Fully funding our public K-12 schools will ensure that all of Florida’s children have the opportunity to grow and thrive. This means increasing per capita investment to be on par with other large and diverse states like ours and supporting teachers and school staff, both in terms of salaries and opportunities for professional development, as well as ensuring that they are free to teach as they see fit. It means advancing equity in our schools so that all students, regardless of their race, gender, language, or ability, have all the resources needed to encourage their learning and development.
Positive educational outcomes and funding are linked. Public education is essential to a healthy democracy, and we must continue the legacy of those that sought to create a more equitable and fully funded public education system – from the Freedmen’s Bureau to civil rights activists. We can do this by joining community partners who are mobilizing parents, teachers, and students, such as Families for Strong Public Schools and Pastors for Florida’s Children and advocating for the best possible education for Florida’s kids.
We can create and fulfill a “positive agenda in which we aim to make our public schools the envy of the world.”[1]
References:
[1] Derek W. Black, “Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy”, 2020, New York: Public Affairs – Hachette Book Group, p.41.