds from the Family Empowerment Scholarship, Mary Jo and her director came to the meeting with stacks of data from hundreds of other private schools around Florida.
The meeting lasted about an hour and it was productive. Representative Roach was unaware of the problems parents, providers and private schools are facing. Shortly into the meeting, while we were presenting our collective data, he voiced an understanding of the “dumpster fire” on how the school choice legislation is being executed. He agreed the private company managing this scholarship needs to be held accountable and reminded that it works for the tax payers of Florida.
Yes, yes it does.
There is a special session being called in Tallahassee the week of November 6th. It is during this special session there will be more opportunity to meet with other legislatures and help inform them of the financial crisis so many parents, providers and private schools face because the company administering these Dept of Education funds can’t seem to get the money to the people.
Thank you so much to those who donated. As of Tuesday, 10/24, 12!! individuals donated a total of $495 to help offset our printing and travel costs. We used my husband’s hotel points for our hotel night and we ate on the cheap. I will link a spreadsheet to our travel costs here soon.
Our next focus is the November 6th - November 9th special session in Tallahassee. The school choice bill specific to unique abilities (HB1) is being addressed. If there are hearings - then public comment is welcomed (and encouraged!). The only way to be heard and to make a difference is to communicate. show up. Write letters. Share your stories. We will keep advocating and this has to be a community effort. We all must participate to have our voices heard.
More soon…
Advocacy & News 13
Here is a link to the interview that aired on October 19 on News13
News13 recently came to Cheyne Ranch to film a story on my friend Barbara Beasley, a mom and a tireless advocate for special needs education in Florida. They filmed for 3!! hours and created a 3 minute story about a few important points regarding the Family Empowerment Scholarship. I wish we could share the entire 3 hour conversation - there are so many ways this special needs education legislation is a long answered effort.
However, carrying out the vision and purpose of this legislation doesn't happen just because a law was passed - there is still so much work to do. Barbara (along with other moms who are BIG advocates) spend so much of their personal time helping other families navigate this messy maze. They keep researching the issues, writing the letters, keep speaking up, finding the contacts, making the appointments, explaining the issues AND discussing and proposing solutions. And they don't stop. They keep communicating and keep educating - it is just so inspiring.
We keep advocating for ALL Florida families because our future looks so much brighter when our children receive the best education possible.
Here is a link to the interview that aired on October 19 on News13