Florida Race to the Top Funds Will Feed Jax 'Intervene' Meeting

While Gov. Rick Scott pledged that a new Race to the Top grant application will not burden Florida with additional costs or red tape (see this Sunshine State News article), the state reportedly will spend up to $17,500 of its current Race to the Top funds for nonacademic purposes Thursday night.

The Florida Times-Union said the state is paying for food, transportation, advertising, printing, child care, custodial services, security, student enrichment materials, translation system, translators, door prizes and supplies at a meeting to discuss Jacksonville's chronically failing Raines High School this evening.

About $5,000 of the tab is for food.

According to the T-U report, the state will reimburse the Duval County school system for the expenditures, which officials said are designed to "eliminate barriers to citizens participating" at the community "intervene" meeting on the F-rated campus.