Florida has not applied for their share of the education stimulus.

[madfloridian]

Florida is counting on $2 billion in stimulus cash for education budgets, but hasn't applied for it

TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers are relying on $2 billion in federal stimulus money to shore up their education budgets, but the state has not even sent its application. The federal government is waiting. And so are some lawmakers.

On Wednesday, Florida Education Commissioner Eric Smith said that the state has "strategically waited" to get all the right information, although the application "is ready to go, it's complete." But Smith said he's waiting for "guidance" concerning a waiver application for the federal money. Florida needs the waiver because the state hasn't maintained education spending at 2005-06 levels, as required by the federal stimulus program.

Smith's strategy is coming under fire as the legislative session winds down May 1. That's the same day Smith now expects to get the waiver guidance, which he says his office has been waiting on for weeks.

..."The state and federal education departments stopped short of mutual finger-pointing, with Smith saying the feds keep postponing release of the waiver information and the U.S. Department of Education saying Florida shouldn't be waiting on anything.

"They have absolutely everything they need to complete the application," said Sandra Abrevaya, deputy press secretary for the U.S. Department of Education. She added later that "the information (about the waiver) that is forthcoming is not necessary" in completing the application.

Florida in reality may not qualify for all of the education stimulus money due them because they have cut education funding so drastically.

Florida may not get desired stimulus funds because they cut funding to schools.

Florida leaders counting on more than $3.5 billion from a massive federal stimulus package to shore up the state's education budget learned Thursday there could be a catch. The state may not qualify for the money because the Legislature has cut its schools budget too much.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an $819 billion economic-recovery plan Wednesday. Under that bill, money in a special "state stabilization fund" would go only to states that could fund schools for the next two years at the levels they had in the 2005-06 school year.

But the state is below that threshold. In fact, school funding coming directly from the state is now lower than it was in the 2004-05 school year. With Florida's budget shortfall for next year ballooning toward $4 billion, it's not clear it could meet that requirement.

[madfloridian]

1. More today about this education stimulus issue.

Democratic leaders join critics of Crist over stimulus money

Two state Democratic leaders have joined the criticism directed at Gov. Charlie Crist over the state's delay to formally apply for federal education stimulus money.

"It is with rising alarm that I and the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus are following the news chronicles of the apparent paralysis gripping the head of your Education Department," Sen. Al Lawson wrote Thursday in a letter to Crist.

"Commissioner Eric Smith has yet to submit the necessary paperwork to draw down federal stimulus dollars Florida desperately needs and on which our final budget depends."

House minority leader Franklin Sands followed in his own letter to Crist, writing "it is imperative that no time be wasted" and urged the governor to "remind … Smith to expedite the necessary paperwork …"

Earlier this week, U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek told Crist he was waiting too long to formally apply for the stimulus money. Florida must apply for the school stabilization money because its support of public education this year may be below that paid to school districts in 2006, which would violate terms of the stimulus package.