Protect Our Public Schools. Protect Our Communities.
Imagine someone moving into your home  rent-free and said, I’d like full access to your electricity, water, food pantry, medicine cabinet, vacuum cleaner, and alarm system. And while I’m benefiting from everything you’ve paid for and built, I’ll also be trying to replace you in your current job or position.

You wouldn’t call that fairness.
You’d call it what it is: overreach.

That’s what Florida’s new co-location mandate does to our public schools.

 What’s Happening
Thanks to budgetary language passed in the final hours of the 2025 Florida Legislative Session, charter schools designated as “Schools of Hope” may now “co-locate” free of charge inside buildings that currently house district-run public schools — as long as the district school has any unused seats.

Under this unfunded mandate:

The school district and local taxpayers must provide space, utilities, maintenance, nursing, and food service, all at no cost to the private operator.
Districts may also be required to cover security and transportation, with no guarantee of reimbursement.
These costs fall entirely on the local public-school system — even when the School of Hope is managed by a for-profit company.
 
What Co-Location Really Means
Co-location creates two parallel school systems under one roof, forced to share:
playgrounds, cafeterias, parking lots, auditoriums, gyms, and media centers.
Each may operate on a different calendar, with different rules, staff, and discipline models — yet it’s the district school that must make all accommodations.

Public schools aren’t just classrooms. They are emergency shelters, community hubs, and polling places. But if space is shared, who decides what happens in a crisis? Who controls access during an election?

Why We Need Senate Bill 424
The co-location policy has long been contentious, undermining the quality and accessibility of education and community services across Florida.
Senate Bill 424, introduced by Senator Darryl Rouson, seeks to repeal this harmful mandate and restore fairness, safety, and accountability.

While “shared space” might sound efficient, in practice it leads to:

Overcrowded facilities and safety concerns
Reduced resources for both schools
Confusion over accountability
Lower quality of service and student experience
SB 424 would end the co-location requirement, ensuring that public resources remain focused on strengthening the public schools that serve every child.

This bill doesn’t oppose school choice, it protects:

Public oversight
Fiscal responsibility
Local control
Safe, stable public schools

Take Action Now
By supporting this bill, we can:
✅ Protect taxpayer dollars from subsidizing private operations
✅ Ensure each school receives the resources it needs
✅ Preserve public control over public education
✅ Strengthen schools as safe, stable community anchors

Now is the time to act. The passage of SB 424 could mark a major step toward fairness, safety, and accountability in Florida’s education system.

📢 We urge you to contact your state legislators and tell them to support Senate Bill 424.
Backing this bill means standing up for Florida’s students, educators, and communities.

Visit EDUVOTER.org to learn more.

✍️ Sign this petition today to show your support and help protect Florida’s public schools.  https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/424