TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After weeks on inter-party clashing, Florida lawmakers approved a $115 billion budget Monday.
After widespread fears about public schools losing funding for advanced classes, the newly approved budget funds AP, IB and dual enrollment courses.
However, some public education advocates have concerns with the 2025-2026 budget. Their issue is it provides $4 billion for private school vouchers further boosting the privatization of Florida education.
Last year’s budget provided $1.25 billion for teacher salary increases and the newly approved budget increased that amount to $1.5 billion, but some critics say that’s not enough.
“We were able to stop [cutting advanced classes] and those programs will remain untouched ... ‘however when it comes to substantial teacher pay salaries, there is not a lot of focus or prioritization in this budget,” said State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando).
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House budget Chairman Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, says the final budget is fiscally sound, saying. “What Floridians are getting is a legislature that thoughtfully appropriated money in a balanced way but still managed to invest in education in a record manner,” he said.
The plan also includes a sales tax holiday in August for back-to-school items.
Lawmakers projected to reduce state and local government revenue by about $1.3 billion next year.
“There are back-to-school holidays. There are tax breaks on generators, batteries and other items that intersect with hurricane preparedness,” Eskamani said.
But there are areas where taxes are being eliminated. Eskamani said the electric vehicle program will be eliminated, meaning drivers won’t get a tax break for buying electric vehicles.
She also said the Agency for Person’s with Disabilities didn’t get the money it was expecting to deal with a very long wait list with 20,000 people.
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