This week, the Florida Chapter of the National Coalition for Public School Options (NCPSO) called for Florida School Boards to follow the law and provide parents with more school choice options.

A bill passed last year with bipartisan support, HB 7197, has not been implemented by many local school boards. The law allows for the creation of public virtual charter schools in every school district in Florida, requires school districts to offer multiple virtual education providers for parents and students and provides more accessible and transparent information to parents looking for virtual learning opportunities for their children. Unfortunately, only three of the 53 applications for virtual charter schools have been approved. 

"It was my hope with the passage of the digital learning bill last year that we would have an environment that would allow our children to have options to learn in a way that fits them best," said Representative Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), chairman of the House K-20 Innovation Subcommittee. "It is unfortunate that many of our local school boards do not see the value in virtual charter schools being able to meet that need. Hopefully in years to come the school boards and virtual charter school applicants can work together keeping in mind the best interest of the children."

Florida School Boards, it's time to get a move on and give parents choice in their children's education.