Florida consdering single gender schools

Girls in one classroom, boys in the other.

Some Florida schools already are that way, and other soon might follow.

A group of state lawmakers want schools at all levels to give that concept a shot.

A House subcommittee showed unanimous support Tuesday for a pilot program that provides one school in each district with the money and training needed to separate boys and girls.

Supporters of the program say students in gender specific classes are more likely to go to college and score higher on tests, but there are some concerns.

The ACLU is campaigning against the effort, sending letter to the state's education department last year claiming single-sex schools limit opportunities for students of both genders to socialize.

Some lawmakers say this is a compromise.

"Having gender-specific classrooms while they still go to the same school allows for social opportunities at lunch, at recess and during non-academic courses for them to interact so this is kind of the best of both worlds," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah.

If the pilot program is approved, it would help provide funding to train teachers and develop assessments over two yeats. The school districts could then review the results and determine a course of action.

The schools would be open to anyone in the district, but parents could opt out.