Florida
State Government
Governor
Ron DeSantis (R)
State Senate
12
Democrats,
28
Republicans
State House
36
Democrats,
84
Republicans
Economic well-being - Florida
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
13.0
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.3
Poverty rate
12.0%
Unemployment rate
3.8
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
10.9
Poverty by demographic - Florida
Child poverty rate
0.2
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
31000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
445000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
628000
Senior poverty rate
12.1 %
Women in poverty
11,688,390
Sun Sentinel, May 20, 2012: (Op-Ed) Scott's pro-child gestures lack follow-up, advocates say
"Many child advocates say the state's children are still struggling to keep from falling through the cracks in the state's education, health-care and public-safety systems, and that Florida simply isn't doing enough."
The Tampa Bay Times, May 20, 2012: Pinellas school officials reject FAST's direct instruction reading proposal
"Pinellas County's school administrators have given what they hope is that final answer to a faith-based group seeking educators' buy-in to change the way core reading instruction is delivered in high-poverty schools."
The Miami Herald, May 5, 2012: Miami-Dade County seeks to unload Head Start program, salaries
"For more than four decades, Miami-Dade County officials have managed Head Start, the storied preschool program for children from low-income families. But the county now wants out and 'generous' salaries are partly to blame. On average, Miami-Dade paid its Head Start teachers $76,860 in salary and fringe benefits in 2011, county records show."
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, April 2, 2012: Parents: Schools disproportionately punish blacks
"A 2010 report by the Southern Poverty Law Center analyzed the high rate of suspension among black males in middle school. It found 'concerns about lost instructional time as well as other possible harmful side effects.' It said there were 'consistent findings that African-American and Latino youth are over-represented in school suspensions and that the increased use of suspension has been largest for poor minority children.'"
Orlando Sentinel, March 14, 2012: Spring break: Fewer homeless kids to go hungry
"At a church in Kissimmee on Tuesday, more than 60 volunteers formed an assembly line to divvy up $10,000 worth of groceries into individual shopping bags. The food's destination? Osceola County schools whose pantries will help ensure homeless students don't go hungry during spring break next week."
The News-Press, March 8, 2012: Homeless shelter and school don't mix, residents tell Bonita Springs City Council
"Two-dozen Bonita Springs residents told the Bonita Springs City Council tonight they don't want St. Matthew's House to build a homeless shelter next to Bonita Springs Charter School. They filled City Hall, leaving standing room only in council chambers and spilling to an overflow room."