Florida ruling means local boards regain control of charter school creation

People who want to open a charter school in Florida can no longer maneuver around school districts considered unfriendly to the competition for approval to open. A state appellate court has ruled that the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, an agency created by the state to charter new schools, is "facially unconstitutional." The decision returns exclusive power to grant charters to local school districts. Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie school districts were among 14 that sued the Department of Education over the creation of the commission.