What do you think of when you hear “Schools of Hope”?
When I was elected, I promised transparency.
As both a parent and a Sarasota County School Board member, my job is to tell the truth – even when it’s uncomfortable.
And the truth is this: Florida’s new Schools of Hope legislation threatens not only our neighborhood schools, but the very foundation of public education in Sarasota County.
If you were shocked to learn that our A-rated district – one of only 10 in Florida designated as an Academically High Performing School District – is even considering a school closure, you are not alone.
How could Sarasota, a top district, be forced to shutter a beloved neighborhood school?
The answer lies in legislation recently passed in Tallahassee.
In June, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 2510, which Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law. This bill, now Chapter 2025-203 of Florida Law, dramatically expands the state’s Schools of Hope program.
First created in 2017, the program was pitched as a way to “rescue” struggling schools by inviting outside charter operators to take over campuses labeled “persistently low-performing.”
SB 2510 has widened that authority.
Now charter chains can access district facilities deemed “underused, vacant, or surplus” – language broad enough to include schools with temporary enrollment dips or demographic shifts, regardless of academic performance.
Once given access, these operators may co-locate in a public-school facility.
That means they can move into a district campus, operate rent-free and require the district to provide transportation, food service, security and maintenance of shared spaces such as cafeterias, gyms, fields and libraries.
Additionally the law now allows charter school networks to bypass local school districts altogether, seeking authorization directly from a college or university and providing the district only with a notice of intent after approval.
At first glance, this may seem like an efficient use of space.
But peel back the branding and it’s clear: this isn’t about hope – it’s about control and profit.
These charter chains, often backed by for-profit management companies, have powerful allies in Tallahassee and across the country.
What looks like “help” for struggling schools is instead a quiet handoff of taxpayer resources to private operators.
We don’t have to guess what happens when they move in. Jefferson County was the first – and only – district in Florida handed over to a School of Hope operator.
The takeover failed.
Student outcomes suffered, families left and the district was left to clean up the mess. This is the real legacy of this experiment.
Here in Sarasota, predatory operators are circling our communities. They are eyeing our students, our referendum dollars and even our public property.
In the past we had the luxury of exploring innovative programming to address declining enrollment.
Today those options aren’t enough.
We must act swiftly to protect our schools from being stripped away.
While I personally believe the Schools of Hope legislation is deeply flawed and should ultimately be repealed, our district is committed to advocating for targeted amendments to protect students and schools from its unintended consequences.
We are asking for clear definitions of “underused” facilities, alignment of grade levels for co-located schools and safeguards for transportation, safety staff and specialized programs.
These common-sense revisions ensure shared facilities are safe and age-appropriate, fully utilized spaces aren’t wrongly labeled as underused.
They also ensure Schools of Hope operators cover the costs of the services they use, which will help keep all Sarasota students safe and supported.
Now is the time for parents, educators and citizens to speak up.
Advocate for our schools.
Ask tough questions of your School Board members and state legislators.
And elect leaders who are committed to protecting public education, and not to selling it off to the highest bidder.
Liz Barker represents District 2 on the Sarasota County School Board.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota schools could become rent-free spaces for others. We must act now. | Opinion
Reporting by Liz Barker Guest columnist / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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