Foundation for Florida’s Future statement on House Bill 1071

Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, released the following statement in response to House passage of House Bill 1071:

“At a time when Florida’s math and reading scores, as measured by the National Assessment of Education Progress, have reached their lowest points in more than two decades while other states like Mississippi are passing us by, we are grateful to the Florida House for passing meaningful policy that will improve math and reading outcomes in Florida. 

“We are also grateful that policymakers stepped up to help solve the private school supply challenge by ensuring exclusionary local zoning policies can be bypassed for small private schools seeking to serve a growing student demand. 

“Florida cannot be bashful about the continued work that’s necessary to keep student outcomes at the forefront and to ensure private school supply keeps up with demand. The Foundation applauds Rep. Dana Trabulsy for championing these policies, and we hope the Senate will take up these commonsense ideas in their legislation.” 

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House Bill 1071 would: 

• Improve math instruction by requiring that districts submit comprehensive math instruction plans to the Department of Education detailing how they will implement math instruction consistent with state law, including plans for remediation of identified student math deficiencies and dyscalculia. 
• Improve district literacy plans by requiring that districts detail how they place reading coaches, prioritizing schools with the most need. 
• Improve literacy intervention by reducing the wait time from 45 days to 30 days that a student would have to begin receiving a remediation plan. 
• Allow private schools enrolling 150 or fewer students to open in any commercial or mixed-use zoning district without needing further mitigations or enhancements. The legislation would also allow the schools to occupy certain existing facilities that meet existing fire code standards for that building class.