LAKELAND CHAMBER 2019 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
EDUCATION (K-12)
Continue to place a focus on STEM
initiatives.
Champion training and vocational programs
to ensure Florida has a workforce prepared
to satisfy the needs of a diversifying
economy.
POLK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Codify and continue funding the Florida
Compression Allocation which brings every
county up to the statewide average for per
student funding (about $6,900).
Provide at least a 3% increase (around
$150/student) to the Base Student Allocation
(currently around $4,800/student) and
discontinue rolling back the Required Local
Effort.
Revise cut scores on the general knowledge
exam required for teacher certification and
reduce costs for taking and re-taking the
exam to 2015 levels.
Update school safety statues to address
implementation issues identifies by law
enforcement and district safe school officers.
Prohibit the use of VAM-only scores by
FDOE in teacher placement decisions. Other
factors should be factored in when
determining teacher productivity.
Fully fund the costs to have school resource
officers at every school and allow Safe
Schools Funding to be spent on the cost of
Guardians.
POLK STATE COLLEGE
$16,272,759 in PECO funds to complete the
renovations and remodeling needed for
Building 4, a 67,000-square-foot classroom
facility on the Winter Haven Campus.
$2,234,800 in PECO funds to enhance
safety and security measures including cyber
security, surveillance systems, mass
communication, and target hardening at the
College's six campuses and centers
throughout Polk County.
$2,234,800 in PECO funds to enhance
safety and security measures including cyber
security, surveillance systems, mass
communication, and target hardening at the
College's six campuses and centers
throughout Polk County.
$2.5 million in recurring operational support
to expand proven activities that improve
student retention and completion rates, as
well as to fund the cost of hiring additional
Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies to boost
campus safety.
FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
Increase in base budget as well as $11
million for the Applied Research Center
PECO project.
AGRICULTURE/WATER
Support infrastructure and science-based
solutions that allow our state to grow while
protecting our most precious natural
resources.
Oppose efforts to reduce the City of
Lakeland's permitted capacity for water use.