Florida Department of Education Applauds Governor DeSantis’ Framework for Freedom Budget for Historic Investments in Per-Student Funding and Teacher Salaries

February 1, 2023

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Florida Department of Education Applauds Governor DeSantis’ Framework for Freedom Budget for Historic Investments in Per-Student Funding and Teacher Salaries

~ Governor DeSantis’ recommendations include more than $26 billion for education and record funding for Florida’s students and teachers ~

Tallahassee, Fla., February 1, 2023 – Today, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) applauded Governor DeSantis’ Framework for Freedom Budget that proposes historic funding for Florida’s students and teachers. The Framework for Freedom Budget includes an additional $200 million to continue raising teacher pay for the fourth year in a row, bringing the total Teacher Salary Increase Allocation in Fiscal Year 2023-24 to a record $1 billion. In addition, the Governor’s budget prioritizes school safety, teacher recruitment and retention, and workforce education, while also proposing the highest per-student funding in the state’s history.

“The Framework for Freedom Budget is more proof of Governor DeSantis’ incredible leadership in education,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “The budget’s proposed record investments in students, teachers and schools are nothing short of historic, and they will launch Florida even further down the road of educational excellence. Under Governor DeSantis, we are truly the Education State.”

The Governor’s proposal for the Fiscal Year 2023-24 education budget recommendation includes landmark funding increases for both teachers and students:

• Governor DeSantis is proposing historic K-12 funding of $26 billion to support Florida’s students and families, which includes the expansion of educational savings accounts.
• Governor DeSantis is proposing a $200 million increase to the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) while maintaining the current $800 million teacher pay increase. The proposed $1 billion TSIA total for Fiscal Year 2023-24 would amount to over $3 billion in new funding for salary increases since 2020.
  • In Governor DeSantis’ proposal, both new and veteran teachers will benefit as the $200 million increase will be flexible for use as the districts see fit.
• Governor DeSantis is calling for an increase in per-student funding to raise the 2023-24 Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) funding projection to $8,453, an increase of $205 over Fiscal Year 2022-23. This would break the current budget record and once again establish the highest amount of per-student funding in Florida history.
• Governor DeSantis is proposing the following in the FEFP: a $40 million increase for Safe Schools Allocation for a total of $250 million; a $20 million increase for Student Transportation Allocation for a total of $535 million; and a $20 million increase for Mental Health Allocation for a total of $160 million.

Governor DeSantis is also prioritizing three major investment areas to further ensure school safety, support for teacher recruitment and retention, development of a talented workforce to fill high-paying, high-demand jobs:

• Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education will never compromise on student safety. Accordingly, the Governor is requesting $10 million for additional school safety technology; $42 million for the School Hardening Grants; $6.5 million for maintaining the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program; $6.4 million for Alyssa’s Alert; nearly $800,000 for additional staffing for Compliance Enforcement, and $400,000 for School Safety Training.
• To continue elevating and celebrating Florida’s world-class teachers, and in addition to the proposed $1 billion TSIA, Governor DeSantis is calling for $27.2 million for Teacher Professional Development, which includes $10 million for the Recruitment of Heroes Bonus; $5 million for a Grow Your Own Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program Expansion; $4 million for Teacher Apprenticeship Program and Mentor Bonus; $3.5 million for the Dual Enrollment Teacher Scholarships; and $500,000 for Professional Development Certification Program for Intensive Training.
• Governor DeSantis has set a goal to make Florida the #1 state in workforce education by 2030, and the Framework for Freedom Budget calls for $79 million to support nursing education; $50 million increase for the Florida College System Program Fund; $25 million for the Open Door Grant Program; and $10 million in new performance funding initiatives to scale high quality workforce training programs.

To underscore the Governor’s support for civics, U.S. history education and public safety, the Framework for Freedom Budget protects important non-recurring initiatives such as $1 million for the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, $1 million for Portraits in Patriotism, $2 million for Stories of Inspiration, and $5 million for school security for Jewish Day Schools.

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