Florida schools look to get stimulus money after all

FEBRUARY 13, 2009

The finalized version of the federal stimulus package
includes the possibility of a waiver for states whose funding might be snagged by requirements that they maintain a certain level of spending on education. Florida, which has cut its school budget repeatedly over the past 17 months, is among them.

The package Congress agreed to this week allows U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to waive the MOE requirements for states and school districts "that have experienced a precipitous decline in financial resources."

That's no guarantee, of course, that Duncan will grant Florida a waiver.

But it's hard to imagine, after Gov. Crist stood side by side with President Obama in Fort Myers Tuesday -- and is now getting thumped by the right for it -- that the Obama administration would say, "Sorry, Charlie."

Florida's share of the stimulus for education appears to be $5.1 billion, according to this state-by-state breakdown from the National Education Association.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter (AP photo)

Posted by Ron Matus at 11:29:22 am on February 13, 2009 in

| Permalink | Comments |

Join the discussion: Click to view comments, add yours

Most Recent Blog Posts

Florida education news: USF funding, Florida Virtual School, school construction and more February 14

Pasco School Board chair completes petition for ballot, while one opponent drops out February 13

School prayer bill survives its first Florida House committee February 13

Carol Cook says she's running for re-election February 13

Hillsborough teachers union president is challenged by two critics of Gates reforms February 13

USF gets disproportionate cut in Senate budget recommendations February 13

Class size in Pasco schools: Where it's a problem, and where it isn't February 13

Florida education news: School prayer, parent trigger, home schooling and more February 13

Coming up: State Board of Education, FCAT writing, spring break and more February 12

Florida education news: Special education, school construction, homeless students and more February 12

About the blog

Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going in on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.

Meet the team

THE TEAM

Rebecca Catalanello covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail her: rcatalanello@tampabay.com.

Tony Marrero covers Hernando County schools. E-mail him: tmarrero@tampabay.com.

Marlene Sokol covers Hillsborough County schools. E-mail her: sokol@tampabay.com.

Ron Matus covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail him: matus@tampabay.com.

Jeffrey S. Solochek covers Pasco County schools. E-mail him: solochek@tampabay.com.

Kim Wilmath covers the University of South Florida. E-mail her: kwilmath@tampabay.com.

Comment Policy

Please be sure your comments are appropriate before submitting them. Inappropriate comments include content that:

Is libelous

Is abusive, harassing, or threatening

Is obscene, vulgar, or profane

Is racially, ethnically or religiously offensive

Is illegal or encourages criminal acts

Is known to be inaccurate or contains a false attribution

Infringes copyrights, trademarks, publicity or any other rights of others

Impersonates anyone (actual or fictitious)

Solicits funds, goods or services, or advertises

The Tampa Bay Times does not edit posts but reserves the right to delete comments that violate our policy.

Registration FAQ

Read our Frequently Asked Questions on how to register to comment on the site.