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Superintendent: AP/IB/CAPE funding moved to separate line item; public urged board to defend advanced programs
Summary
During public comment and in board discussion on June 16 the superintendent said the Legislature moved funding for advanced programs such as AP, IB, CAPE and dual enrollment into separate line items, and local advocates urged the board to ensure those programs continue at the district level if state funding changes.
Superintendent Eric Moore told the School Board of Indian River County on June 16 that action this legislative session moved full funding for select advanced academic and career programs into a separate state budget line item, an outcome board members and several public commenters welcomed while urging continued local support for the programs.
Why it matters: Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CAPE (Career and Professional Education) and dual‑enrollment courses are important to many families and local employers. Public speakers and advocacy groups told the board that proposed cuts in the Legislature would have threatened program offerings and urged local action if state funding fell short.
Public commenters from education advocacy groups and parents pressed the board for continued support. Dr. Margie Flanagan, chair of Education Champions Advocates for Public Education, told the board that earlier proposals would have cut funding for AP, IB, ACE, dual enrollment and CTE programs by roughly 50 percent; she described community outreach and student lobbying to maintain funding and cited an analysis (attributed to the Florida Policy Institute) that estimated losses to Indian River and statewide if the cuts had occurred.
Moore updated the board on the budget outlook and said that instead of being included in other appropriations, full funding for those programs "is going to happen. It's now in a separate line item instead of put in with everything else." He also noted an increase in the FEFP base student allocation by $143 per student in the proposed budget and said the district expected scholarships to remain in the FEFP rather than be moved to separate categorical funds.
Board members expressed broad support for preserving AP, IB and career programs. Trustee Jackie Rosario said she would be "in full agreement to continue IB, AP, and CTE without question" and emphasized their importance as schools‑of‑choice offerings.
Ending: Board members and the superintendent thanked parents and advocacy groups for contacting legislators. They said staff will continue monitoring the final state budget and report back if local funds are necessary to preserve program offerings.
