JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida House Bill 5101 and Senate Bill 2510 have educators and parents on edge.
Proposed revisions to the bill could mean that programs like AP, IB, dual enrollment, and career-readiness courses could be cut by 50 percent. Senate.
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In a letter sent out to parents, Duval County Public Schools’ leaders say cuts to the funding would result in an 8 million dollar loss to the school system.
Changes to the state’s budget could also mean increased costs to families, limited course options for students, and fewer qualified teachers.
Yasmina White, a DCPS parent and organizer, is using her social media presence to get the word out.
“HB 5101 is going to decimate our high schools. The 50 percent funding that cuts into our advanced studies courses is detrimental,” she tells us.
White runs a Facebook group with more than 1,000 members called Duval School News. Her posts about the proposed pieces of legislation are garnering widespread reach, with more than 80 shares on one post. “I highly encourage you to email legislators personally instead of a forum email,’ one of the posts reads.
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Cindy Pearson, DCPS School Board member, is urging parents to do the same.
With hours until the Florida Senate and House members will meet again to discuss the bill, Pearson says the time is now for constituents to reach out to their representatives.
“You have until this evening to send an email to the Duval delegation, to the chair of the different house and senate budget committees for ed budget committee, and then these bills will be heard tomorrow,” Pearson shares.
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St. Johns County school leaders say they’re monitoring the legislation closely, too.
“Superintendent Forson will be addressing this in his opening comments at today’s School Board meeting,” the district commented.
Action News Jax will continue to monitor these bills and provide updates as they move through the legislature.
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