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Fla. Governor Rick ScottTALLAHASSEE, Fla. /Florida Newswire/ — Florida Governor Rick Scott on Friday acknowledged Hillsborough County’s public schools that have sustained high student performance or demonstrated substantial improvement in student performance by presenting a check totaling nearly $8.8 million in School Recognition Program funding to representatives from Hillsborough County schools. Schools can use their award dollars for faculty or staff bonuses, to purchase educational equipment or materials, or hire temporary staff to help maintain or improve student performance. Statewide, school recognition funding totals more than $134 million.

Governor Scott said, “Florida students and teachers were ranked 6th for educational quality, our fourth-grade students scored among the best in the world in an international reading survey, and we recently learned Florida students are number one for percentage of students taking an AP exam. What we are doing at the state and local levels to enhance the quality of our education system is working. In conjunction with our proposed $1.2 billion in educational funding as part of the Florida Families First Budget, the school recognition funding will allow our teachers and students here in Hillsborough County and across the state to continue on their path of success.”

Phil Jones, President, Hillsborough Education Foundation said, “The infusion of more than $8.8 million dollars from the School Recognition Program to reward Hillsborough County teachers and schools is a great boost for our school system and local economy. Hillsborough County Education Foundation supports Governor Rick Scott’s Florida Families First Budget proposal to increase funding for this most worthwhile program and we look forward to working with education stakeholders statewide to make the proposal a reality.”

Florida’s School Recognition Program acknowledges the quality of public schools by giving financial rewards based on sustained or significantly improved student achievement in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. Schools eligible for recognition awards include those receiving an “A” school grade, improving at least one letter grade from the previous year, or improving more than one letter grade and sustaining the improvement the following school year. Alternative schools that increase their school improvement rating or are rated “improving” also qualify for awards. The school staff and school advisory council at each recognized school jointly decide how to use the financial award.

“Governor Scott understands rewarding schools for performance promotes even higher achievement,” said Commissioner of Education Dr. Tony Bennett. “His Florida Families First Budget calls for an even larger commitment to the School Recognition Program.”

As part of his Florida Families First Budget, Governor Scott requested an increase in School Recognition Program funding to $125 per student, up from $93 this year. State funding for K-12 education in the Florida Families First Budget totals $10.7 billion – the highest state funding level in history. Included in this historic total is $480 million to support $2,500 pay raises for Florida’s K-12 classroom teachers, plus the cost of associated benefits.

Total funding for K-12 education in the Florida Families First budget is $18.47 billion, an increase of $1.25 billion, or 7.3 percent, over last year’s budget, which also invested $1 billion in K-12 education. This increase represents per student funding of $6,799, an increase of more than $400 over the current fiscal year.

“School recognition funds reward teachers and staff for a job well done and we’re pleased to see so many of our schools being recognized,” said Superintendent Elia. “We have more A-rated high schools than in any previous year of school grading, with nearly 50 percent of high schools receiving an ‘A’ grade. More than 59 percent of elementary and middle schools earned an ‘A’ or ‘B’ grade. I applaud Governor Scott’s proposal for increased funding for schools and for the School Recognition Program in his Florida Families First Budget. Hillsborough County teachers continue to raise the bar for our students and deserve to be rewarded.”

“Governor Scott has the right idea to reward our teachers and staff for their commitment to excellence and noted improvement in our students’ academic achievement,” said Hillsborough School Board Chair April Griffin. “The School Recognition Program has continually provided Hillsborough’s highest-performing teachers and staff with a well-deserved reward.”

“Plant High School is honored to host Governor Scott and applauds his efforts to recognize Hillsborough County teachers and staff for their commitment to student achievement,” said Plant High School Principal Rob Nelson. “The School Recognition Program goes a long way toward rewarding our high-performing teachers and staff. It will be shared among all our teachers and staff because they all contribute to our students’ success.”

The School Recognition Program distribution for Hillsborough County schools is below.

HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT TOTAL
$8,793,936

Advantage Academy Middle School
98,484

Advantage Academy of Hillsborough
34,194

Alafia Elementary School
86,804

Alexander Elementary School
90,946

Alonso High School
66,027

Apollo Beach Elementary School
59,151

Ballast Point Elementary School
82,107

Barrington Middle School
66,109

Bartels Middle School
99,562

Bay Crest Elementary School
200,824

Bellamy Elementary School
186,670

Benito Middle School
92,421

Bevis Elementary School
59,622

Bloomingdale High School
77,524

Boyette Springs Elementary School
51,979

Brooker Elementary School
219,723

Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School
36,536

Broward Elementary School
74,031

Bryant Elementary School
105,072

Buckhorn Elementary School
53,164

Burns Middle School
44,101

Cahoon Elementary Magnet School
52,582

Carrollwood Elementary School
76,552

Channelside Academy Of Math And Science
85,744

Chiaramonte Elementary School
35,641

Chiles Elementary School
94,667

Cimino Elementary School
63,116

Clark Elementary School
125,309

Claywell Elementary School
33,617

Coleman Middle School
67,179

Collins Elementary School
35,264

Cork Elementary School
69,924

Davidsen Middle School
73,878

Deer Park Elementary
77,575

Doby Elementary School
66,331

Dorothy Thomas Center
86,904

Durant High School
60,589

Farnell Middle School
105,909

Fishhawk Creek Elementary School
202,165

Gaither High School
118,306

Gorrie Elementary School
181,486

Grady Elementary School
52,997

Hammond Elementary School
37,524

Heritage Elementary School
70,295

Jackson Elementary School
56,681

James Elementary School
44,220

Just Elementary School
82,530

Kids Community College
44,455

Lake Magdalene Elementary School
35,411

Learning Gate Community School
71,276

Lewis Elementary School
56,534

Liberty Middle School
111,153

Limona Elementary School
31,257

Lincoln Elementary Magnet School
87,882

Lithia Springs Elementary School
57,372

Lomax Magnet Elementary School
70,227

Lowry Elementary School
52,713

Lutz Elementary School
101,297

Mabry Elementary School
108,875

Macfarlane Park Elementary Magnet School
58,536

Maniscalco Elementary School
74,175

Martinez Middle School
56,441

McKitrick Elementary School
91,159

Middleton High School
113,166

Miles Elementary School
61,356

Mintz Elementary School
209,964

Mitchell Elementary School
56,008

Mount Pleasant Standard Base Middle School
49,226

Mulrennan Middle School
50,677

Newpoint High of Tampa
211,336

Newsome High School
55,002

Northwest Elementary School
217,232

Oak Park Elementary School
181,299

Orange Grove Middle Magnet School
83,040

Pinecrest Elementary School
75,004

Pizzo Elementary School
124,728

Plant City High School
31,912

Plant High School
138,912

Pride Elementary School
63,999

Progress Village Middle Magnet School
56,929

Rampello K-8 Magnet School
62,001

Randall Middle School
76,250

Riverhills Elementary School
220,746

Riverview High School
182,760

Robinson High School
69,090

Roosevelt Elementary School
50,858

Schwarzkopf Elementary School
184,016

Seffner Elementary School
64,608

Sessums Elementary School
71,416

Shiloh Elementary Charter School
5,970

Sickles High School
59,758

Springhead Elementary School
81,405

Steinbrenner High School
68,296

Stowers Elementary School
94,193

Strawberry Crest High School
73,744

Summerfield Crossings Elementary
60,445

Symmes Elementary School
57,785

Tampa Bay Tech High School
31,130

Tampa Palms Elementary School
43,342

Terrace Community Middle School
61,418

Tinker Elementary School
74,490

Trinity Upper School
8,209

Turner Elementary School
14,320

Valrico Lake Advantage Academy
21,269

Walden Lake Elementary School
29,199

Walker Middle Magnet School
26,703

Walton Academy
38,385

Westchase Elementary School
28,457

Williams Middle Magnet School
13,900

Wilson Elementary School
20,703

Wilson Middle School
50,333

Wimauma Elementary School
18,148

About the Florida Department of Education:
The department’s mission is to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient education system by providing them the chance to expand their knowledge and skills through world-class learning opportunities. Serving more than 3.5 million students, 4,200 public schools, 28 colleges, 188,000 teachers, 47,000 college professors and administrators, and 318,000 individuals who work in education throughout the state, the department enhances the economic self-sufficiency of Floridians through programs and services geared toward college, workforce education, job-specific skills, and career development. Florida ranks first in the nation for teacher quality, first in the nation in advanced placement participation, and first in the southern region for graduation rate and degrees awarded by the Florida College System. For more information, visit www.fldoe.org.