DATE: 10/11/12
FROM: Brannon Jordan, Florida Democratic Party Communications Director
TO: Interested parties, reporters
RE: Understanding the Impact of the GOP’s Failed K-12 Education Policies
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Understanding the Impact of the GOP’s Failed K-12 Education Policies
The Republican’s cuts to Florida’s K-12 education system have had a devastating impact on the state’s parents, teachers and students. The Florida GOP cut funding for the state’s education system for five consecutive years – including cutting $1.3 billion in 2011 alone – and this year failed to restore funding to the same levels.
In addition to these cuts, the GOP’s Voucher Scheme is draining even more money from the education system that families rely on – robbing parents of local control over schools while recklessly giving tax dollars to out of state corporations that want to profit off our children’s education.
And while there is a general agreement that the Republican’s have reduced investments in schools which are critical to growing our state’s economy, this memo will examine the impact of the GOP’s K-12 education policies which are hurting our education system – increasing class sizes, forcing teacher layoffs and cuts to important programs like athletics, arts and music in our schools.
The GOP’s Years of Cuts to Education
After five consecutive years of GOP budget cuts to the state’s K-12 education system, Florida ranks 48th in per-pupil spending according to the NEA, trailing only Arizona and Utah. In 2011, Florida ranked 50th in the nation in per-capita spending per student, 44th in graduation rate, 47th in teacher pay and 48th in college entrance exam scores.
The GOP’s much touted election year increase in education spending during the 2012 legislative session did not make up for their five consecutive years of cuts – and in fact, did not even make up for the previous year’s cut of $1.3 billion. In the words of St. Johns County Superintendent Joseph Joyner, “an increase is not always an increase.”
Additionally, the GOP’s spending priorities for education funding are draining millions from public schools and sending tax dollars to out of state corporations who want to profit off our children’s education.
In 2011, Florida Republicans stopped public schools from receiving PECO – or Public Education Capital Outlay – program money. However, in the same year, the GOP allocated the state’s $55 million in PECO funding to charters.
Public schools — which also traditionally relied on PECO funding for construction and repairs — received zero dollars from the legislature in 2012 for construction and maintenance, forcing public schools to put off projects such as “repairs to roofs and air-conditioners.”
GOP Cuts Force Teacher Layoffs and Class Room Size to Swell
The GOP’s cuts to K-12 education funding and their Voucher Scheme which is draining millions from public education is hurting parents, teachers and students – forcing schools to eliminate teachers and causing class room sizes to expand.
Some examples of the impacts of these cuts from across the state include:
While the state does have legal restrictions on class sizes, Florida Republicans also found ways to circumvent these requirements by passing a law allowing more than 500 courses, including foreign language and Advance Placement classes – to be exempt from these class size restrictions.
For more examples from across the state, please see this report from the Campaign for America’s Future.
GOP Forced Cuts to Programs Like Arts and Athletics
It’s not just class sizes that are suffering because of the GOP’s cuts: schools are being forced to do away with vital programs that traditionally define public education like sports, arts and music.
Some examples of these impacts include:
For more examples from across the state, please see this report from the Campaign for America’s Future.
An Issue of Values and Priorities
While Republicans blamed difficult choices for their devastating cuts to public schools – the GOP still found taxpayer money to give handouts to corporate special interests and the wealthiest few – passing a budget that the Tampa Bay Times called a “study in pork-barrel spending, reckless policy and a shortchanged future.”
Republicans made their choice: drain millions of dollars from our school system, hurting our parents, teachers and students, and keep playing the same old broken Tallahassee politics. That’s why Florida Democrats are highlighting the impact of these reckless policies, and standing up for middle class families to support our public school system.