Florida Supreme Court overturns statewide education voucher program

Published: 2006-01-06

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CNS) -- The Florida Supreme Court struck down the state's school voucher program Jan. 5 in a 5-2 ruling that disappointed Florida Catholic Conference officials. The ruling said the Opportunity Scholarship program violates the state's constitution which guarantees all Florida students a "uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools." The voucher program, enacted by the Florida Legislature in 1999, has provided tuition vouchers to children in failing public schools allowing them to transfer to the school of their choice, including private or parochial schools .It has been under legal challenge since it began. Although the justices declared the program unconstitutional, they allowed it to remain operational until the end of the 2005-06 school year. D. Michael McCarron, executive director of the Florida Catholic Conference, said that although the ruling was "a setback for hundreds of families and their children," at least the "scholarship students will be afforded the opportunity to remain in the schools of their parents' choice this school year."

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