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On April 22, HB 241 (Grall) achieved final passage in the Senate (24-15). The bill was passed earlier this month by the House (78-37) and will go to the governor for his signature. This FCCB supported measure ensures that the right of parents to review instructional materials and curriculum is clearly communicated. It also establishes parental consent requirements for medical care provided to a minor child. Having access to information about their rights allows parents to make informed decisions and better direct their child's education and health care. In the Senate, HB 241 was substituted for its companion bill, SB 582 (Rodrigues, R.).

HB 7045 (PreK-12 Appropriations) was passed this week by the House (79-36) and is on third reading in the Senate. A final vote is expected in the Senate as early as Monday. The measure eliminates from all scholarship programs the requirement that scholarship recipients be previously enrolled in public schools. It also increases the maximum income eligibility and the scholarship amounts for the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC). Additionally, the bill folds the McKay and Gardiner Scholarships for students with special needs and unique abilities into the FES. Earlier this year, Catholic Days at the Capitol participants urged lawmakers to support expansion of eligibility for the state's scholarship programs.

HB 419 (Grall) was passed unanimously (118-0) by the full House on April 22. The bill streamlines agency oversight of the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Program, reasonably and effectively increases accountability for VPK providers, and provides more useful and accurate assessments to monitor student progress. The Senate companion, SB 1282 (Harrell), remains on the Senate Special Order Calendar. The FCCB supports reasonable oversight and accountability in Florida's VPK program. These bills accomplish that goal and enhance Florida's early learning education system.

On April 15, four bills supported by the FCCB were reported favorably by the House Education & Employment Committee:

HB 281 (Duggan) was passed unanimously by House Appropriations on April 8 and will move to its final committee of reference, Education & Employment. The bill provides access to dual enrollment courses for all Florida students. Under current law, public school students and homeschool students have free, unencumbered access to dual enrollment courses. Private school students, however, have very limited access to dual enrollment. Dual enrollment allows students to take college level courses while they are still in high school. Usually these courses are taken on the college or university campus during the normal school day. The Senate companion, SB 52 (Rodrigues, R.), was passed by the full Senate (26-14) on March 25 and is in messages to the House. You can read more about dual enrollment and its benefits for students on the FCCB Education Policy Team blog, Education and the Common Good.

On April 8, HB 7045 was passed by House Appropriations (20-5) and will go to the full House for consideration. This bill is the companion bill to SB 48 (Diaz). Similar to SB 48, this bill eliminates the prior-public-school requirement for all scholarships. It also increases the scholarship amount for the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC). However, unlike SB 48, this bill leaves the FTC as a separate tax credit scholarship and folds the McKay and Gardiner Scholarships for students with special needs and unique abilities into the FES. Additionally, HB 7045 does not create educational savings accounts for FES and FTC. SB 48 passed all committee references earlier in the session and remains on the Senate calendar on second reading.

HB 259 (Williamson) passed the full House (76-37) on March 26. FCCB opposes this bill, which authorizes the carrying of concealed weapons or firearms on property owned, rented, leased, borrowed, or lawfully used by a church, a synagogue, or any other religious institution, unless the institution has a policy specifically prohibiting persons from carrying a firearm on such property. Current law already allows concealed weapon permit holders to carry firearms at most churches, unless the property owner prohibits it. The primary effect of the legislation would be to allow permit holders to carry weapons onto the campuses of religious schools, which is currently a second-degree misdemeanor. Schools that would seek to be gun-free would be required to enact policies to that effect; other schools may resort to allowing parents or faculty to provide armed security who are far less trained than required by law today. The Senate companion, SB 498 (Gruters), is in its final committee of reference.

SB 52 (Rodrigues, R.) was passed (26-14) by the full Sente on March 25. The bill provides access to dual enrollment courses for all Florida students. Under current law, public school students and homeschool students have free, unencumbered access to dual enrollment courses. Private school students, however, have very limited access to dual enrollment. Dual enrollment allows students to take college level courses while they are still in high school. Usually these courses are taken on the college or university campus during the normal school day. The House companion, HB 281 (Duggan), waits to be heard by the House Appropriations Committee. You can read more about dual enrollment and its benefits for students on the FCCB Education Policy Team blog, Education and the Common Good.

Parents' Bill of Rights SB 582 (Rodrigues, R.) was passed by Senate Education (5-4). The bill ensures that the right of parents to review instructional materials and curriculum is transparent and forthcoming. It also establishes parental consent requirements for medical care provided to a minor child. Having access to information about their rights allows parents to make informed decisions and better direct their child's education and health care. Companion, HB 241 (Grall), remains on the House Calendar, on 2nd reading. A letter to the bill sponsor, highlights FCCB support.

HB 259 (Williamson) was passed by its final committee of reference, House Judiciary (12-6) and has been placed on the House Special Order Calendar for March 25. The bill and its Senate companion, SB 498 (Gruters), authorize the carrying of concealed weapons or firearms on property owned, rented, leased, borrowed, or lawfully used by a church, a synagogue, or any other religious institution, unless the institution has a policy specifically prohibiting persons from carrying a firearm on such property. 

Dual enrollment allows students to take college level courses while they are still in high school. Usually these courses are taken on the college or university campus during the normal school day. Under current law, public school students and homeschool students have free, unencumbered access to dual enrollment courses. Private school students, however, have very limited access to dual enrollment. SB 52 (Rodrigues, R.) / HB 281 (Duggan) establish the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program, providing access to dual enrollment courses for all Florida students.

One of the FCCB's key legislative priorities for the 2021 Legislative Session is eliminating the prior-public-school attendance requirement in the Family Empowerment Scholarship and the McKay Scholarship while also continuing to promote educational pluralism and parental empowerment. SB 48 (Diaz) addresses both of these issues and is strongly supported by the FCCB. The bill streamlines and consolidates Florida's five K-12 scholarships into two programs, removes all existing requirements for students to be enrolled in a public school before participating in a scholarship program, and gives parents greater flexibility as to how they use scholarship funds to meet the particular needs of their students' education. You can read more about the measure on the FCCB Education Policy Team blog, Education and the Common Good.

The Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Health & Human Services Committee took up and passed SB 582 (Rodrigues, R.) and HB 241 (Grall), respectively. FCCB supports these measures that create the "Parents' Bill of Rights." The bills enumerate a list of rights that a parent possesses, making it easier for parents to readily know their rights in order to better direct the education and health care of their children.

One of the FCCB’s key legislative priorities for the 2021 Legislative Session is eliminating the prior-public-school attendance requirement in the Family Empowerment Scholarship and the McKay Scholarship while also continuing to promote educational pluralism and parental empowerment. For the 2021 Legislative Session, Senator Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, has filed SB 48 which addresses both of these issues. The FCCB strongly supports this bill.

Florida is on the cutting edge of the school choice movement. Over 170,000 students are currently enrolled in one of Florida's five scholarship programs. This includes about 30,000 Catholic school students. Parents of qualifying students can use scholarship funds to pay for costs and tuition at an eligible private school. SB 48 (Diaz), a Catholic Days at the Capitol priority, streamlines and expands access to Florida's K-12 scholarship programs.

SB 52 (Rodrigues, R.) establishes the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program, providing access to dual enrollment courses for all Florida students. This is an improvement over current law which includes barriers for non-public schools and their students to the many educational advantages of enrollment in both high school and post-secondary courses. Mike Barrett, FCCB associate for education, testified in support of the bill. The bill passed its first committee of reference and is on the agenda for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, February 9.

The FCCB Education Policy Team has launched a new blog on the FCCB website titled, "Education and the Common Good." This blog will be a place to discuss the mission of the Church as it pertains to education policy.

TALLAHASSEE, FL (July 29, 2020) – Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) is pleased to announce that Michael T. (“Mike”) Barrett, Esq. has joined the staff as an associate for education. Barrett serves as a professional resource person for the FCCB in education matters; coordinates, monitors and advocates issues relating to government programs affecting Florida Catholic schools, their administrators, faculty, and pupils; and represents Catholic education at the state level in Florida and in coordination with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at the federal level. He represents the FCCB with the Florida Association of Academic Nonpublic Schools (FAANS) and maintains relationships with various school-choice organizations and special needs groups.

In a May 20 letter to Governor Ron DeSantis, Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, asked the governor to consider the needs of students in Catholic schools as he decides how to use emergency funding awarded to state governors' offices to meet the needs of students and schools impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress on March 27.

Scholarships are available to assist with Catholic school tuition for families facing financial difficulties and whose financial situations may have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Families may qualify for a Step Up for Students scholarship to send their child to a K-12 Catholic school in Florida. For example, a family of four that makes less than $78,600 annually may qualify. For more information, see a video message from Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of the Diocese of Palm Beach, FCCB education moderator, and visit the website of Step Up For Students.