Florida Education Policy

Florida Education Policy

Introduction

The subject of public education pertains to the national education system of each country, which mostly involves planning, supervision or direct implementation of curricula and school education at various levels. In order to achieve quality level of education, the education policy needs to comply by the legal, required standards, which consists the primary level. However, this does not exclude higher levels that are not considered mandatory. Regular public education is the responsibility of government, which falls short of providing the physical facilities and teaching materials and up to the completion of studies and for that reason there are usually public administration entities, related to the education system such as Departments or Ministries of Education. They are responsible for organizing and controlling educational services in each country.

Discussion

PECO Funds

There are few people who know that the utility bills in Florida are a means of financing the construction of public schools. The utility bills such as phone, electricity and water bills have a tax that supports the construction and maintenance of schools in Florida. This is a significant part of the public education policy of the Florida State. However, there is a problem. The residents of Florida have reduced their costs for electricity and cable television-and increasingly off-line phones in favor of fixed-mobile. As a result, the local authorities have been generating less money in terms of tax to fund capital expenditure of education (Verstegen, 2009). That leaves the public schools and universities alone to deal with the cost of repairing old roofs, leakage in pipes and air obsolete air conditioning systems. Some days ago, the state house approved a short-term solution to allocate part of tax revenues to fund capital expenditure of public schools in Florida. However, some officials are reluctant to discuss a long term solution. The officials responsible for developing policies claim that they are aware of the significant issues related to funding public schools that will be addressed in a long-run perspective. Nearly a decade ago, the PECO fund provided nearly $1000 million for construction and maintenance of schools, and represented about 25 percent of the cost of school facilities in Florida (Verstegen, 2002).

Challenges to PECO Funds

Fund revenues generated from the PECO funds have declined over time. Last year the state could not allocate much money from the capital expenditure of schools to traditional public schools. Public schools were allocated a smaller portion than usual charter schools and higher education system. In the year 2011, the state economists claimed that virtually, there were no funds to support public schools due to deficit. At first, the situation seemed severe to an extent that the governor said that some of the projects funded by PECO would have to stop, and asked some of the money be returned to the state. However, the governor announced that it was not necessary to transfer the funds back to the state (Odden, 2008). The news rocked the school districts in South Florida who are concerned about the state of their ...