PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — As state lawmakers look to cut funding, a move that could potentially save Florida millions, some public school leaders are worried about the impacts.
There are fears about funding for programs like Advanced Placement, dual enrollment and other college-level courses, which help pave the way for students' futures.
The Palm Beach County School District could see massive cuts in funding for college-level courses, dual enrollment and industry certifications if a measure in the Florida State House ultimately becomes law.
WATCH: Searching for answers, WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman asks Superintendent Mike Burke what it could mean for public school students
“It means kids will have less college credit when they leave us and when they graduate from the school system,” Burke said. "Families are going to end up paying more at the college level — if the student still makes it to college."
Lawmakers in favor of the cuts say it’s because they aren’t sure where the districts are spending that money.
The funding is called an add-on "Full-Time Equivalent"— if a student takes and passes the final tests for one of these AP or similar programs, the schools get money from the state. But a proposal could cut the amount the state gives in half.
That has the Palm Beach County School Board planning, concerned that high school students and families would be hardest hit.
"We’ve never seen this in this magnitude coming from the State of Florida," School Board Vice Chair Marcia Andrews said. “I think also we need to just know that we don’t know what’s going to happen to us at the federal level, yet this is just the State, and it’s horrifying what could happen to us as we move forward.”
Burke said the programs aren't going anywhere, but it will be challenging to sustain the success of the A-rated school district.
"If you're a parent of a high school student, you really want to benefit from kids being able to generate those college credits for free, and if this funding is cut, they may end up having to pay more down the road,” Burke said.
Wednesday evening's meeting was the first of many the district has scheduled to plan out the new budget going forward. The next and final workshop will be May 28, with the tentative adoption of a budget coming in July and a hope for a finalized budget by Sept. 10.
