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University of Central Florida *

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2010

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Feb 20, 2024

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Uploaded by ElderAnteaterMaster1026

Option 1: Letter to a Legislator Caitlin Guevara University of Central Florida SYG 2010: Social Problems Professor Walker Dec. 6, 2023

The Honorable Marco Rubio United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Marco Rubio, My name is Caitlin Guevara. I am an early childhood development and education major at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. I am writing to inform you of the impact of poverty on education and the importance of funding for schools, especially K–12. As an individual who strongly supports the restoration and strengthening of the economy, communities, and families; equal access to education is the foundation of this, and ultimately the backbone of our society. Education is a key steppingstone to rising above poverty and pursuing a better life. In the United States, children who grow up in low-income families face more barriers to education than those who don’t, which extends the poverty cycle to another generation. Eradicating poverty is not just about teaching students math and reading lessons. While learning to read and understand math is important, children will not overcome poverty by simply learning addition. According to Forgotten Children Worldwide, students need to be taught basic life skills such as communication, persistence, and negotiation. This will ultimately help them make long- term decisions that lead to better opportunities (Forgotten Children Worldwide, 2020) . When we reduce barriers to education, we set children up to thrive. Access to education reduces a child’s involvement in gangs and drugs and lowers the amount of teen pregnancies. Education leads to healthier childhoods, and to greater economic prospects as adults. But access to education also comes with the proper funding, especially in Florida. According to the Florida Education Association, “Florida ranks consistently among the bottom 10 states in both per-student spending

and pay for our teachers and education staff professionals” (Florida Education Association, 2021) . As an individual who has grown up in poverty, and now pursuing a career in the education and development of young children, I urge you to invest in our neighborhood public schools, for our students and the long-term interests of our state, we must fund our future. The children of Florida deserve a proper education and schools that are appropriately funded to do so. A child’s development is of upmost importance, if they aren’t given the resources to receive a proper education and build their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional skills, they cannot succeed. Many states cut education funding dramatically after state and local revenue plummeted in the wake of the Great Recession. While many states rebounded in the years that followed, Florida’s investment per-student is 13.6 percent lower than pre-recession levels, even after adjusting for inflation. The state and local combined funds for Florida’s primary and secondary education dropped $811 per-student from 2008-2023, with inflation adjusted (Florida Policy Institute, 2023) . This funding shortage has significantly suppressed teacher salaries, with Florida currently ranking 48 th in the nation for average teacher pay. Overall, in inflation adjusted dollars, Florida’s teacher pay has decreased 10.3% between 2012-2013 and 2021-2022. The lack of funding proves to negatively affect not only our children and the education system, but also our educators. The people at the forefront of our classrooms and those responsible for teaching and guiding our children to be functioning members of society. If we can’t properly pay our teachers the salaries they deserve, another pillar in the education system breaks down. Again, as a future educator for the state of Florida, I strongly urge you to consider the impact that poverty and lack of funding does for education. Sincerely Yours, Caitlin Guevara

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Bibliography Florida Education Association. (2021, September 16). Fund Our Future . Retrieved from https://feaweb.org/issues-action/fund-our-future/ Florida Policy Institute. (2023, September 13). Fully Funding Florida's K-12 Public Schools . Retrieved from https://www.floridapolicy.org/initiatives/fully-fund-floridas-k-12-public- schools Forgotten Children Worldwide. (2020, March 19). How Poverty Impacts Education . Retrieved from https://forgottenchildren.org/how-poverty-impacts-education/? gclid=CjwKCAiA1MCrBhAoEiwAC2d64R2dFdZPMdlZb51xRUKua7UT11HvbxXZQp SKHNbivpQU7Iy2pZO_kBoCA-oQAvD_BwE

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