DeSantis announces continued funding for special needs students, adults
JUPITER, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced funding on Monday for persons with disabilities that will be approved in the state’s 2024-25 fiscal budget.
The funding includes $2.2 billion for Florida’s Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
He emphasized the continued expansion of the state’s school choice efforts, specifically relating to students with disabilities and their access to schools that provide important special needs resources.
He said how Florida has close to 100,000 students with unique abilities currently on scholarships.
“The investments we’ve made in communities across the state have made a real difference,” DeSantis said during a press conference.
”We’re proud of what we’ve done in Florida, we’re proud of what others have done,” he added.
The agency’s director, Taylor Hatch, thanked the governor and the legislature for their work to help students all cross the state with varying disabilities and special needs.
She explained how the state’s special needs scholarship helps students access everyday resources like notebooks and laptops, as well as specialized services like speech and physical therapy.
”As we look towards the future, we are so thankful for leaders that understand that the right support at the right time is so important,” she said.
”The leadership of Governor DeSantis that continues to deliver for all Floridians, the tremendous investments that we highlighted today, incredible partners and stakeholders throughout the entire state and most importantly, the people that we serve,” she listed.
Individuals involved in student special needs organizations, as well as parents of special needs children also spoke in favor of the work being done to expand school choice opportunities in the state and provide more resources for mentally or physically disabled individuals.
