Florida lawmakers approved a 45 percent increase in construction and maintenance money for universities, state colleges and public schools in the new state budget, according to a report from News Service of Florida.
The annual Public Education Capital Outlay program for the 2018-19 academic year will total $487 million, including $33 million in funding contingent on reimbursements from the federal government related to emergency spending during Hurricane Irma, according to the news service.
The university system will have $112 million in individual projects and $47 million in maintenance money, which will be distributed by formula to the 12 state universities. The state college system has $43 million in projects and $35 million in maintenance funding, which will be distributed to the 28 schools.
Meanwhile, public schools will receive $50 million in maintenance and renovation funding, while charter schools will receive $150 million, including $5 million contingent on federal reimbursements.
The largest project on the university PECO list is $50 million for a data-science and information-technology building at the University of Florida. Florida State University has three projects on the new PECO list, including $12.9 million to complete an earth, ocean and atmospheric science building.
