The Florida Senate again rejected a bill that would have given parents more say in choosing a turnaround plan for failing public schools on Tuesday. The surprising 20-20 tie vote killed the controversial measure known as the "parent trigger" bill – the second time in two years the Senate deadlocked on the proposal.
It would have given parents the ability to petition a school district on what they’d like to see happen to a failing school. Opponents, however, feared that for-profit charter schools would use the measure to take over failing schools, possibly using parents and the process.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Kelli Stargel, reminded colleagues the school district has final say – an amendment designed to make the bill more palatable.
"The final decision is still the district's. They get to listen to the suggestion of the parent", Stargel pointed out. "And that's what everybody is fighting about – listening to the suggestion of the parent."
Opponents, however, said the bill wasn't backed by parents but by business interests. Senator Nancy Detert, who voted against the bill, said not one parent had called her.
"This Legislature put measures into place that won't even be implemented until 2014. Can we just stop changing the schools every time someone wins an election", Detert asked.
Supporters had hoped a more conservative Senate would pass the bill this year, but 6 Republicans joined all 14 Democrats in opposing it.