The state has just released the 2008-09 Florida Education Finance Program report. The document is 57 pages long. We're just trolling through the details. Thought you might like to look, too. Let us know if you see anything interesting. Click here to download the report.

OK. A few observations. While the state reduces its contribution by $792.6-million, or about 13 percent, local districts are being required to come up with $364.9-million more than last year, or about 4.6 percent. That means the local tax rates would rise by 0.177 mills, on average.

Part of that would come by reducing the local capital millage rate from 2 mills to 1.75 mills. Just wondering whether bond rating agencies, which analyze districts' ability to repay COPS and the like based on expectation of future revenue, will look unfavorably upon such a change.

But wait. There's more.

The average per-student funding cut would be $130.85, or 1.84
percent. School recognition funds would decline by $15 per student.
Support for student transportation, safe schools, supplemental
instruction for low performing students, instructional materials and
reading programs all would decline. Teacher performance pay would be
funded at last year's level, but only for districts that participated.

The only area looking at significant growth is class-size reduction
funding, which would rise from $2.6-billion to $2.8-billion. And that's
with lawmakers delaying full implementation at least a year.

Unresolved: The future of the National Board certified teacher bonus
program. It's likely to decrease, but the House and Senate are still
working on consensus language. You can check out the conforming language for the budget here.

Four days to go. Stay tuned.