In general, how do vouchers work? Specifically, how does the Florida voucher program work?
Vouchers (or “opportunity scholarships” as they are now euphemistically called) are government payments to private schools or to parents to subsidize student attendance at nonpublic schools. In general, Gov. Bush’s education plan assigns every public school a grade, A through F, based on student performance on the FCAT, or the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Under the “Opportunity Scholarship Program” component, Fla. Stat. ยง229.0537, students at schools graded F in two out of four years (during one of which the student was in attendance) have three options if they wish to transfer to another school. First, such students may attend a designated higher-performing public school in their school district. Second, such students may attend – on a space available basis – any public school in an adjacent school district. Third, such students may attend any private school, including a sectarian or religious school, which has admitted the student and has agreed to comply with the requireme
