Florida Voucher Audit Reveals Massive Fiscal Mismanagement and $270 Million Unaccounted For

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Florida’s expansive, universal school voucher program is under intense scrutiny following an audit that revealed significant financial disarray, including $398 million in unexpected costs and a staggering $270 million in unaccounted-for taxpayer funds. The findings, detailed in a report from Florida’s auditor general, point to critical management failures that led the program to balloon to serve half a million students rapidly.

After the state opened its voucher system to all families in 2023, enrollment nearly doubled. However, the program, which represents the largest in the country with $4 billion in funding last school year, appears to have outpaced the state’s administrative capabilities.

According to the state Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education, the Florida Department of Education could not determine the school enrollment status for 30,000 students on any given day, directly impacting accountability for $270 million in public funding. The audit also found the system shortchanged Florida’s public schools by $230 million.

The core of the problem lies in the handling of the Family Empowerment Scholarship, which funds vouchers known as education savings accounts (ESAs). The audit found that the state sent money to scholarship organizations before confirming whether students would use vouchers or attend public schools. As children switched programs, the education department often counted them more than once, leading to duplicate payments.

Critics view these findings as a consequence of rapid growth with few financial guardrails. Norín Dollard, senior policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, highlighted the effect on traditional institutions, stating, “This money was money the school districts should have received and never did until this all came to light.” The result, according to Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, is that public schools are now grappling with declining enrollment, program cuts, and larger class sizes due to financial strain.

Even supporters of school choice, like state Senator Don Gaetz (R), acknowledged the severity of the situation. “This is a cautionary tale for other states,” Gaetz said, urging immediate remedial legislation to prevent further erosion of taxpayer trust. Gaetz has since proposed a bill to disentangle voucher funds from public school dollars and establish monthly checks on student enrollment.

The education department spokesperson, Cassie Edwards, confirmed that the agency had to briefly pause voucher payments to determine where the 30,000 students were enrolled. Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas noted that administering a program of this scale is unprecedented, stating in a letter to the auditor general: “The Department acknowledges that, while the popularity and growth of the scholarship programs evidence their value and need, the administrative systems supporting these programs must keep pace with their implementation.” The department is now adopting a “more rigorous process” to verify enrollment records.

The audit’s revelations serve as a crucial warning as the national trend toward universal school choice accelerates, highlighted by the newly signed federal voucher program set to cost an estimated $26 billion over 10 years.

Source:

The Washington Post