One of Florida Gov. Rick Scott's education-related campaign pledges was to give parents more options for their children's schooling.

"I want to offer parents a menu of options for their children, including but not limited to charter schools, private schools, homeschooling and virtual schools. I want to create an educational program that will allow parents to get creative in how to meet the distinctive needs of their children," Scott said on his campaign website.

Scott may have his way this legislative session after several lawmakers have proposed bills aimed at expanding the state's school vouchers program, which allow public school students in failing schools to transfer to better-performing school.

Currently, students in failing schools can transfer to better-performing schools under the state's Opportunity Scholarship Program.

The program was created in 1999 during Gov. Jeb Bush's administration, and provided students looking to opt out of their failing schools with state-funded vouchers to attend a different public or private institution. But in 2006, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to allow state money to pay for private school tuition and that element of the program was removed.

One bill recently filed in both chambers seeks to provide a means for public school money to pay for private school.

SB 1550 , a pro-voucher measure, is being pushed in the Senate by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and in the House by Rep. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg.

The bill, would create an "education savings account" for parents -- essentially allowing them to choose whether to pay for enrollment in a public or private school.

It remains to be seen how far SB 1550 will go this session. According to the St. Petersburg Times, House speaker pro tem John Legg, R- Port Richey, told the Pasco County School Board on March 22, 2011: "I don't see that happening."

Still Legg added: "I don't have a crystal ball. Members can file legislation. It's open for discussion."

Another measure that would increase the number of students eligible to opt out of their struggling schools is being proposed by Rep. Michael Bileca, a West Miami Republican. He has filed HB 1331, which would broaden the definition of a struggling school.

Currently, a failing school is one that has received two F's in a four-year period. Under Bileca's plan, a failing school would be one that has received a D for two school years in a four-year period or an F for one school year in a two-year period.

If the changes were approved, the number of "eligible schools" in the state -- those considered failing -- would increase from 24 to approximately 200, according to a March 21 House staff analysis report. That would give many more parents the basis for transferring their children.

Bileca's bill made its way through the Florida House K-20 Innovation subcommittee on March 22 with bipartisan support. It still has several more committee stops left to go, but has earned Scott's personal endorsement.

"Governor Scott supports this bill wholeheartedly," Scott Kittel, the governor's education policy coordinator, said during the subcommittee hearing.

Both bills have a ways to go. As they wind their way through the session, we'll keep tabs on their progress. But for now, we rate Scott's promise as In the Works.