Byron Donalds discusses the final stretch in his gubernatorial campaign with Jim DeFede
In a wide-ranging interview on CBS News Miami's Jim Defede on Facing South Florida, Byron Donalds, the Republican candidate for governor, discussed education policy, his decision to highlight Governor Ron DeSantis in his television commercials, and the future of data centers.
"It's been a good campaign, a long campaign, but we've been all over Florida, and talking to the people is what really lets you see all the work that you've been putting in, and it's really paying off," he said. "So, things are going very well, very happy that election day is around the corner. But at this point, we just want people to get out and vote and make sure that their voices are heard."
CBS Miami taped the interview with Donalds on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Miami Herald published a lengthy investigation under the headline "How Byron and Erika Donalds' wealth hinges on millions in state education dollars." It showed how Erika Donalds' companies are making millions by managing charter schools funded with tax dollars.
During the interview with CBS Miami, Donalds made statements that, according to the Herald story, were inaccurate.
Here is part of the interview transcript:
Jim DeFede:
Is it still the plan that she [Erika] will have no business involvement with charter schools in the state of Florida?
Byron Donalds:
She doesn't have business involvement today, and she's not going to have that going forward.
The Herald story makes it clear there is a business relationship between Erika Donalds and the charter industry in Florida. CBS Miami asked the campaign to clarify the apparent discrepancy, and the campaign issued the following statement.
STATEMENT FROM THE DONALDS CAMPAIGN:
"Congressman Donalds was referring to Optima Management Services' former contracts to provide charter-school management services to independent brick-and-mortar schools. Those schools have transitioned to self-management, those contracts have ended, and there are no plans to resume that work.
"Separately, OptimaEd continues to provide virtual instruction through Optima Academy Online, including under a contract with Optima Classical Academy, a public virtual charter school. We want to make that continuing relationship clear and distinguish it from the former brick-and-mortar management contracts."
Byron's relationship to Erika's businesses
Byron has never had a management or operational role in Erika's businesses and holds no direct ownership interest in them. The distinction between these contractual arrangements is a technical business detail best explained by Erika and her team.
Former charter-school management services
Optima Management Services previously provided organizational, administrative, and back-office services to independent brick-and-mortar charter schools. This is the work the Congressman was describing when referring to charter-school management. Those relationships have concluded as the schools developed their own management capacity.
Current virtual instruction services
Erika's for-profit education company, OptimaEd, provides virtual instruction under the trade name Optima Academy Online. OptimaEd is a Florida-approved virtual instruction provider and contracts with Optima Classical Academy to provide the public virtual charter school's instructional program and associated services. Those services include teachers, curriculum, technology, student support, and related administration.
Parents choose the education — and enrollment drives the funding
Parents decide whether to enroll their children in these educational options. Erika, Byron, and the providers do not make that decision for them. Enrollment-based funding follows those family choices in accordance with the applicable program rules.
Families may choose Optima Classical Academy for tuition-free public education. The charter school receives funding through the Florida Education Finance Program, or FEFP, and contracts with OptimaEd to deliver virtual instruction and associated services. FEFP funding is allocated to the charter school; OptimaEd receives payment under its contract with the school.
Separately, eligible families may choose to purchase Optima Academy Online courses or programs using education scholarship funds, subject to the applicable program's requirements. Those purchases are separate from public charter-school enrollment. OptimaEd, doing business as Optima Academy Online, also serves families in more than a dozen other states.
Parental choice adds a direct layer of accountability beyond government oversight: these schools and providers must continually earn families' trust. Parents can choose another option if the education does not meet their children's needs, and losing enrollment means losing the associated funding. That accountability to families is central to the school-choice model.
Education Freedom Foundation
Education Freedom Foundation, formerly known as The Optima Foundation, is a separate nonprofit supporting school founders and school expansion through philanthropy. All of its services to schools and founders are provided free of charge. Its philanthropic work is separate from OptimaEd's for-profit virtual instruction business.
Erika is proud of helping schools become independently operated and building educational options that families choose. Please accurately distinguish the former charter management relationships, the continuing virtual instruction business, and the Foundation's free support for schools and founders.