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madfloridian

(88,117 posts)
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:01 AM Apr 2013

Florida charter schools get 91 million for facilities. Public school funding dwindles. Why?

Well, the reason this article gives is that fewer people are using landline phones. Makes no sense to me.

Charter schools land 91 million for facilities

Charter schools will receive $91 million for their construction and maintenance needs, state lawmakers agreed late Sunday.

The figure represents a $36 million increase over last year's allocation. But it falls just short of the $100 million proposed by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida House.

....The one-time allocation will come out of the Public Education Capital Outlay fund. PECO dollars are generated from the state's gross receipts tax on cable, electric and land-line telephone bills.

...For the past several years, the Legislature has given charter schools an extra boost through the PECO fund. Those dollars used to go to traditional public schools, too. But because fewer people are using land-line phones, the fund has been slowly dwindling. State economists predict it will eventually dry up.


The article doesn't mention how much public schools get. In 2011 public schools got nothing, while charter schools got 55 million.

Traditional public schools in Florida will get no money from the state this year for additions or needed repairs to thousands of aging buildings, but charter schools will score big.

The charter school operated for children of employees of The Villages, the Republican stronghold in north Lake County frequented by Scott and former President George W. Bush, is expected to receive about $1 million.

School district officials across Florida are bemoaning the Legislature's decision to cut traditional public schools out of PECO — the Public Education Capital Outlay program. The state's 350 charter schools will share $55 million, while the approximately 3,000 traditional schools will go without.


In 2013 charter schools received 64 million for maintenance, public schools got nothing. They must have upped it for the next year to 91 million.

FL allows 64 million in budget for 2013 charter school maintenance. Zero for public schools.

Charter schools are alternatives to traditional public schools. They receive taxpayer funding but are freed from meeting some state requirements — such as in curriculum, hiring and classroom sizes — in exchange for targeting specific classroom results from their students. They often are run by private companies, some of them for-profit.

The state Department of Education last week gave a Florida Senate subcommittee a report on the state Board of Education’s requested budget for next year. The budget includes a request for about $64 million for capital improvements at charter schools. Last year charters received about $55 million for school construction.

If approved, that budget would mark the third straight year the state has given capital outlay money to charter schools but no capital funding to districts to build and maintain traditional public schools
, said Vern Pickup-Crawford, the county school district’s state lobbyist.



12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Florida charter schools get 91 million for facilities. Public school funding dwindles. Why? (Original Post) madfloridian Apr 2013 OP
can you spell religion? nt msongs Apr 2013 #1
Spelling religion. hay rick Apr 2013 #4
Heh. I went to county also. I misspelled "judgement" or judgment". Never remember which is right. madfloridian Apr 2013 #6
k&r Starry Messenger Apr 2013 #2
because that's what big capital wants. you know the reason. HiPointDem Apr 2013 #3
Onward Christian Soldiers!™ Electric Monk Apr 2013 #10
Fewer landlines cause fewer public schools. Never would have thunk it. madfloridian Apr 2013 #5
I think they are saying the tax on landline phones went to PS schools Heather MC Apr 2013 #8
Link with info on Florida school funding. hay rick Apr 2013 #7
Fundeducationnow is a great group. madfloridian Apr 2013 #9
The dumbing of America escalates newfie11 Apr 2013 #11
And the vouchers go to private religious schools here... madfloridian Apr 2013 #12

hay rick

(7,521 posts)
4. Spelling religion.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:14 AM
Apr 2013

Back in the 6th grade I won my grade school spelling bee. I went to the county contest and was the first kid eliminated. The word I missed was "religion"- which I misspelled by omitting the second "i."

madfloridian

(88,117 posts)
6. Heh. I went to county also. I misspelled "judgement" or judgment". Never remember which is right.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:21 AM
Apr 2013

It's like a mental block to me.

madfloridian

(88,117 posts)
5. Fewer landlines cause fewer public schools. Never would have thunk it.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:16 AM
Apr 2013

I guess that makes perfect sense to the ed reformers.

 

Heather MC

(8,084 posts)
8. I think they are saying the tax on landline phones went to PS schools
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:32 AM
Apr 2013

Which still doesn't explain why PS schools can't get a piece of the 90 million

hay rick

(7,521 posts)
7. Link with info on Florida school funding.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:23 AM
Apr 2013
http://www.fundeducationnow.org/education-101/floridas-funding-formula/

Is Florida 50th in the nation in school funding? According to the 2010 US Census, Florida ranks 50th in per capita spending on K-12 education and 41st in per pupil spending.
...

Can Florida afford to raise revenues in a down economy? Florida lawmakers continue to raise local property taxes and fees to pay for the state's education obligation. Meanwhile, they give $5 billion annually in sales tax exemptions to special interests and corporate tax breaks to companies not based in Florida. During the 2011 Legislative Session, lawmakers and Governor Scott found an additional $309.6 million to give away in the form of revenue reductions and corporate tax breaks while slashing over 8% of school funding.
...

Are union-negotiated teacher salaries too high? The statewide average teacher salary for all degree levels in 2009-2010 was approximately $46,462. This represents a decrease of $450 under the average teacher salary for 2008-2009. In 2009-2010, Florida ranked 43rd among the 50 states in average teacher salary and $8,357 below the national average. In 2011, the Florida Legislature cut teacher salaries by an additional 3% in order to balance the state's budget.
...

Charter schools receive tax dollars, as well. They administer the FCAT but are not held to the same requirements from the state as traditional public schools. For example, they can hold lotteries to accept students, can turn away students who are not good test takers, and keep the student funding allocation, even when the student leaves the school mid-year. Additionally, they are not required to uphold the constitutional mandate to meet class size requirements. In 2011, Florida politicians created a new breed of charter- the virtual charter school. These charters receive the same student funding allocation but are able to exist solely as an online or "virtual" school.

newfie11

(8,159 posts)
11. The dumbing of America escalates
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 06:45 AM
Apr 2013

They can rewrite history, change what is taught for science, add their version of religion, and God help the future of this country.

madfloridian

(88,117 posts)
12. And the vouchers go to private religious schools here...
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 10:47 AM
Apr 2013

and they really do add their own religion. Rewriting history...that is correct.

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