Pasco girl Jessica Howard, 7, pushes petition to change online education law

She is a homeschooler trying to change a law that restricts access to the state's virtual school program.  The Board of Education requires that a student spend at least one year in the public school system in order to use the virtual program.

Why?  Its all about the money.

"Limiting the program to kids already in public school would simply shift resources while freeing up classroom space"

Thus, the schools can effectively keep their enrollment numbers up ($$) without having  pay the "extra" costs of educating them. ( i.e. teachers' pay, overhead for buildings, lunches, custodians, etc.)

Jessica is collecting signatures and attracting the attention of lawmakers.  Rep. John Legg is actively researching her claim that this is unconstitutional.

"Legg is conferring with lawyers, staff analysts and virtual education experts to determine whether the state has the right to tell one set of children they have the right to a public school program while others are kept out. The state allows homeschooled children to play on public school sports teams, after all."

Full article: St. Petersburg Times