TALKING POINTS: Charter Conversions, Co-Location, and Schools of Hope

What is a charter conversion?

Answer: A charter conversion happens when an existing traditional public school is turned into a charter school, often under the control of a private management company.

Talking Points:

● Charter conversions take public schools away from the community and hand them to private operators with very little oversight.

● Families and educators often have no real say in the decision to convert a school.

● These conversions can lead to the loss of certified teachers, reduced support services, and a narrow focus on test performance.

What does it mean when a charter school co-locates on a public school campus?

Answer: Co-location is when a charter school is placed inside an existing public school building, often forcing both schools to share limited space and resources.

Talking Points:

● Co-location creates two separate and unequal school systems in one building.

● Public school students often lose access to classrooms, libraries, gyms, and other spaces. ● It causes tension and division among students and sta, harming the school climate.

● Taxpayer dollars are being used to prop up charter schools at the expense of neighborhood schools.

What are Schools of Hope?

Answer: Schools of Hope is a Florida policy that allows charter schools to open near struggling public schools — without district approval or community input — and bypass many accountability rules.

Talking Points:

● “Schools of Hope” are based on a false narrative that public schools are failing, when in reality they are often underfunded and underserved.

● These charters can bypass requirements for certified teachers, school board oversight, and equity protections.

● They drain millions in public funding that could be used to strengthen neighborhood schools.

● They do not serve all students—especially those with disabilities, English learners, or behavior challenges.

Why are these policies harmful to our public schools?

Talking Points:

● They prioritize privatization over public investment. Instead of funding and supporting public schools, the state is creating backdoor ways to replace them.

● These strategies weaken the local voice and democratic control of schools.

● The end goal is not improvement — it’s replacement. These policies aim to dismantle the public education system and turn schooling into a private marketplace.

● Public education should be fully funded, inclusive, and community-driven — not undermined by competition and exclusion.

What can you do?

● Speak at school board meetings.

● Organize with your PTA/PTO or local coalition.

● Call your legislators and demand an end to these harmful practices.

● Educate others in your community — awareness is the first step to action.

● Reach out to Families for Strong Public Schools for more information at amimarie@strongschools.com

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