Personnel from the Florida Department of Education were in Ft. Myers Wednesday to brief teachers and others on how education was affected by the 2007 legislative session. The Department’s Tom Butler says lawmakers were generous.

“there’s an increase in per student funding, there’s an increase in funding for reading which could translate to more coaches and more reading instruction for our students out there. The class size reduction amendment has more funding that’s attached to it as well – reducing our class sizes”

Butler says there’s also start-up money for virtual tutoring, and that no funding was cut from any K-12 education program. The briefings will continue next week with DOE staffers traveling to Miami, Niceville and Jacksonville.