Chairman's Message



Raising Florida’s education standards



Florida increases teacher pay for third straight year







Governor DeSantis announced $800 million in this year’s budget to raise minimum teacher pay and increase veteran teacher salaries in Florida, moving the average teacher pay in Florida from 26th in the nation in 2020 to 9th in the nation today.



The $800 million is a $250 million increase over last year’s funding, and brings Florida’s investments in teacher pay to more than $2 billion since the 2020 Legislative Session.



“Over the last three years, we have worked hard to increase teacher pay,” Governor DeSantis said. “We have invested more than $2 billion in teacher pay, and with rising inflation, this could not come at a better time. This will help Florida to recruit and retain great teachers.”



Many teachers can have a difficult time purchasing a home, paying student loans and providing for their families. But these pay increases will provide critical help to teachers in Florida during a time when Bidenflation is causing much more financial stress across the country.



“What is nice about this for teachers is that you made a commitment for our teachers that you would raise base pay to sustain a living,” said Christopher Glinton, Principal of Renaissance Charter School at Wellington. “This is very important. From a leadership perspective, when I am looking for talent to hire, I don’t want salary to be a deciding factor in that a teacher won’t join our organization because they can’t afford it.” 



Read more:[link removed]



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Governor signs Financial Literacy Act



Governor DeSantis signed the Dorothy L. Hukill Financial Literacy Act, requiring high school students to take a financial literacy course to receive a standard high school diploma. The legislation becomes a graduation requirement for students who enter high school in the 2023-2024 school year and will not affect students currently enrolled in high school. 



“Financial literacy is an important life skill for a student to have,” Governor DeSantis said. “Ensuring our students have the skills to manage their finances and perhaps one day own a business will pay dividends for our state. I am proud to sign this bill to support the future of Florida’s students and ultimately their families and communities.”



Students will be required to earn one-half credit in personal financial literacy and money management, including instruction on types of bank accounts, credit scores, taxes and debt management. Due to the economic challenges currently facing the nation, the Financial Literacy Act is all the more important in preparing students by providing them with the knowledge to achieve financial stability and independence. 



“As Florida’s CFO and the father of two, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of teaching our kids financial literacy at a young age,” said Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. “It’s critical we set Florida students up for financial success.”



Read more:[link removed]



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FLORIDA



Nearly $30 million for families hit by severe weather







Governor DeSantis announced that more than $29.5 million in funding and resources is now available to help families and individuals in Marion County and other areas impacted by recent severe weather events in Central and Northeast Florida. 



“When a disaster strikes, both local and state agencies have roles in getting our communities back on their feet,” Governor DeSantis said. “My administration will continue to work with state agencies so that those impacted by disasters can access the resources they need to recover.”



Read more:[link removed]





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Governor’s proclamation declares Emma Weyant rightful winner



Governor DeSantis signed a proclamation this week declaring Emma Weyant the “rightful winner” of the NCAA 500-meter women’s freestyle championship race. She officially finished second to a trans swimmer who is a biological man, but she logged “the fastest time among all women swimmers,” as stated in the proclamation.



The Governor tweeted: “By allowing men to compete in women's sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud. 



“In Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasota's Emma Weyant as the best women's swimmer in the 500 freestyle.” 



Below is the proclamation.











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Farmers in 17 counties get disaster relief from January freeze







Governor DeSantis announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a disaster designation for 17 counties impacted by the freezing temperatures that occurred from January 23-31, 2022.



“With the approval of our request for a disaster declaration, farmers in Florida have resources available to them as they continue their recovery efforts from recent freezing temperatures,” Governor DeSantis said. “I remain committed to supporting our state’s agriculture industry and hardworking farmers.”



A USDA disaster declaration makes farmers in these counties eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency, including emergency loans. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a USDA disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.



The 17 primary counties eligible for USDA assistance are Broward, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Manatee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Lucie and Sarasota.



Programs available under this declaration include the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, the Tree Assistance Program, Emergency Farm Loans and the Livestock Indemnity Program.



More on USDA help:[link removed]



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Drug abuse digital campaign launched



First Lady Casey DeSantis announced digital components of her campaign designed to educate young Floridians about the impacts of substance abuse. TheFactsYourFuture.org <[link removed]> is a new website that contains The Facts. Your Future. content that schools, teachers, parents and others can download and use to educate children.



“Governor DeSantis and I want to see all of Florida’s youth reach their full potential. Today’s announcement is the latest development of our The Facts. Your Future. initiative, which is redefining the way substance abuse prevention is taught in our schools to ‘Just Say No …and Here’s Why’,” the First Lady said. “We need to reach teens with important information related to substance abuse where they are spending their time – on social media – to help them lead long, healthy, and productive lives.”



The Facts. Your Future. directly engages youth in Florida to improve their understanding of the life-altering effects of drug abuse and equips students with tools they need to make decisions about their health and future.



Read more:[link removed]





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Senator Rubio releases inspiring Stand with Ukraine video



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“The one thing that I think that everyone can agree upon, is that the people of Ukraine are inspiring to the world.”



Watch video here:[link removed]



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AG Moody gives Crime Stoppers the Back the Blue Award







Attorney General Moody presented a Back the Blue Award to the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers (FACS) for its role in helping Florida’s **TIPS tip line expand to nationwide use.  



In October 2020, the Office of the Attorney General and FACS developed the first anonymous, statewide crime-reporting phone number, **TIPS, in the United States. Crime Stoppers USA recently adopted **TIPS for nationwide use so anyone in the country can report local crimes.



“For almost 45 years, Florida Crime Stoppers has given Floridians the power to report local crimes safely and anonymously to help law enforcement stop criminals,” Attorney General Moody said. “With the creation of **TIPS, crime reporting is easier and more convenient for citizens who now only need to remember one simple phone number nationwide. I am thrilled that Florida’s tip line will now be used across the country, and proud to recognize the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers with a Back the Blue Award for their tremendous support and success of this program that helps Back our Blue.”



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Social Media Highlights



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