Unlocking Excellence: Gov. Ron DeSantis Announces Historic Funding Boost for Florida’s K-12 Education!

This week, Governor Ron DeSantis shared his education budget plan, proposing a record $29.7 billion for K-12 education. However, many advocates argue that this amount falls short.

The proposed budget includes $1.5 billion for teacher pay, which is an increase of $246 million. Additionally, he seeks about $1.7 billion to support early childhood education programs.

Andrew Spar, director of the Florida Education Association, expressed concern. He noted that the budget only raises per pupil spending by about $222 at a time when inflation is at a record high. “Schools are paying more for materials and supplies, just like families are,” he said. “This oversight limits resources for our districts to support students effectively.”

Another worry for Spar is the $3 billion allocated for the universal voucher program. He believes this diverts money away from public schools, making it harder for them to operate efficiently. Recent scores from The Nation’s Report Card show students’ math and English scores in Florida have dropped to their lowest in over two decades.

“Taking funds away from public schools makes it difficult to meet each child’s needs. Most students still attend their local public schools,” he added.

In his announcement, the governor argued that vouchers offer a way for families to access quality education without incurring debt. He emphasized his budget aims to enhance education in Florida, providing families with various choices tailored to their needs.

After the budget reveal, the nonprofit Step Up For Students, which manages many of these vouchers, reported a surge in applications—120,000 since the portal opened recently. This is significantly higher than the last cycle, which saw about 72,596 applications in its initial days.

DeSantis touched on teacher raises and an added $632 million for the Bright Futures Scholarship. This scholarship helps eligible Florida students with college funding. “If you’re a good student, you can afford to go to our state universities with minimal financial burden,” he noted. He assured that there would be no increases in tuition or fees at public universities for the upcoming year.

Here are the main points from the governor’s budget:

• $1.5 billion allocated for teacher salary increases.
• $1.76 billion for early childhood education, including $465.8 million for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten.
• A total of $29.7 billion for K-12 education, with $16.1 billion in state funding covering over 3.2 million students.
• $1.7 billion for the Florida College System.
• $3.9 billion for the State University System.
• $130 million to improve nursing education programs.
• $100 million to attract and retain qualified faculty in universities.
• $632 million fully funding the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
• $146.5 million designated for Florida’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

For more details, you can read through the governor’s complete education budget, which outlines these plans in detail.

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