Superintendent worries new law skews funding toward charters

FORT MYERS, Fla. A controversial new law will soon make charter schools eligible for funds that were set aside for underperforming public schools.

Gov. Rick Scott signed House Bill 7069 two weeks ago over the objections of superintendents across the state, including School District of Lee County Superintendent Dr. Gregory Adkins.

Those funds helped improve the James Stephens International Academy school grade from an F to a B, but Adkins fears that sort of improvement will become more difficult under the new funding structure, which takes effect July 1.

“If we just spread those dollars out without any real strategic approach, we water down efforts and we don’t really get the results that we need,” Adkins said.

Adkins expressed concern about charter schools, which are normally run by private corporations, getting additional tax dollars.

Fifty-six percent of the Lee County charter schools that received grades released Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education wound up with either an A or a B. For public schools in the district, that rate was 52 percent, the district said.

Five charter schools received A grades, four received B’s, four received C’s and three received D’s. Ten out of 26 charter schools in Lee County do not get assessed with a grade because they provide education for alternative students, such as students with disabilities or behavioral issues.

No charter or traditional public school in Lee County was assessed an F for 2016-2017.

The school district as a whole received a B. Adkins said he’d like to see that grade rise to an A, but he’s concerned the funding bill will be a roadblock to that success.

A spokesperson for Scott said that the bill provides record funding and pointed out that charter schools serve and educate students, just as public schools do.

Find school grades and accountability ratings for schools across Florida here.