House and Senate budget negotiators took a big step toward reaching an agreement on K-12 school funding, as the Senate offered to spend $200.5 million on dedicated teacher pay increases.
The amount is just short of the nearly $202 million the House prefers, but a departure from the Senate's original position of spending money on teacher pay in a way that would've given school districts more discretion on how to spend those funds.
The House had agreed to spend $290 million for the safe schools portion of the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), the main funding formula for public schools. That's a $40 million increase on the budget (HB 5001) it passed earlier in the Session, matching the Senate's plan. The House also boosted mental health funds for schools by $20 million to meet the Senate.
That puts the chambers close on the FEFP, with the latest Senate offer coming in at $28.4 billion, or nearly $1.8 billion more than the current year. That's a total of $8,959 in per student funding, a $240 increase on the current year.
But there remain significant differences over some education programs. For instance, the House wants $20 million for the New Worlds Scholarship program promoting early literacy, while the Senate included $5 million for the program in its latest offer. The Florida Civics Seal of Excellence program would get $15 million in the House budget but $5 million in the Senate's plan.
One of the biggest differences is over the Florida School for Competitive Academics, which was created through a bill last year to "provide a rigorous academic curriculum," while also preparing students for academic competitions throughout the country. The Senate wants $49.5 million for the school, while the House has $271,000 slotted.
The Senate is also seeking $4 million for a Safe Schools Canine program, but the House doesn't fund the program.
Rep. Josie Tomkow, a Polk City Republican, and Sen. Keith Perry, a Gainesville Republican, said they'll likely meet again in a formal budget conference on Wednesday. Any unresolved issues at the end of the day Wednesday will be "bumped" to the full Appropriations Committee.
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