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Senate Increases School Funding Cuts
March 22, 2011
Budget writers in the Florida Senate increased the amount they want to cut from Pre-K-12 funding to 6.57 percent, a drop of $447.25 in per-student from the current year’s budget. Senate budget writers had previously suggested a slimmer cut of 2.28 percent, or $155.67 per student.
Education budget chairman Sen. David Simmons, R-Longwood, said the difference is due to $739 million in expected required contributions by teachers and other school administrators and employees to their pensions.
Because Florida Retirement System contributions were used in calculating the per-student funding amount in previous years, the per-student spending has been adjusted to reflect a decrease in state spending towards employee retirement.
But Simmons acknowledged that the $739 million figure was not firm, and could be adjusted as proposals to require employee contributions to FRS make their way through the Legislature.
The Senate education budget brings them much closer in line with the House of Representatives, which is considering a per-student cut of 7.7 percent, or a drop of $524.50 per student.
Gov. Rick Scott had suggested an even more austere 10 percent cut to per-student funding. The Senate expects to pass a Pre-K-12 Education budget on Thursday, while the House of Representatives also moves toward finalizing its schools budget with an appropriations meeting on Tuesday.
Comments
9 Responses to “Senate Increases School Funding Cuts”
The Lottery is not a godly endeavor-how could He possibly bless gambling!
Pay your tithes, address your needs with God in prayer, expect God to answer your prayers!
Have faith in the Lord Jesus only-the government is not God!
What is the advantage of living in Florida? Now it’s hard to hang on to homeowners insurance because of hurricanes and if we get it we are counted in with the ones who live near the beach. Now they’re making it harder for the schools. We have to send all the small items they will need with them at the beginning of each year. I never have understood why these items are taken up, put into a large container and kept for the next year, then see how much is lacking THEN. Now the teachers have to spend more and more time on each student and this could be relieved somewhat if the parents would see that the children have their homework and UNDERSTAND their homework before sending them off to school the next day. I know parents (both) work. I’ve been there and one who worked one hour to and one hour from work each day but saw that my children had their homework even if not before ball games afterwards. I also couldn’t believe someone has been elected to office that wants children to be able to carry guns to school (introduced a bill). Our children are our greatest gift and we need to stand by the schools/teachers as much as we can. Let’s start over with new people in all elected offices.
You know, it doesnt matter where the kids reside if you read the proposal. It says less will be given to the schools even though teachers will be paying into their retirement. Not only is education suffering but other county agencies are falling to the chopping block. I think as Florida residents we need to vote all these legislatures out of office and start with fresh ones that possibly take into consideration the working class. Whether you work for the county, state or school board it doesnt matter. We are all effected whether it be from our children or grandchildren’s education, taxes, etc. we need to stick together and show the legislature as a state we do not want to continue to pay more for everything and receive less in return. It should be priority in Florida to get jobs into the state for the residents. Florida lottery is used to replace funds instead of supplement funds. Lets work together in Florida, take a stand and vote the out the people who obviously dont care about the welfare of Florida residents, but only their personal welfare. Our children deserve better and we as Floridians deserve better as well.
Think about it…….
Time to send all those unapproved Alabama students who attend Escambia County, Florida schools packing. Why should they get a free ride at our expense?
The Lottery to Education is nothing more than a bait-and-switch program. Yes, money from the Lottery is contributed to the state’s education program, BUT the same amount of money earmarked for education from the Lottery is taken out of the original education budget and then transferred to other areas. In other words money is contributed to education from the Lottery, but there are NO additional funds given to schools.
they must do the cuts!!! we have to have money for standardized testing for gosh sakes…
The lottery sure helped my kid get her college education. She earned 100% Bright Futures, funded by the Florida lottery. Of course, they’ve been whittling away at Bright Futures since then. Now, they don’t pay for books anymore. It helps to have more than one scholarship.
If all of the budget cuts continue, many people will lose their jobs and the kids will be the biggest losers of all. Where will all the future leaders come from if they can’t be properly educated. It seems some people just want to let everything go to pot.
@ J
The lottery IS helping schools. You can go to the lottery web site and see exactly how much money each county has got from the lottery. Escambia county has received over $359 million since 1987. The problem is as with a lot of government programs, as the lottery money became available the state cut the regular education budget. The lottery was to enhance education, not be it’s primary source of funds as it seems be becoming.
Whatever happened to the Florida Lottery helping the schools. Years ago, that was the selling point of the lottery.