Fund Education Now.org is a permanent grassroots, non-partisan group
created by parents to inspire and empower voters to advocate on behalf of Florida's children. Supported by teachers, principals, administrators, and concerned citizens- we believe that Florida's public education crisis is about more than money.
For years, the Florida Legislature has not met its responsibility as described in Article IX of the state constitution to provide funding for "a high quality education". We continue to fall short and our children have been left abandoned at the bottom of every recognized education-related list in the world.
FundEducationNow.org relies solely on generous donations of time,
money, and talent from parents and community members concerned for Florida public education crisis. Their donations have supported our volunteer organization with graphic design, web design and hosting, legal services, video services, and more. Help us continue this important work to advocate for the future of Florida's children.
We Believe
Together, we have created a video, We Believe, featuring parents, students and teachers whose future hangs in the balance due to the low priority Florida places on education funding.
Florida Forward Conversations About the Future: Education Reform
Our own Kathleen Oropeza will be a panelist at the Orlando Sentinel's event- Florida Forward. She will be joined by former Governor Jeb Bush, Orange County School Board Chair Bill Sublette, Tracy McDaniel, Founder of KIPP Reach, and James Gibbs, Hillsborough County Middle School Instructor. The will discuss education reform and the future of Florida's public schools.
The event will be live streamed on the web at this link and will run from 11:30-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday September 20th.
The panelists will take prepared questions from Mike Lafferty of the Orlando Sentinel and questions from the audience. We've prepared links to research and studies that review the success or failure of many of the reforms of the past 10 years.
see all alertsParents, long silent on this subject, must now stand up and lead
the discussion and clearly articulate what we, the end-users of public education, want and expect for our kids and our state:
- Pursue rigorous academic standards and accountability for all schools receiving public funds.
- Strive for the highest standards in critical areas- including but not limited to mathematics, science, and technology- that are required to make students globally competitive.
- Fund education at a level and in a manner that mirrors the top ten school systems in the nation and fully fund all education-related mandates as passed by the Florida Legislature or as required by Federal Law.
- Fix Florida's lowest performing schools, invest in proven drop-out prevention programs, and improve the state's high school graduation rate exclusive of GED.
- Encourage school districts' right to local control and the freedom to pursue innovative practices.
- Support the recruiting, retaining, training and rewarding of high-quality teachers and principals and empower them to do what they do best
- Fact
- Florida is currently ranked 50th out of 50 states in per capita funding for K-12 public education and 39th in per pupil funding. U.S. Census Bureau, Education Week "Quality Counts 2009"
- Although it is the Constitutional duty of the legislature to fund education, property owners are footing more of the public education bill through higher, local property taxes. The state funded 61% of education 10 years ago. Currently, only 51% of education costs are supplied by the state. OCPS Budget Presentation 2009
- Since 2007, Florida's legislature has cut the K-12 education budget by $1,384,803,118. In 2006, we spent $7,400 per pupil and today we spend a shocking $6,400 per pupil. (The national average is over $10,000.) 2009-2010 Florida Legislature Conference Report
- State spending on education as percentage of total resources: Florida ranks 42nd. As a state, Florida spends only 3.1% of its resources on education. Education Week "Quality Counts, 2009"
- Florida ranks 50th in per capita spending on education but ranks 16th in the nation in spending on corrections. NEA Rankings of the States 2008
- The Alliance for Excellent Education estimates that if the 1.2 million high school dropouts from the Class of 2008 had earned their diplomas instead of dropping out, the U.S. economy would have seen an additional $319 billion in wages over these students' lifetimes. www.All4ed.org
- If the high school drop out rate is allowed to continue, more than 12 million students will drop out of school during the next decade at a cost to the nation of more than $3 trillion. www.All4ed.org
- "For every dollar invested in high-quality, comprehensive programs supporting children... there is a $7-$10 return to society in decreased need for special education services, higher graduation and employment rates, less crime, less use of the public welfare system, and better health." Chicago Longitudinal Study
- "If the United States had in recent years closed the gap between its educational achievement levels and those of better-performing nations such as Finland and Korea, Gross Domestic Product in 2008 could have been $1.3 trillion to $2.3 trillion higher. This represents 9 to 16 percent of GDP." McKinsey & Co. Report 2009
- On average, a high school graduate earns $600,000 more during his/her lifetime than a dropout. Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 70% of people in top 10% income bracket have at least a bachelor's degree and someone with a college degree makes 73% more over a lifetime than someone with only a high school degree. McKinsey Global Institute and "Education Pays: the Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society," 2004, The College Board
- A high school dropout is 5-8 times more likely to be incarcerated than a college graduate. "Crime and the Costs of Criminal Justice" Pew Center
- A 10% increase in high school graduation rates would reduce murder rates by 20%. National Bureau of Economic Research
- In 1970, the United States had 30% of the world's college graduates, now has only 15%. National Governors Association