State Education Finance Plan PP

Florida State Funding of School Districts – Highlights #5

*In addition to the base funding (BF) previously covered, several additional FEFP allocations for 2021-2022 are added to what eventually becomes the final per pupil expenditures for the current school year.

*Typically with such allocations, school districts receive automatically a minimum of an allocation, with the remainder of it distributed proportionally to the school districts based upon their total un-weighted FTE(UFTE) student enrollment.

*These allocations, sometimes referred to as supplements, are categorical in nature which means that the funds within them can only be used for their intended purpose.

*The Safe Schools 2021-2022 allocation of $180,000,000 is to be used by school districts and charter schools for establishing a school resource officer program and school safety initiatives. To qualify for such funds, school districts must report by October 15 that all of their public schools have completed a security risk assessment.

*The Reading Allocation 2021-2022 allocation of $130,000,000 is to be used to provide for a K-12 comprehensive, district-wide system of research-based reading instruction, including intensive and optional daily reading instruction for students who score low on state reading assessments.

*The Supplemental Academic Instruction 2021-2022 allocation of $714,704,630 is to be used to assist low performing schools to implement intervention and support strategies for school improvement and for salary incentives. Mentoring reading programs and intensive and optional daily reading instruction for students in low performing schools, based upon state reading assessments, are also funded by this allocation.

*The Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Guaranteed Allocation for 2021-2022 of $1,064,584,063 is to be used to provide ESE services for students whose level of service is less that Support Levels 4 and 5. These are students who are in FEFP programs 111,112, and 113. These students generate FTE funding using the appropriate Basic Program weights or program cost factors (PCF) for their grade levels. This allocation then provides for the additional ESE services needed for these students. School district allocations from this appropriation are recalculated during the school year based on actual student membership counts from FTE surveys.

*The Instructional Materials 2021-2022 allocation of $241,135,805 is to be used to purchase instructional materials, library media materials, science lab materials and supplies, dual enrollment instructional materials, and ESE digital instructional materials for students with disabilities.

*The Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program 2021-2022 allocation of $54,143,375 is to be used only by classroom teachers for the purchase of classroom instructional materials and supplies for use in teaching students.

*The Digital Classroom Allocation for 2021-2022 of $8,000,000 is to be used to support school district efforts to integrate technology into classroom teaching and learning to ensure that students have access to high quality electronic and digital instructional materials and resources, and empower classroom teachers to help students succeed. The minimum allocation per school district is $100,000.

Furthermore, these funds may also be used for professional development, including in-state conference attendance or online coursework, to enhance the use of technology for digital instructional strategies. Other eligible uses of these funds include acquiring and maintaining items on the eligible services list authorized by the federal E-rate program and acquiring computer and device hardware and associated software.

In the 2020-2021 FEFP Second Calculation, all school districts are reported as to having received funds from this allocation. Florida Virtual School (FLVS) did not receive funds from this allocation.

*The Federally Connected Student Supplement 2021-2022 allocation of $14,049,285 is to be used to provide supplemental funding for school districts to support the education of students connected with federally owned military installations, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) property and Indian lands. To be eligible for this allocation, school districts must be eligible for federal Impact Aid Program funds under Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

The Mental Health Assistance Allocation for 2021-2022 of $120,000,000 is to be used to help establish or expand school-bases mental health care. Along with the public schools, charter schools are also eligible to receive such funds. The release of these funds is contingent upon the submission and approval of local plans and budgets for their use. This allocation may not be used to supplant funds that are provided for mental health assistance from operating funds and may not be used to increase salaries or provide bonuses.

(Continued in Highlights #6)

Primary Sources: 2020-21 & 2021-22 Funding for Florida School Districts (PDF) http://www.fldoe.org/fefp