Florida Teachers Union Sues State Over Charter, Private Funding

Florida’s spending on private and charter schools diverts money from public schools to the point it violates the state constitution, the state’s largest teachers union alleges.

Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship Program and Charter Schools Statute together distribute roughly $4.9 billion of state’s education funding to alternative schools.

That funding violates the state constitution requirement that adequate “provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education,” among other things, the Florida Education Association alleges.

“This diversion not only reduces money available ...