Monday, June 29, 2020
Statement from Ralph Arza and Lynn Norman-Teck from the Florida Charter School Alliance on Governor DeSantis signing the 2020-21 state budget shows support for education
“The Florida legislature developed a budget which took into account the needs of students and families. The budget was completed prior to the pandemic’s impact on our state therefore Governor DeSantis needed to carefully review all program expenditures and determine the best course of action for our state. Although some items were vetoed, we are happy that the Governor once again showed his unwavering support for education and put students first.
“We thank Gov. DeSantis, Speaker Oliva, Senate President Galvano, and Education Commissioner Corcoran for their leadership and steadfast support for education, teachers, students, and Florida’s families.
“For more than 20 years, public charter schools have been a vital component of Florida’s K-12 system of public education. More than 313,000 students strong, public charter schools have raised student achievement, especially among minority students, and have provided high-quality educational programs in historically underserved communities. The state’s investment in our teachers through raises, support for capital outlay funding, and the increase in per-student funding will benefit all the families we serve.”
Highlights of the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget and other documents are provided below:
K-12 Education
Governor DeSantis vowed to make 2020 the “Year of the Teacher” by making historic investments in our K-12 education system. The budget includes $500 million to raise the minimum K-12 teacher salary into the Top 5 nationwide and increase salaries for veteran teachers and other eligible instructional personnel. The budget also includes record per-student funding of $7,793, an increase of current year spending by $137 per student.
Press Release_governor_ron_desantis_signs_fiscal_year_2020_2021_budget