Policy Wins For Faith Education In Florida
On Tuesday, August 12, I joined a Zoom call hosted by the Governor’s Faith & Community Initiative with Florida Commissioner of Education, Stasi Kamoutsas. It was a great call about recent policy wins in Florida’s education sector, as well as the governor’s strategy moving forward.
Pastor Andrew Axsom of Four Oaks Killearn Church in Tallahassee opened with a beautiful prayer that ended with those simple but often radical words in today’s cultural climate: “in Jesus’ name.” It is always encouraging when those words are boldly proclaimed in the secular square.
Perhaps the most encouraging win for faith education reported on the call is the legislation signed this spring establishing a statewide volunteer school chaplain program. The bill allows districts and charter schools to welcome volunteer chaplains on campus to provide faith-based counseling support for students with parental consent. This measure recognizes that our children need more than academic instruction—they need spiritual guidance.
Another primary focus of the call was the success of the policy shift to support school choice institutions. The latest reports show that more than half of Florida’s children are now educated in a school choice setting. This includes private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling. Complimenting the shift, the percentage of schools scoring in the A/B range has risen from 64% to over 71% in just the last year. The data strongly suggests the expansion of school choice programs is boosting test results.
Here in Brevard, many of our Christian schools are benefiting from these programs which make it financially possible for more families to make the switch. Programs like the Family Empowerment Scholarship, begun in 2023, which provides on average $10,000 per student toward school choice expenses. That is good news worth celebrating.
Still, as encouraging as this progress is, much work remains to strengthen Florida’s education system. We need to continue praying for these efforts, for the leaders making key decisions, and for the parents and teachers on the front lines. Success today is a reminder to give thanks, but not an excuse to grow complacent. It is our duty as parents and as Christians to ensure we provide the very best for our children, They will inherit our future.
— Connor Mahoney is the editor for Christians of Brevard. You can find him on Facebook sharing about local Christian life and culture @CConnorMahoney.
— Christians of Brevard is a multi-church initiative that seeks to amplify the voices of local churches and ministries for the purpose of encouraging the local body of Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God. Join our Facebook community @ChristiansOfBrevard
