Christine Jordan Sexton
Strike up the band.
The Legislature has agreed to increase by $2.4 million the amount it spends on the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Program in the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) in the state Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget.
The incentive program was first established as a “pilot” by the Legislature in 2017 to help elementary schools implement music programs. School districts are selected to participate in the program using needs-based criteria developed by the FDOE.
The program has, for the last three fiscal years, received a $400,000 appropriation. In FY 2021-22, 10 schools from the Alachua, Marion and Miami-Dade school districts were selected to participate in the program, which served approximately 2,000 students in kindergarten through second grade, according to a legislative staff analysis.
In 2023, the Legislature passed SB 478 by Sen. Keith Perry, which made the incentive program permanent.
The agreement reached Saturday night means the program will receive $2.4 million in FY 2024-25.
The program provides school districts that implement comprehensive music education programs for students in kindergarten through second grade with a maximum of $150 per student.
The music education program must be staffed by certified music educators and taught twice weekly for at least 30 minutes to qualify for the incentive funds.
Additionally, the music education program must be made available to all K-2 students and the program must comply with FDOE standards for early childhood education.
To qualify for the funds, a Superintendent must certify to the FDOE Commissioner that the music program meets all the statutory requirements. School districts must annually certify to the FDOE that the specified elementary schools with early childhood music programs are meeting the requirements of the law.
