Bill would encourage districts to privatize school services

TALLAHASSEE -- School districts may soon be required by the state to solicit bids from private companies to drive students to school, cook them lunch and clean up after them in classrooms.

Lawmakers are quick to say that the new proposal would not force districts to privatize services but just seriously consider hiring outside companies as a possible way to save money.

"It would be up to the school board to decide whether they would go with the lowest bidder," said Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Lauderdale. "What it requires them to do is do the analysis."

The handful of Florida counties that already have hired private companies are having mixed results.

Martin saves $630,000 a year on transportation. Santa Rosa saves $343,000. But Miami-Dade reports an 11 percent increase in transportation costs.

"It's cheaper but not as much as we thought it would be," said Leighton O'Connor, executive director of operational services for Martin County's school district.

Keith Baker, vice president of Florida TaxWatch, supports the bill and said private companies could save 10 to 20 percent a year.

"We do not support privatization per se," he said, "but we support competition."

The House's education innovation committee passed the bill 11-2 on Wednesday. Rep. Cindy Lerner, D-Miami, voted against it, calling it too much of a government intrusion.

If the bill is passed by the Legislature this spring, each school district would have to accept bids for food service, transportation and facilities management over the next three years.

The Florida School Board Association supports the bill, but the school employees' union does not.

Maureen Dinnen, president of the Florida Education Association, said her group is opposed because it would require extra staff time to study proposals and because private companies would not be required to go through background checks that school employees do.

"Counties will lose the day-to-day controls," she said.

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