The bill amends section 1002.333 of the Florida Statutes, which pertains to educational facilities, specifically focusing on the definitions and regulations surrounding "schools of hope." Key changes include the revision of the definition of a "persistently low-performing school" by removing the criteria related to student performance on standardized tests and adding a new criterion for schools that were closed within two years of a notice of intent. Additionally, the definition of a "school of hope" is updated to remove the requirement that such schools be located in a Florida Opportunity Zone or within a certain radius of a persistently low-performing school, allowing for more flexibility in their location.

The bill also eliminates several provisions that previously required school districts to permit schools of hope to use underused or surplus facilities and to include students from these schools in the district's capital outlay calculations. Furthermore, it removes the stipulation that hope operators could use educational facilities at no cost. The bill introduces new language that allows local governing authorities to impose building requirements that are not more stringent than state regulations and mandates equitable treatment of schools of hope compared to public schools. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.