Gov. Rick Scott Signs Highest Per-Student K-12 Funding Bill In State History

increases funding by $100 per-student

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Governor Rick Scott recently signed the HB 3A to secure the highest per-student K-12 funding in state history.

This legislation increases funding by $100 per-student, for a total of $20.6 billion for K-12 public schools.

“I’m proud to continue our fight to increase funding for our K-12 schools and for legislation that truly benefits our students, teachers and families,” Governor Scott said.

“Growing up, I was lucky to have the opportunity to achieve my goals thanks to a great public education. Our students are the future of our state and I’m incredibly proud to sign legislation today to ensure they have every opportunity for success. The additional $100 per-student, along with our expansion of the Gardiner Scholarship, allows even more Florida students to receive a world-class education and live their dreams in our state.”

“I would like to thank Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran for their hard work during the Special Session,” Scott added.

More details from the Fighting for Florida’s Future Budget:

Following Governor Scott’s call for a Special Legislative Session on Education, the Legislature allocated more than $215 million for K-12 education than was previously authorized. With HB 3A, the Fighting for Florida’s Future Budget invests $20.6 billion in total funding, including $11.7 billion in state funding, for Florida’s K-12 public schools.

This equates to $7,296 per-student, an increase of $100 per-student over the 2016-2017 budget. This is the highest total funding, state funding, and per-student funding for K-12 public schools in Florida’s history and will allow our schools and teachers to deliver results for our children.

Governor Scott continues to focus on ensuring that Florida’s children receive a quality education in K-12 public schools.

Since the Governor took office, state funding for Florida’s K-12 public schools has increased by nearly $3 billion or 34 percent, from a total amount of $8.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2011-2012 to $11.7 billion in the 2017-2018 Fighting for Florida’s Future Budget.

Governor Scott also signed the following education bills into law today:

CS/CS/CS/HB 15 – Educational Options
This bill expands the Gardiner Scholarship Program for students with unique abilities. It also increases the scholarship amounts for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program.

HB 781 – Designation of School Grades

This bill provides greater opportunities for K-3 schools to receive school recognition funding.

CS/CS/HB 989 – Instructional Materials

This bill allows greater public input and transparency in the K-12 instructional materials adoption process.

CS/HB 1109 – Private School Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities

This bill increases opportunities for private school students to participate in sports at public schools.

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