Four Northwest Florida school districts serving military-related students will receive millions more in state aid next year, following a budget initiative by Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Matt Gaetz. The funding was in the budget approved by Gov. Rick Scott.
The “military-connected student supplement” is part of a multi-year initiative by Sen. Gaetz and Rep. Gaetz to make Florida and Florida schools the most military-friendly in the nation.
The funds are designed to help schools pay for additional services, counseling and academic help for students whose parents are deployed or who are affected by military moves.
Under the new state funding formula, Santa Rosa County schools will receive an extra $1,179,653 per year as a “federally connected student supplement.” Escambia County schools are slated for $1,779,277 in supplemental funding. Bay County is entitled to $794,603 and Okaloosa, with the largest concentration of military students, will benefit from $2,405,227 in extra state support.
In addition, Northwest Florida schools will receive sizable increases in overall funding for 2016.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Northwest Florida schools gain more funding for military-related students