Advocacy updates

 Dear Fellow Advocates,

As we near the end of the 2021 Florida Legislative Session, the pace of bills is quickening. Unfortunately, several of the bills scheduled for their final committee stops or for consideration on the floor of their respective chambers contain proposals which Florida PTA adamantly opposes. The bills in question are as follows:

• SB 48 (Educational Scholarship Programs)/HB 7045 (School Choice)

These bills would expand K-12 voucher programs without providing sufficient financial or academic accountability measures. Language in these bills would permit these programs to grow at a pace at which taxpayer-funded private education will soon rival, if not displace, our long-standing system of public education. Children in vulnerable communities would be most impacted.

• SB 1028 (Charter Schools)/HB 51 (Charter Schools)

These bills would create taxpayer-funded parallel systems of education outside the control of elected school boards, and hence unaccountable to voters. Similar legislation in other states has led to increases in school segregation and financial mismanagement without any substantial increase in student academic performance. 

• SB 2012 (Promoting Equality of Athletic Opportunity)

This bill would place discriminatory restrictions on participation of transgender athletes in school-related team sports. Florida PTA has spoken out in numerous committees against this bill. National PTA has a position statement affirming the rights of LGBTQ students and is a co-signatory of a letter issued by the Human Rights Campaign against such discrimination.

With gratitude for your previous advocacy during this tumultuous legislative session, we ask that you contact your state legislators to ask them to oppose this legislation.

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