The bill amends section 1002.333 of the Florida Statutes, revising the definition of "persistently low-performing school" to include schools that fall into specific categories based on their performance metrics. It allows schools of hope and certain nonprofit entities to directly report their students to the Department of Education and removes previous requirements for these schools when using school district facilities. The bill also establishes new requirements for schools of hope regarding the use of educational facilities, including the right to co-locate with other public schools and mandates that students enrolled in these schools be included in school district calculations for capital outlay funding.

Additionally, the bill eliminates the definition of "underused, vacant, or surplus facility" and introduces provisions for resolving disputes between hope operators and school districts through a special magistrate appointed by the Commissioner of Education. The bill ensures that schools of hope receive necessary services at no cost and outlines the responsibilities of local governing authorities in relation to building requirements for these schools. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1267 Filed: 1002.33, 1013.31