NPR for Florida's Great Northwest

Feds Question Use Of Relief Funds For Florida Teacher Bonuses

WUSF | By Associated Press
Published July 4, 2021 at 11:28 AM CDT
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Fresh Take Florida

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to give teachers and principals $1,000 bonuses using federal COVID-19 relief funds could be in trouble.

The state was told by the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday that the way the state plans to distribute the bonuses appears to be in conflict with federal guidelines.

A U.S. Department of Education official wrote to the state's education commissioner that enhanced pay needs to be “reasonable and necessary.”

He added that funds are to be used to address learning loss during the pandemic through programs that respond to students' academic, social and emotional needs.

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Associated Press
The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
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