As the new school year begins, some private school operators are worried they may have to close. It’s all because of a funding mix-up with the state’s scholarship program. 7’s Vanessa Medina will be in charge of tonight’s 7 investigation.
Special moments like this inspired Juanita McGee to open her own school.
Juanita McGee: “My heart is in it. I want to help kids be their authentic selves. And that’s through creativity, through music.”
Last year, she welcomed students to Brilliant Mind Academy School of the Arts in Fort Lauderdale. But just a few months later…
Juanita McGee: “That’s when the problem arose.”
Juanita registered her school with Step Up for Students, Florida’s leading scholarship distribution company. But the money never came.
Juanita McGee: “The third quarter has passed. There were no answers for Step Up, but there were real answers for us. And now we’ve reached the fourth quarter. We… Still waiting for payment.”
Juanita maxed out all her credit cards to keep her doors open, and she’s not alone.
Ada Gonzalez: “It was a moment of complete panic.”
Tasha Hill/Cutler Bay Christian Academy Board President: “We found ourselves in a bad situation.”
Seven Investigates first reported last September that private schools in Florida were on the brink of closing due to delays in funding from Step Up.
The school voucher program was flooded with applications after Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded the program to include all students regardless of household income.
As a result, payments to schools were delayed.
Mary Josephine Walsh/Florida Private School Coalition Founder: “Most schools are very hopeful that Step Up will resolve the issues they have demonstrated over the past year.”
Mary Josephine Walsh started the Florida Private School Coalition when schools for students with autism were unable to receive funding.
She said some schools in the state are in Juanita’s situation.
Mary Josephine Walsh: “There are schools that still have over $100,000 in outstanding balances after more than eight months. So there are still some issues and we hope they don’t carry over into the new school year. I hope.”
Vanessa Medina: Step Up told 7News it doesn’t expect delays like last year. They say resources have expanded as applications have increased. But with schools like Juanita’s still unfunded, many administrators say they are preparing for the worst.
Mary Josephine Walsh: “Last year, there was clearly a mismatch between what they were saying and what we were seeing.”
If the Step Up changes aren’t enough to keep up with demand, parents may need to consider other scholarship options, Walsh says.
Mary Josephine Walsh: “If parents are not getting the results they need by advocating for their child, they should definitely look for other options. You can choose either gold.
For now, Juanita is continuing to step up and hopes to get answers before the new school year begins.
Vanessa Medina, 7News.
Contact 7 investigates:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
[email protected]
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
