Florida Republicans, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will allow small private schools to open in libraries, movie theaters, churches and other spaces as part of the state’s latest school choice push.
According to POLITICO, lawmakers in the state loosened the rules for establishing these kinds of schools, dubbed “microschools.” This was part of an education measure that took effect this month to promote school choice (via POLITICO):
The little-noticed provision could become a blueprint for states across the country looking to expand private school options.
The shift — which relaxed zoning rules and land-use restrictions — is another major step by the Florida GOP to embrace school choice after the state, already seen as a national leader, cleared the way for all students to receive scholarships toward private schools and other options regardless of income.
Microschool proponents hope that the change could pave the way for a lofty goal of thousands of microschools in the country’s third largest state, and eventually across the country.
“This is the silent friction point that has existed for years that no one could figure out how to solve,” said Ryan Delk, CEO and founder of Primer, a microschooling company with 23 schools in Florida and Arizona that pushed for the law, told POLITICO.
These schools typically enroll fewer than 30 students and are usually led by one teacher, POLITICO noted. They can be run by small businesses, private schools, and other entities. An Indianapolis-based school choice group called EdChoice reported that 1 to 2 million students attend “microschools” nationally.
“Microschools that we work with in Florida see the change as significant and one that will help new microschools open and serve their communities in meaningful ways,” said Don Soifer, CEO of the National Microschooling Center, a nonprofit advocacy group, in an email to the outlet.
“We want to empower parents and teachers to be able to create this system that will serve their community the best,” Delk said.