SB 140 — Charter Schools

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 140 By the CommitteesCommittee on Rules;Education Pre-K - 12;

and EducationSenator Pre-KGaetz -581-02509-25 12;2025140c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to charter schools;

and Senator Gaetz 595-03664-25 2025140c2 A bill to be entitled An act relating to charter schools;

requiring a municipality to negotiate certain rental or leasing feesfees; with the district school board;

amending s.

1013.15, F.S.;

requiring a district school board to approve a 5-year plan before occupying purchased or acquired real property;

requiring a school board to dispose of real property in certain areas of the district if enrollment in those areas has declined in the preceding 5-year period;

requiring that surplus real property be given priority for conversion for Page 1 of 8 CODING:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 140 581-02509-25 2025140c1 specified purposes;

Paragraph (b) of subsection (3), paragraph (d) of subsection (10), paragraph (c) of subsection (15), and paragraph (e) of subsection (18) of section 1002.33, Florida PageStatutes, 1are ofamended 7to CODING:read:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 140 595-03664-25 2025140c2 Statutes, are amended to read:

A district school board, college, orPage state2 university that denies denying an application for a conversion charter school shall provide notice of denial8 toCODING: the applicants in writing within 10 days after the meeting at which the district school board denied the application.

The notice must articulate in writing the specific reasons for denial and must provide documentation supporting those reasons.

A private school, parochial school, or home education program is shall not Page 2 of 7 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 140 595-03664-25581-02509-25 2025140c22025140c1 beor eligiblestate university that denies denying an application for a conversion charter school status.shall provide notice of denial to the applicants in writing within 10 days after the meeting at which the district school board denied the application.

The notice must articulate in writing the specific reasons for denial and must provide documentation supporting those reasons.

A private school, parochial school, or home education program is shall not be eligible for charter school status.

Students who have successfully completed, during the previous year, a voluntary prekindergarten education program underPage ss.3 of 8 CODING:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 140 581-02509-25 2025140c1 under ss.

Page8. 3 of 7 CODING:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 140 595-03664-25 2025140c2 8.

and enrolls studentsPage according4 toof the8 racialCODING: and ethnic racial/ethnic balance provisions described in subparagraph (7)(a)8.

When a municipality has submitted charter applications for the establishment of a charter school feeder pattern, consisting of elementary, middle, and senior high schools, and each individual charter application is approved by the sponsor, such schools shall then be designated as one charter school for all purposes Page 4 of 7 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 140 595-03664-25581-02509-25 2025140c22025140c1 listedstudents pursuantaccording to thisthe section.racial and ethnic racial/ethnic balance provisions described in subparagraph (7)(a)8.

When a municipality has submitted charter applications for the establishment of a charter school feeder pattern, consisting of elementary, middle, and senior high schools, and each individual charter application is approved by the sponsor, such schools shall then be designated as one charter school for all purposes listed pursuant to this section.

(18)Page FACILITIES.—5 (e)of If8 aCODING: district school board facility or property is available because it is surplus, marked for disposal, or otherwise unused, it shall be provided for a charter school’s use on the same basis as it is made available to other public schools in the district.

A charter school receiving property from the sponsor may not sell or dispose of such property Page 5 of 7 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CSSB 140 581-02509-25 2025140c1 (18) FACILITIES.— (e) If a district school board facility or property is available because it is surplus, marked for SBdisposal, 140or 595-03664-25otherwise 2025140c2unused, withoutit writtenshall permissionbe ofprovided for a charter school’s use on the sponsor.same basis as it is made available to other public schools in the district.

Similarly,A forcharter an existing public school convertingreceiving toproperty charterfrom status,the asponsor district school board may not chargesell no rental or leasingdispose feesof feesuch for the existing facility or for the property normallywithout inventoriedwritten topermission theof conversion school may be charged by the districtsponsor. school board to the parents, principal, school advisory council, or and teachers organizing the charter school.

Similarly, for an existing public school converting to charter status, a district school board may not charge no rental or leasing fees fee for the existing facility or for the property normally inventoried to the conversion school may be charged by the district school board to the parents and, principal, school advisory council, or teachers organizing the charter school.

1011.801 Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program.—The Legislature recognizes that the need for school districts, charter schools, and Florida College System institutions to be able to respond to emerging local or statewide economic development needs is critical to the workforcePage development6 system.of 8 CODING: