Florida Antibullying Voucher: Investigation of First-Year Implementation and Parent Perceptions of the Hope Scholarship

• In Event: School Choice and School Safety

Abstract

Florida’s Hope Scholarship is the first program in the nation to address the issue of school safety by providing scholarships to public K-12 students to attend a private school based on a report of bullying or other violence. This study draws on data from scholarship applications and a parent survey covering the incident and the school climate at the former and new school. Findings reveal dissatisfaction with how the incident was handled and negative perceptions of the school climate at the former school with high satisfaction and positive perceptions of the climate at the new school. We discuss why parents seek the scholarship and suggest based on our findings that schools could improve the way incidents are reported and handled.

Authors

• Melissa Dyehouse, Florida State University

• Marisa Benz, Florida State University

• Zahid Kisa, Florida State University

• Carolyn D. Herrington, Florida State University