Charter school operators are targeting Brevard Public Schools to co-share the public school buildings as part of the controversial “Schools of Hope” program.
One operator alone filed notice to get access to dozens of schools in the county, prompting advocates to raise alarm.
“The idea that one organization, BridgePrep, filed to co-locate in over a third of Brevard’s public schools defies logic and should incense parents and taxpayers alike,” said Holly Bullard, Florida Policy Institute’s Chief Strategy and Development Officer. “BridgePrep is a new entrant into the growing list of organizations called ‘Hope’ operators staking claim to rent-free space in Florida’s public schools.”
On its website, BridgePrep says its mission is to “educate well rounded individuals and enable students to reach their maximum potential.”
The Schools of Hope program was designed to support charter schools if public schools are struggling and under capacity. Some of the notices showed schools operating at less than 50% capacity.
According to letters obtained from Florida Politics, Mater Academy, Somerset Academy and BridgePrep Academy sent School of Hope Notices to Brevard Superintendent Mark Rendell this week, notifying the district of its attempt to take over the school buildings starting in the 2027-28 school year. The charter operators requested floor plans and access to walk through and inspect the buildings.
The latest notices are part of a boom of Schools of Hope notices in South Florida.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Broward received 127 requests on Tuesday from four charter school providers for 90 schools while nearby Palm Beach County received nearly 70 requests for 46 schools.
Sen. Darryl Rouson, a St. Petersburg Republican, has filed legislation to repeal the law that allows charter “Hope operators” to use underused, vacant or surplus facilities rent-free or without paying operational or maintenance costs.
“Constituents and stakeholders from across the state have reached out to my office with concerns about the overly broad Schools of Hope program,” Rouson said in a statement. “By eliminating language requiring colocation in public schools, we are ensuring schools do not face the unintentional consequence of an unfunded mandate, and that students can continue thriving in their schools without losing access to spaces they need for academic success.”
