Current FL legislation requires 50%+1 approval from 2 separate groups (i.e. parents and faculty) before charter school proponents can proceed with a conversion charter school application. This PPT proposes 2 ideas to update current legislation, and thus empower charter school conversions.

1. Empowering
Charter School Conversions
In Florida
Mark Lee
Feb 2011
Parent of a 5th Grader
explore.SL.choices@Gmail.com
slchoices.wordpress.com

2. Current FL Legislation Requires
50%+1 Approval from 2 Voting Groups
Conversion
Public School Charter School
Process
50%+1 Approval
Required
Group 1: From Group 2:
Parents Both Teachers
Focus Upon Groups Person-Specific
Children’s Focus
Futures

3. Primary “Empowerment” Idea
Only Parents Can Vote
1 Group
to Meet a 50% + 1 Threshold
Parents Only
for a Charter School Conversion
Reason
Why Should Teachers Be Able To
Vote Upon the School & Children’s Future?
After All, Per Student Funding (Taxpayer $)
Pays for Teachers’ Salaries

4. Alternate “Empowerment” Idea
- only if Teachers are Allowed to Vote -
Group
Parents and Teachers
Together
Reason 13
FL Law Currently Allows Parents
1
Teacher A Teacher’s Vote =
13X* a Parent’s Vote
This Contradicts
1 Person 1 Vote Principle
* # of OCPS Students/# of OCPS Teachers; 1 Parent Vote/Student

5. Ideas for a 50%+1 Threshold
for a Charter School Conversion in FL
Incorporate in Charter School Legislation either:
Primary Idea OR Alternate Idea
Only Parents - only if Teachers are
Can Vote Allowed to Vote -
Only 1 Group
1 Group
Parents
Parents Only
Teachers
1 Person 1 Vote Principle

6. Empowering
Charter School Conversions
In Florida
Mark Lee
explore.SL.choices@Gmail.com
slchoices.wordpress.com