Rep. Manny Diaz Jr.: Special Needs Students, Bullying Victims & Struggling Readers to Get the Help They Need Under Florida’s New Education Law
Last week, my colleagues and I in the Florida Legislature successfully passed an all-encompassing K-12 education bill, with a key focus on providing a quality education to our state’s most vulnerable and at-risk students. On Sunday, Governor Rick Scott wasted no time in signing House Bill 7055 into law.
This legislation is set to make a significant difference in the lives of students with special needs, those who have experienced bullying, and struggling readers, along with other young learners in similar situations. The bill has been designed with the intention of greatly improving the lives of real people residing in Florida.
One such individual is Candace from Pembroke Pines, who reached out to her legislator with an urgent plea. Candace’s request centered around increasing funding for the Gardiner Scholarship, which provides reimbursement to parents of special needs children for specific services and resources, including therapy, tutoring, and private school tuition. Unfortunately, although her son’s application was approved, the available funding had been exhausted. Consequently, Candace’s son now finds himself on a waiting list, alongside 1,300 other students who are in desperate need of support.
Far too many families in our state are faced with the agonizing choice between funding services for their child and providing basic necessities like food. This is precisely why parents in my district describe this program as nothing short of "lifesaving" and a true "godsend." In response to their needs, HB 7055 has not only opened up a new funding source for the program starting from the 2019-20 school year, but our legislative budget has also incorporated a $25 million increase specifically for the program. This boost in funding will enable at least 2,300 students with special needs to receive scholarships.
The new law also directly affects classroom success by granting high-performing principals greater autonomy and flexibility when it comes to managing their schools.
In Florida, if a public school consistently underperforms, additional funding and resources are allocated to improve academic outcomes. School districts are required to assign a highly effective principal to these struggling schools, as a way to transform the culture and steer them in the right direction. However, these principals often find themselves restricted by bureaucratic obstacles. That is why the Principal Autonomy Program, which has been expanded under HB 7055, grants principals the authority and flexibility to immediately bolster academic achievements.
Principals like Latosha Williams from Mary M. Bethune Elementary School in Broward County have enthusiastically joined this program, driven by the desire to have more control over allocating resources and ultimately, making a tremendous impact on their students. In just one year, Williams has managed to improve her school’s grade levels by two letters and has significantly increased student learning gains in English Language Arts, math, and science.
Not only will students like seventh-grader Hannah Waibel from Arcadia benefit from this legislation, but it will also establish a pioneering K-12 scholarship program nationwide―specifically aimed at students who have been victims of bullying or harassment. In 2016 alone, over 47,000 public school students in Florida reported incidents of abuse, bullying, harassment, assault, or attacks. Through the Hope Scholarship program, these students now have the opportunity to choose an alternative public school or attend a private institution that caters to their individual needs.
While many components of this new law bring immediate improvements to our education system, one crucial aspect sets a solid foundation for overall learning success―reading.
Florida students who struggle to read at their grade level will now have the opportunity to receive additional support from a certified source, chosen by their parents. Through HB 7055, parents of struggling readers can utilize a reading scholarship account that reimburses them for any expenses incurred for extra reading intervention, in addition to what their child is already receiving at school. This groundbreaking reading scholarship account program empowers parents of students in grades 3 to 5, enabling them to actively contribute to their children’s journey towards becoming lifelong readers.
I am immensely proud to have championed this bill, as it unlocks boundless opportunities for Florida’s students and families who need it the most.
Manny Diaz Jr. is a respected member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 103, which encompasses areas of Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
