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these costs, which are estimated to be $232M for all school districts. The estimated cost for the <br />School District is $1.4M. <br />D. This legislative session the Legislature passed HB 7067 increasing the number of <br />new Family Empowerment Scholarships allowed each year to 1 percent of the Unweighted FTE <br />students in the FEFP. This is an increase of 29,000 scholarships above the current cap of 18,000. <br />For 2019-2020, $103,529,750 was transferred from the School District budget to pay for these <br />scholarships. Statewide the cost for 2020-2021 could exceed $300M. <br />E. The School District has experienced operating budget shortfalls impacting the <br />instructional requirements of our students, compromising the physical and psychological safety <br />of our students, and hampering the ability to recruit, retain, and incentivize high-quality teachers <br />and staff to create the highest skilled workforce on the Treasure Coast. <br />F. The School District's educational funding per House Bill 5001 for the 2020-2021 <br />fiscal year will increase by $4,572,420. However, this additional funding is not sufficient to <br />cover the School District's financial requirements of: $3,001,107 for 2020-2021 Teacher Salary <br />Increase Allocation, $3,164,057 for 2013-2014 Teacher Salary Allocation that is permanently <br />included in the School District's salary accounts, $149,317 for additional Mental Health <br />Services, $1,400,000 for the 2020-2021 Florida Retirement System increase and $3,900,000 for <br />the Florida Retirement System increases from 2012-2013 to 2019-2020. Total financial <br />requirement of $9,849,796 compared to increased funding of $4,572,420 or a loss of $5,277,376. <br />G. The School District's funding for student transportation from the FEFP formula <br />for the last four years has been approximately $3.5M compared to actual expenditures of <br />approximately $5.4M, or a deficit of $1.9M. <br />H. The School District's funding for instructional materials has remained flat for the <br />last four year at $1.4M. However, when compared to the "Benchmark" funding of $1.8M in <br />2007-2008, funding for instructional materials has decreased $454K or 25%. Statewide, funding <br />has decreased $35M or 13% compared to 2007-2008. <br />I. The School District's funding for 2020-2021 compared to the "highest funding" <br />before the "Great Recession for 2007-2008" reflects an increase in funding of $11,845,974 along <br />with increased financial requirements totaling $12,686,252, or a loss of $840,278. <br />J. In August 2016, the electorate of Indian River County approved via ballot <br />referendum an Essential Operating Needs Millage of 0.50 mills for fiscal years 2017/2018, <br />2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021. This voter approved millage referendum generates <br />approximately $11 million per fiscal year for the School District of Indian River County. <br />However, the authority granted for the voter approved millage expires at the end of fiscal <br />2020/2021. <br />K. The School District needs sufficient revenues to maintain and improve its high- <br />quality public schools. <br />Page 2 of 6 <br />4 <br />