Florida must ‘right-size’ its education budget, lawmakers say
Legislative budget proposals have started to roll out, and the message of the session is prepare for less. “We need to right-size our budget this year,” House PreK-12 Budget chairperson Jenna Persons-Mulicka told her panel Tuesday as she unveiled her recommendations. “We have to stop the spending.” [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
House leader calls for sales tax cut. Can Florida schools afford it?
Early talk of reducing or eliminating Florida’s property tax system, which undergirds local funding of public education, has faded as the legislative session has progressed. On Wednesday, a major source of state funding for education and other aspects of government emerged as the target for reduction. House Speaker Danny Perez announced his goal of cutting the sales tax from 6% to 5.25%. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Bill proposes civil engineering pathway program for students
Florida lawmakers met on Tuesday morning in the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee to discuss a bill that would open career paths for students in civil construction. House Bill 567 would invest $5 million into Florida’s workforce development. The investment aims to address the labor shortage for road and bridge workers in the state. [Source: WMNF]
Out-of-state grandkids could lose tuition breaks at Florida schools
High-performing out-of-state students could lose a tuition break at Florida universities if their grandparents haven’t lived long enough in the state. The Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee on Monday approved a bill (SB 1624) that would make a change to a 2021 law that allows certain out-of-state students to pay cheaper in-state tuition rates if their grandparents live in Florida. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Senate bill addresses voucher funding as students move between schools
With massive growth in school voucher programs, the Florida Senate on Friday, March 21, released a plan that, in part, would seek to address funding concerns as students move between schools. “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. [Source: News Service of Florida]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Tampa high schoolers get a hands-on look at construction careers
The Tampa Bay Construction Career Days event, hosted by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC Florida), offers students a rare, hands-on look at the wide range of careers in the transportation industry. From asphalt paving to aerial drone piloting, the event introduces teens to the many trades and professions that help build and maintain the state’s rapidly growing infrastructure.
› WiTCON, Florida’s largest student-led women in tech conference, is this Friday
Spring has arrived in Miami, bringing with it the energy of #MiamiTech – where events like eMerge Americas, university hackathons, and tech conferences draw students and tech enthusiasts from across the state – and nation – to the 305. However, one Florida International University organization is carving out a unique space for women in tech with the Women in Technology Conference (WiTCON), Florida’s largest women in tech conference, led by students from the Women in Computer Science organization at FIU.
› Jacksonville sets aside up to $8 million to purchase building for UF graduate campus in LaVilla
The city of Jacksonville will have up to $8 million to offer to the owners of the Interline Brands Inc. building should it opt to purchase the property to provide for the University of Florida graduate center campus in LaVilla. In a 14-2 vote on March 25, the Jacksonville City Council agreed to set aside the funds to buy the building from Gateway Jax, the development partnership that has owned the building since October 2024.
› Franklin County Superintendent proposes four-day school week
At a series of town hall meetings throughout Franklin County next month, residents will have a chance to weigh in on what could next year become the most consequential change to the school district since the earliest days of its public schools in the 1860s. After weighing a proposal brought to his desk by leaders within the teaching staff, Superintendent Steve Lanier has set a motion a process to provide school board members with the details, both pro and con, of a four-day school week that if approved, would be implemented for the next 2025-26 school year, set to begin July 1.