New legislation seeks to lessen FHSAA's power, allow charter schools to operate like private schools
TALLAHASSEE — Lawmakers last week battled over a pair of proposals that would make sweeping changes to the Florida High School Athletic Association, which has governed public and private school sports for nearly a century.
The most dramatic — allowing private and charter schools to have their own independent athletic league — could open the door for charter schools to break away from public schools and pursue top high school athletes.
The other proposed legislation would impose new regulations on FHSAA investigations and enable children who transfer from public to private schools to participate in athletic programs.
Both bills passed through their respective committees, thanks largely to support from Republican lawmakers. But not without stirring plenty of controversy.
A growing number of school administrators and athletic directors have decried the proposals as unfair to student athletes at traditional public schools. And other critics view the proposals as a strategy to bolster the state’s network of charter schools, which are funded by tax dollars, but run by independent governing boards.
“It’s always been my impression that charter schools are public schools,” said
