Success Academy Expands to Florida, Eyes 40 Campuses in Decade
New York's largest charter network, Success Academy, is set to expand into Florida. The network aims to establish 40 campuses statewide over the next decade, following the Florida Board of Education's approval of a major charter school expansion through the 'Schools of Hope' program.
The new rule allows charter schools to move into underused facilities at any public campus, even high-performing ones. This means charter operators can now expand beyond low-performing neighborhoods and into high-performing campuses with vacant or underused classrooms. The expansion is backed by a donation from Ken Griffin.
Public campus advocates have raised concerns, arguing that the expansion could harm traditional schools. They urge fairness and transparency in the process. Districts must provide facilities rent-free, along with utilities and support services to charter schools. Governor Ron DeSantis supports the expansion, stating that competition between schools is healthy.
Success Academy's expansion into Florida is underway, with plans to establish 40 campuses statewide in the next ten years. The expansion, facilitated by the 'Schools of Hope' program, will see charter schools moving into underused facilities at public campuses. While the move has sparked debate, with public campus advocates raising concerns, Governor Ron DeSantis supports the expansion, citing the benefits of competition.
