JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Some local parents are standing against a Florida Department of Education policy allowing student information from public school districts to be accessed by certain charter schools designated as “Schools of Hope.”
Action News Jax has been telling you for months about an expansion of the FLDOE’s “Schools of Hope” program passed earlier this year, allowing for charter schools to move into, or “co-locate” within, any public school of its choosing, for free, as long as there are enough empty seats.
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This week, one Florida parent group has flagged a “Schools of Hope” policy saying that operators of these schools “shall have access to the student information system in the school district in which a School of Hope is located.” The policy doesn’t clarify exactly what student information will be available to Schools of Hope, but some parents worry about the possibility of sensitive student information being leaked to charter schools.
“There are some serious safety concerns that come along with this,” said Damaris Allen, the executive director of Families for Strong Public Schools, an advocacy organization made up of parents of students in Florida public school districts.
Families for Strong Public Schools held a virtual meeting this week where the Schools of Hope student information policy was brought up numerous times by multiple parents sharing various concerns over what they believe to be a violation of their students’ and family’s privacy. Allen listed concerns over whether things like health records, disciplinary records, and social security information could be accessed by charter schools that move into public schools.
“This is a massive violation of my parental rights,” said Katie Hathaway, a Duval County parent who also works with Families for Strong Public Schools.
Hathaway told Action News Jax she is worried about whether these “Schools of Hope” could send marketing materials to their homes by using their students’ information.
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“Families didn’t ask for this,” Hathaway said, “I should have a say in who has access to my child’s information.”
Duval County Public Schools has told Action News Jax that it has received letters from a Schools of Hope operator who wishes to move into at least 25 district schools by the fall of 2027. The St. Johns County School District told us the same operator has sent a letter asking to move into First Coast Technical College.
Anne Watts-Tressler’s kids go to St. Johns County schools. She said she feels like her rights as a parent have been overlooked by the policy change.
“They’re squatting in our schools, and they’re trying to poach our students,” Watts-Tressler said, “how are you going to ask me to sign a permission slip for an animated Disney movie, but you’re just going to give my kids information away to charter co-locators?”
Action News Jax reached out to the Florida Department of Education, asking for a response to these concerns and whether public schools would have an option to opt out of student information being available to Schools of Hope. We are still waiting for a response at this time.
Some state lawmakers have filed a bill to repeal the recent Schools of Hope policy change, allowing for charter schools to move into public schools. It will be heard at the state house when lawmakers go back to Tallahassee for the start of the legislative session on January 13th.
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