Subtract one name from the ongoing lawsuit against Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program -- the Florida PTA is officially dropping out of the suit.
The move comes the same day new House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, called on the Florida Education Association to drop the suit.
The Florida PTA was one of several groups which participated in the lawsuit against Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which provides nearly 100,000 low-income and minority students with vouchers to attend private schools around the state.
Groups opposed to the scholarship program have repeatedly taken their case to court, challenging the constitutionality of the program.
The Florida Education Association, which represents nearly 140,000 teachers statewide, has led the charge against the program. The Florida PTA joined the FEA and other groups like the NAACP to fight against the scholarship program, much to the dismay of parent groups, students and lawmakers alike.
The PTA has decided it no longer wants to be a part of the movement against the scholarships -- at least in a legal sense -- moving forward.
Politico reported Tuesday that the PTA still opposes the scholarship program, but “has decided to focus its efforts elsewhere.” Last month, the board of the parent-teacher group decided to drop out of the suit.
Support for the lawsuit has dwindled over time. Last year, the Florida School Boards Association decided it wouldn’t appeal a Leon County judge’s dismissal of the case.
That ruling was just one in a series of many judge orders saying the plaintiffs don’t have a standing to file a lawsuit.
In August, an appeals court dismissed the lawsuit, saying the FEA and other plaintiffs failed to prove how public school funding had decreased as a result of the program.
The FEA has pledged not to give up on its legal battle against the program despite losing one of its comrades along the way.
“This doesn't change the FEA's resolve to have the merits of this case heard in a fair and open court,” FEA president Joanne McCall said in a statement.
Step Up For Students, which gives out thousands of the corporate tax credit scholarships, celebrated the announcement, saying it was something “we can all be grateful for this holiday season.”
Despite the controversy, the lawsuit may have actually helped the program get the word out to students and parents who qualify for the program. A source affiliated with the program told SSN the headline-making lawsuit could have also been a big reason for the program's enrollment increase this year.
Since 2002, thousands of Florida students have participated in the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which gives low-income students scholarship money to attend better-performing schools, which are often private religious schools.
The program has grown by leaps and bounds throughout the years, with an increase of nearly 80,000 students since the 2005-2006 school year.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
