Two Urgent Pleas For Kids And Education

Press Release

Today, Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-8) joined the Florida Congressional delegation in urging U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to ensure our state receives its share of the money set aside for education in the recovery plan.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocates an estimated $2.7 billion to Florida from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, but there is a catch. A provision in the bill requires a state to maintain its spending on K-12 education at the Fiscal Year 2006 level during the Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010. Florida is currently a staggering $600 million short of the FY 2006 level. Therefore, without a waiver by Secretary Duncan, Florida's children and teachers will be penalized through no fault of their own.

"The waiver is absolutely necessary to keep Florida's teachers teaching and improve the quality of education for our kids," Grayson said.

But that will not be the solution to the bigger problem. Grayson has strong words for lawmakers in Tallahassee. "State leaders have refused to protect education from budget cuts. The Senators and Representatives must increase education funding. Preparing our children for the future has to be the top priority, not one of many. After all, funding education is a true obligation of the Legislature, and recently, the members have failed the children, parents, teachers, and taxpayers.

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