Feeling the pinch: 60% more students here taking private-school vouchers under new state law

Colleen Wixon, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read
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Almost 10,000 Treasure Coast students are attending private school and paying for it with public tax money.

This after the Legislature this year passed, and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed, HB 1, expanding the state voucher program for students attending private schools. It removed income-eligibility requirements, allowing almost any family to receive up to $8,500 annually for a child's private-school education.

Under the new law, homeschooling families may receive reimbursement for expenses such as school supplies; playground or exercise equipment under certain criteria; and for theme park tickets for approved field trips. Families must apply to the program.

Across the Treasure Coast, 9,856 students are receiving state vouchers this year, 60% more than the 6,148 last year.

In Indian River County, 1,914 students receive vouchers this year compared to 875 in 2022-2023, according to figures provided by Step Up for Students, which manages the state voucher program. In Martin County, the number of students receiving private-school vouchers more than doubled this year, from 1,070 in 2022-2023 to 2,130. St. Lucie's numbers also increased, from 4,203 in 2022-2023 to 5,812 this year.

Statewide, 33% more students this year receive vouchers than in 2022-23 — up from 242,968 in 2022-2023 to 362,656 this year.

Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran addresses the audience at Christ the King Catholic School Tuesday afternoon. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis accompanied by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Florida State Senator Aaron Bean and other representatives were in Jacksonville, Florida at the Christ the King Catholic School to repeat the signing of a bill that expands eligibility for school choice programs after a similar signing ceremony in Hialeah, Florida earlier in the day Tuesday, May 11, 2021. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]

Impact on school districts

That loss of students could cost school districts millions of dollars. Indian River County schools, for example, this year planned to pay out $9.8 million in vouchers, an increase from $5.5 million last school year, when the state had projected an additional 565 Indian River students would participate in the program, said district Chief Financial Officer Bruce Green.

Whether the district takes that full hit depends on the results of the October student count, Green said.

"There's definitely an impact," Green said. "(But) it's not as high as what was projected."

The impact is less in other districts. In St. Lucie County, enrollment is up by about 1,252 students this year, from 46,628 students in 2022-2023 to 47,880 as of October, said district spokeswoman Lydia Martin.

Private-school enrollment

Some students receiving private-school vouchers this year already may have been attending a private school, so districts might might feel less of a financial pinch from the new program.

More: The Battle for Teachers: Treasure Coast districts use bonuses, incentives to attract teachers

More: Challenged books gone from Indian River County school libraries after School Board vote

In 2022, about 1,695 students in Indian River County attended a private school. In Martin County, 14,872 attended a private school, and 6,764 students in St. Lucie attended a private school.

Officials from public school districts had expressed concern at the beginning of the school year that the scholarships would cause students to leave in droves, taking with them state money needed to offer public school programs and services.

Colleen Wixon is the Treasure Coast education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. Contact her at 772-978-2235 or colleen.wixon@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: New state voucher program could be taking millions from public schools