Florida has expanded its statewide scholarship program to provide school choice options for low-income children. That state’s governor, Charlie Crist, signed the bill today:
HB 453, renames the “Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship” the “Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program” and expands public school choice for parents and students. The bill expands the program to include insurance premium taxes as a contribution for funding Florida tax credit scholarships. A maximum of $118 million is available for low-income children to attend a school participating in the program. The legislation broadens the base of companies likely to participate and increases the likelihood that the maximum value of the tax credits will be used.
Robert Enlow, president and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, had this to say:
Florida continues to be a big dog in school choice. Without a doubt they are proving that Milton Friedman’s vision of school choice is not a partisan issue and that it is in the best interest for everyone to have a system of education that works for all children.
Congratulations, Florida!
