State Board Looks To Boost Per-Student Education Funding

September 26, 2014

The Florida Board of Education on Monday is expected to consider a proposed 2015-16 legislative budget request that would mirror Gov. Rick Scott’s pledge to increase per-student funding to the highest level in state history, according to board documents posted online.

The budget request, which is a first step in a process that will end with lawmakers approving a spending plan next spring, calls for the public-school funding formula to include $7,176 per student, the same number Scott proposed last month.

Scott is using the pledge in his re-election campaign against Democratic candidate Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor. The $7,176 amount would top a previous high of $7,126 achieved while Crist was in office.

Among other issues in the proposed budget request, the Department of Education would not seek a tuition increase at state colleges. Scott also has made a priority of holding down tuition. The Board of Education will meet Monday in Tampa.

by The News Service of Florida


Comments

One Response to “State Board Looks To Boost Per-Student Education Funding”

  1. Bob C on September 26th, 2014 6:43 am

    Humm, sounds like once more campaign posturing is using Education as the pawn in the political game.
    School districts have long ago learned to Wait and See on these sorts of proposals.
    While they do get good press and do cause some encouragement the real proof in the pudding is whether or not the Legislature will actually approve and Fund the increases. More often than not, the Legislature imposes non-funded mandates which districts must do but with no funding from the Legislature.
    Hopefully, there will be more money for the school systems to use for the many things they do for our kids.
    Again, this is a Wait and See situation as both Charlie Crist and Rick Scott imposed HUGE cuts to education.
    Prayers for our schools and Prayers for Honesty

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