Latest news with #SenatePre-K-12EducationAppropriationsCommittee
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Florida Senate proposes school funding changes
With massive growth in school voucher programs , the Florida Senate has released a plan that, in part, would seek to address funding concerns as students move between schools. The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee is scheduled Wednesday to take up the bill (SPB 7030), which would make changes affecting public schools and voucher programs. "Over the last few years, we have learned that for the money to truly follow the student, we need better ways to track where students are at key points throughout the school year," Republican Sen. Don Gaetz said in a prepared statement Friday. "We also need to ensure money appropriately follows the student to the family's provider of choice, including when they move back and forth between providers. With input from stakeholders across the spectrum of school choice, this bill creates reasonable timeframes and mechanisms to improve both transparency and efficiency in education funding." The bill, among other things, would create what is known as a "categorical" budget fund for the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a major voucher program. Categorical funds are earmarked for specific programs. Also, the bill would use an "educational enrollment stabilization program" to provide supplemental money to address enrollment changes during the course of the academic year in public schools and voucher programs. "In the new environment of universal choice, where the money follows the student, we know everyone is working diligently to ensure students have access to the educational settings their parents choose," Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Chairman Danny Burgess said. "However, as our choice programs expand, mid-year transitions have proven difficult to keep track of. Additionally, parents with students in the personalized education program and unique abilities program (voucher programs) have been frustrated by the reimbursement process, which can be quite time consuming and at times inefficient. This legislation is about lessons learned over the last few years."
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida Senate releases plan to address school funding changes
With a massive growth in school voucher programs, the Florida Senate on Friday released a plan that, in part, would seek to address funding concerns as students move between schools. The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee is scheduled Wednesday to take up the bill (SPB 7030), which would make changes affecting public schools and voucher programs. 'Over the last few years, we have learned that for the money to truly follow the student, we need better ways to track where students are at key points throughout the school year,' Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who will take a lead on the legislation, said in a prepared statement Friday. 'We also need to ensure money appropriately follows the student to the family's provider of choice, including when they move back and forth between providers. With input from stakeholders across the spectrum of school choice, this bill creates reasonable timeframes and mechanisms to improve both transparency and efficiency in education funding. ' The bill, among other things, would create what is known as a 'categorical' budget fund for the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a major voucher program. Categorical funds are earmarked for specific programs. Also, the bill would use an 'educational enrollment stabilization program' to provide supplemental money to address enrollment changes during the course of the academic year in public schools and voucher programs. 'In the new environment of universal choice, where the money follows the student, we know everyone is working diligently to ensure students have access to the educational settings their parents choose,' Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said. 'However, as our choice programs expand, mid-year transitions have proven difficult to keep track of. Additionally, parents with students in the personalized education program and unique abilities program (voucher programs) have been frustrated by the reimbursement process, which can be quite time consuming and at times inefficient. This legislation is about lessons learned over the last few years.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida Senate bill would tweak funding, tracking for school voucher programs
The Brief The Florida Senate has introduced a bill to tweak funding and tracking for school voucher programs. The bill aims to address mid-year transitions and streamline the reimbursement process for families. It will be discussed in the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - With massive growth in school voucher programs, the Florida Senate on Friday released a plan that, in part, would seek to address funding concerns as students move between schools. What we know The Florida Senate has introduced a plan aimed at improving funding for school voucher programs and addressing challenges in tracking students as they move between schools. The bill, known as SPB 7030, is set to be discussed in the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Key components of the plan include the creation of a "categorical" fund for the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program and an "educational enrollment stabilization program" to manage enrollment shifts during the school year. These measures are designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and ensure funding follows students properly. What we don't know While the bill addresses funding concerns and aims to improve the tracking of students, it is unclear how the implementation of these changes will affect the overall funding of public schools and voucher programs. The bill also does not outline specific guidelines for how the new systems will be enforced or monitored over the long term. Additionally, it's uncertain how much flexibility will be given to families who experience mid-year transitions, particularly in relation to voucher reimbursements. The backstory Florida's school voucher programs, including the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, have expanded significantly in recent years, leading to challenges in managing funding and student enrollment. The state has been grappling with how to ensure that money allocated for education follows the student as they transition between schools. Past issues with the reimbursement process for voucher programs have led to frustration among parents. The new bill is a response to these concerns and aims to refine the tracking and funding mechanisms. Big picture view The push for expanded school choice in Florida has garnered significant attention, with some praising the flexibility it offers families, while others express concerns about the impact on public schools. As Florida continues to move toward universal school choice, there is a growing need for a more efficient system that balances funding allocation and student mobility. The changes proposed in SPB 7030 are part of the state's broader education reform efforts, which are likely to continue shaping the landscape of public and private schooling in Florida. What they're saying The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee is scheduled Wednesday to take up the bill (SPB 7030), which would make changes affecting public schools and voucher programs. "Over the last few years, we have learned that for the money to truly follow the student, we need better ways to track where students are at key points throughout the school year," Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who will take a lead on the legislation, said in a prepared statement Friday. "We also need to ensure money appropriately follows the student to the family's provider of choice, including when they move back and forth between providers. With input from stakeholders across the spectrum of school choice, this bill creates reasonable timeframes and mechanisms to improve both transparency and efficiency in education funding." "In the new environment of universal choice, where the money follows the student, we know everyone is working diligently to ensure students have access to the educational settings their parents choose," Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said. "However, as our choice programs expand, mid-year transitions have proven difficult to keep track of. Additionally, parents with students in the personalized education program and unique abilities program (voucher programs) have been frustrated by the reimbursement process, which can be quite time consuming and at times inefficient. This legislation is about lessons learned over the last few years." What's next The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee will review SPB 7030 on Wednesday. If the bill moves forward, it will likely undergo further scrutiny and potential revisions before being voted on. The outcome of this bill could significantly affect the future of voucher programs and public school funding in Florida. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by The News Service of Florida.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida Senate proposes plan to enhance funding transparency in school voucher programs
With massive growth in school voucher programs, the Florida Senate on Friday released a plan that, in part, would seek to address funding concerns as students move between schools. The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee is scheduled Wednesday to take up the bill (SPB 7030), which would make changes affecting public schools and voucher programs. 'Over the last few years, we have learned that for the money to truly follow the student, we need better ways to track where students are at key points throughout the school year,' Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who will take a lead on the legislation, said in a prepared statement Friday. 'We also need to ensure money appropriately follows the student to the family's provider of choice, including when they move back and forth between providers. With input from stakeholders across the spectrum of school choice, this bill creates reasonable timeframes and mechanisms to improve both transparency and efficiency in education funding.' The bill, among other things, would create what is known as a 'categorical' budget fund for the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, a major voucher program. Categorical funds are earmarked for specific programs. Also, the bill would use an 'educational enrollment stabilization program' to provide supplemental money to address enrollment changes during the course of the academic year in public schools and voucher programs. 'In the new environment of universal choice, where the money follows the student, we know everyone is working diligently to ensure students have access to the educational settings their parents choose,' Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said. 'However, as our choice programs expand, mid-year transitions have proven difficult to keep track of. Additionally, parents with students in the personalized education program and unique abilities program (voucher programs) have been frustrated by the reimbursement process, which can be quite time consuming and at times inefficient. This legislation is about lessons learned over the last few years.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida Senate moves forward with repealing later school start time requirements
While acknowledging that teens need more sleep, Florida senators on Tuesday continued to work on a bill that would repeal requirements aimed at later daily start times in many high schools. The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee voted 8-1 to approve a measure (SB 296) filed by Seh. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island that would eliminate start-time requirements scheduled to take effect in 2026. Lawmakers in 2023 approved the requirements, citing a need for older students to get more sleep. But as the deadline has neared, many school districts have said they are struggling to comply because of issues such as buying buses and finding bus drivers. Also, they say later start times affect after-school activities and child-care issues. Under the 2023 law, high schools could not start earlier than 8:30 a.m., and middle schools could not start earlier than 8 a.m., though the issue centers on high schools. Senate Pre-K-12 Appropriations Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, cited research Tuesday about the benefits of teens getting more sleep with later start times. Still, he described the issue as a 'collision between research and resources.' Burgess added, 'The research is there. I don't think it's refuted.' Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who is a former Okaloosa County superintendent of schools, cast the only dissenting vote Tuesday. Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington, has filed a House version of the bill (HB 261). Saying students 'need to be able to sleep,' House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, told The News Service of Florida on Tuesday that he is unsure how he feels about the bill. 'We are going to have that debate within the House, but this is an issue that depends on which part of the state you are from,' Perez said. 'You'll have a difference of opinion. It depends on how old your children are.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
