Associated Press
Florida is the last state to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Education that’s required before more than $2.3 billion in federal aid for Florida schools can be released, according to a letter sent to the state Monday.
The letter sent to Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said the state Department of Education missed the deadline to release American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) money.
“The Department released the first two-thirds of each State’s allocation in March and required each State to submit its plan for spending its ARP ESSER funds by June. FDOE did not meet this deadline, nor did it meet the July and August submission timelines that were anticipated following conversations with your staff,” wrote Ian Rosenblum, the federal department’s deputy assistant secretary for policy and programs.
Rosenblum said the delay makes it harder for school districts to plan.
“We have heard repeatedly from parents, teachers, and superintendents from school districts in Florida that FDOE has not yet awarded ARP ESSER funds to local educational agencies,” he wrote.
In response to the letter, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said school districts still haven’t spent all of the first round of aid. Some district plans are being reviewed for the second round of funding and a few haven’t submitted them. It also said that the final third of the money is supposed to last through September 2024.
“If you are willing to identify any of the specific school districts that have complained, we would be happy to provide you the specifics for those districts. We will continue to ensure their needs are met,” DeSantis’ office said.
Asked for comment on Rosenblum’s letter, a Florida Department of Education spokesperson referred to the statement from DeSantis’ office.
Democrats were quick to criticize the Republican governor’s administration for failing to submit a plan for the third round of funding.
“It’s embarrassing,” Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon said in a statement released by her office. “The uncertainty this creates for schools and families is absurd. All of Florida’s children, no matter who they are or where they live, deserve everything available in order to survive and thrive in this unimaginably difficult time.”
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
11 comments
Sister Ellen Helen Magellan
October 5, 2021 at 7:40 pm
DeSantis is looking more and more like Rick The Dick Scott, refusing federal funds for the needs of Floridians just to show who runs the show down here. Fuck Floridians, say DeSantis and Scott, I’m the boss around these here parts. Bless their tiny hearts.
J Okun
October 7, 2021 at 8:05 pm
He’s drunk on his own power and using it to harm those he was elected to lead.
kerstin
October 15, 2021 at 9:29 am
de santis is NOT interested in working for florida or the floridians. we need a REAL governor.
Alex
October 5, 2021 at 8:15 pm
Republicans whine about how incompetent government is, then get elected and prove it.
Cliff Gephart
October 6, 2021 at 10:47 am
What an absolute moron.
Anybody who still supports this fool is an even bigger moron.
The average IQ of the typical GOP voter has gotta be right around room temperature.
Impeach Biden
October 6, 2021 at 6:36 pm
I would say the IQ of a Democratic voter is probably in the single digits. Who else would vote for a “brain dead” president and his incompetent, giggling sidekick. 60k illegals coming your way you moron Democrats. Oh yea keep telling the Americans the border is secure. What a joke this administration is.
David Fisher
October 6, 2021 at 8:02 pm
There is a reason the worse a stat’s educational system is the stronger Republican it is. The Republican base is old, white and not well educated. There is a reason the Orange Stain admitted, “I love the uneducated.”
Impeach Biden
October 6, 2021 at 8:57 pm
You say “The Republican base is old, white, and not well educated.” Are you really that stupid to say something as idiotic as this? You have no clue David Fisher.
Vote DeSantis out
October 7, 2021 at 12:19 am
I would say your IQ must be in the negative or you had a hammer drop on your head when you were a child.
Bigmoemiami
October 7, 2021 at 7:34 am
Biden is much better with facts and figures than Trump ever was, who would always resort to “we’ll see what happens” and other generalisms when addressing problems, because he hadn’t read the memos or was to busy tweeting. Anybody is better than that lying orange clown.
Charlotte Morris
October 11, 2021 at 12:34 pm
It is not Biden or the Democrats. It is our governor and the Republican party that is doing this to our kids.
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