Florida lawmakers to discuss school funding revisions. But first, winter.
As Florida has expanded its education voucher program, school district officials have raised concerns about how growing participation in such choices impacts public school financing.
Lawmakers have expanded the state funding formula to include vouchers, combining the amount with the total that goes to the districts. That has led to consternation that the public schools don’t necessarily know how much they can count on to run their operations, which serve the majority of Florida’s children.
There’s been talk of further revamping the Florida Education Finance Program, or FEFP, which the Legislature changed in 2023 by collapsing categorical funding areas as it added vouchers to the mix. The House PreK-12 Appropriations Committee was set to take up the FEFP, including a discussion with superintendents about recalculating the program, during pre-session meetings this week.
The cost of Florida’s education voucher program, meanwhile, is projected to reach $4 billion, WUSF reports.
The conversation will have to hold, though, because of the weather forecast. Anticipating inhospitable winter conditions in North Florida, the chambers canceled all meetings this week, moving the schedule to Jan. 28-29 to follow what’s expected to be a brief special session. Stay tuned.
Some North Florida school districts also have canceled classes for a portion of this week in expectation of icy, cold weather, the Pensacola News-Journal and WJHG report. Florida State and Florida A&M universities also are closing for the storm, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
Florida lawmakers to discuss school funding revisions. But first, winter.