By a practically non-existent amount, Florida lawmakers have negotiated an agreement to increase per student funding by about $28. This increase will only take place if Florida gets the waiver to receive federal education stimulus money.
The federal package requires that funding go no lower than the 2005/2006 level. States need to apply for a waiver to receive stimulus funding.
Florida had to apply for the waiver because lawmakers have cut education funding to below 2005/2006 levels. In fact, education spending in Florida has been dropping since 2006. Current funding is below 2004-2005 levels.
Florida’s Department of Education didn’t bother to apply for the waiver until this week. The state’s excuse last week was that the details of the waiver application weren’t detailed enough. The Federal government basically told the Florida DOE to get off its butt and fill out the detailed application already.
In order to get the waiver, the percentage of state money earmarked for education must remain at the level it was at last year. I can’t tell you the exact percentage of state money that was earmarked for education, but I doubt it is the same percentage as last year.
For one thing, Florida cut the amount of money set aside for education from last year to this year. Then they cut it again in January of this year. Even their plan to increase funding by $28 per student (using stimulus money) won’t get the state to the level it was at this past August.
The $28 increase is to the levels the state left the schools at when they cut funding in January 2009. That is still below the levels schools were given in August of this school year.
According to one Central FL school finance officer, even if Florida gets the waiver, the funding will only keep “. . .a low number flat.”
