Issue 1: Increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA) by at least 5% and provide additional flexibility for school districts
• BSA percentage increase is less 3.5%
• The BSA should reflect the actual increased costs of educating students, including innovative academic strategies, teacher recruitment and retention, insurance, and cybersecurity threats

Issue 2: Increase Funding for Allocations and Cost Factors
• Ensure the true cost of Transportation Services is provided
• Fully Fund the Safe Schools Allocation
• Adjust the program cost for Exceptional Student Education (ESE) in the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) to align with actual costs

Issue 3: Implement an Enhanced Student Attendance Strategy
• Chronic absenteeism is a major obstacle to academic excellence
• We ask the legislature to allow districts to initiate chronic absenteeism strategies after the 5th unexcused absence rather than waiting for 10

Issue 4: Allow flexible graduation requirements for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Diploma students
• Districts need flexibility to allow students pursuing a CTE Diploma to replace the Algebra I EOC and 10th-grade ELA EOC requirements with successful completion of alternate tests or industry certifications.

Issue 5: Create a dedicated categorical fund for Family Empowerment Scholarships (FES)
• Separating scholarship funding from traditional public school funding ensures transparency and accountability within the FEFP (Florida Education Finance Program).

Issue 6: Fully Fund VPK Programs in Public Schools
• VPK programs in public schools should be fully funded to ensure equitable access to high-quality early learning
• 2,852 first graders in 2024-2025, demonstrating that students did not participate in kindergarten.
• 38% of children in Escambia County do not have VPK experience