Legislative Priorities

Help Southwest Florida students by supporting the 2019 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
identified by The School District of Lee County.

Local Priorities

Grow Your Own Teacher Scholarship Proposal

Create a two-tiered scholarship that would be in partnership with FGCU/FSW for High School seniors and college juniors and seniors that are willing to switch majors and commit to employment in the District. Focus on hard to staff fields such as Science Technology Engineering & Math and Exceptional Student Education. Requesting $356,832.35.

General Knowledge Exam Proposal

The proposal would change the requirements for those entering the teaching profession by extending the time for satisfaction of the requirement to master general knowledge, remove the continued employment limitations, allow for additional options to demonstrate mastery based on Effective or Highly Effective in student growth; SAT/ACT scores and coursework in each General Knowledge Exam area. Require DOE to develop prep courses for each section of the General Knowledge Exam.

State Priorities

School Resource Officer Proposal

Seek an increase in the Safe Schools Allocation to fund the total cost of a School Resource Officer at each school in the District, including charter schools.

Increase in Base Student Allocation

Increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA) by a minimum of 3% to fund increasing costs, including salaries, benefits, mandatory employer contribution to Florida Retirement System and fixed costs such as utilities and insurance.

Required Local Effort

Update the calculation for the Required Local Effort (RLE) millage rate to capture the increase in residential and commercial property values and revenue gained from new construction.

Best and Brightest

Eliminate the Best and Brightest Scholarship Program and redirect the $233 million in funds to the Base Student Allocation or dedicated teacher salary categorical within the FEFP.

High Growth Capital Outlay Assistance Grant Proposal

Modify the statutory requirements and formula so the District would qualify for a grant for additional capital outlay funding, subject to funds provided in the General Appropriations Act.