Front Burners

Florida Falls Behind – National Report Released

According to Votes Count:  Legislative Action of Pre-K Fiscal Year 2008 released today by Pre-K Now, a national public education and advocacy organization, 36 states across the country increased funding for pre-k last year.  Florida did not.  Other states, including many with struggling economies, are making the choice to invest additional dollars in early education and to reap the future rewards.

Dr. Libby Doggett, executive director for Pre-K Now, said, “The state’s [Florida] per child spending still remains among the lowest in the nation and quality of the program is severely lacking.” (click here to read the Pre-K Now press release).

Additional report findings include:

• A lower-than-projected enrollment rate let legislators to justify a $14-million decrease in funding; 
• Nationally, a total of $4.8 billion state dollars will be spent in FY08 – a $2-billion increase in just three years;
• The 36 states which increased funding for pre-k broke last year’s record of 34 and far exceeds the FY05 mark of 15.

Investing to prevent problems rather than paying to fix them later is money wisely spent. Fulfilling constitutional amendments and keeping pace with other states will put Florida back on the right track. (click here to read the full Votes Count report).

Emerging economic research such as that presented at a recent national gathering of America’s business leaders encourages investment budgeting rather than consumption spending.  This report was published by the Partnership for America’s Economic Success. (click here for the full report)

Early education is not the only children’s program facing more cutbacks in the upcoming special session.  To repair the $1.2 billion dollar shortfall in Florida, as much as 25% of the cuts proposed by the budget advisors in the Governor’s office directly affect children, according to an analysis of recently released proposals.