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Gradebook podcast: Can Florida afford teacher raises and increase per-student funding, too?

House PreK-12 Appropriations chair Chris Latvala discusses leadership’s education priorities and how they hope to get there.
 
Rep. Chris Latvala, R-Palm Harbor, chairs the House PreK-12 Appropriations committee.
Rep. Chris Latvala, R-Palm Harbor, chairs the House PreK-12 Appropriations committee. [ News Service of Florida ]
Published Nov. 7, 2019

Florida’s government leaders have decided to prioritize increasing teacher pay in their next state budget.

They also want to expand vouchers, bolster school security, improve early education funding and raise per-student spending.

They don’t want to raise taxes, either. (Did we mention the governor and the majorities in both chambers are Republican?)

Is the goal possible? After all, Florida has more things to spend money on that schooling.

State Rep. Chris Latvala, chairman of the House PreK-12 Appropriations committee, talks with reporter Jeff Solochek about the moves under consideration to afford these many education priorities.

Related: <b>RELATED: </b> Gradebook podcast: Why are Florida teacher union leaders riding a bus around the state?