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DeSantis, Education Commissioner outline record teacher pay and expanded civics, school-choice funding
Summary
The proposed budget includes a record $1.56 billion pot for teacher pay, raises per-student funding to $9,406 according to the Department of Education, and adds dollars for civics, Schools of Hope and school safety measures.
Education was the focal point of the briefing: Governor DeSantis and Education Commissioner Stasi Kamutsis highlighted pay increases, classroom policies and expanded investments in civics and school choice.
"We are setting aside a record $1,560,000,000 solely for teacher pay increases," Governor DeSantis said, describing the money as a restricted pot that districts must use for teacher salaries. DeSantis said the administration has increased teacher-dedicated funding each year since his tenure began.
Education Commissioner Stasi Kamutsis said the proposed budget raises per-student funding to "$9,406 per student," an increase she described as "nearly $300 per student" compared with the prior calculation. Kamutsis also noted almost $1,600,000,000 is proposed for salary increases over the governor's tenure and defended departmental steps to address audit findings within the Family Empowerment Scholarship program.
Kamutsis identified several targeted education investments: $20,000,000 for the Schools of Hope program to place high-performing operators in chronically struggling neighborhoods, $3,000,000 for the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative and $10,000,000 for a civics seal program that provides stipends to teachers who complete the course. She also described $106,000,000 for school hardening and campus safety measures, including funding to install door locks on university classrooms and to expand the Guardian program on college campuses.
Officials defended policy changes that limit cell phones in classrooms and described post-tenure review changes and recruitment bonuses for universities as methods to improve faculty quality and student outcomes. DeSantis said the administration would continue to fund Bright Futures scholarships and emphasized college affordability as a key outcome of the state's higher-education strategy.
Commissioner Kamutsis' remarks and the governor's statements present department-supplied funding figures and program intentions; legislative committees and appropriators will evaluate final allocations during the budget process.
