Legislative Money: How Will it Be Spent in Leon County Schools?

The laundry list covers everything from personnel increases and enrollment caps to taking care of sick students as a way to put more “tlc” in school.

When it comes to legislative priorities, Leon County Schools' list is lengthy. It includes everything from funding all mandated educational programs to placing a qualified health care practitioner in every school, courtesy of the state.

Lorri Pilkington, Coordinator of Nursing and Health Services for Leon County Schools, says, "Been able to demonstrate the need for health care practitioners in school."

Currently, every school has a trained paraprofessional. The district's dream is to have an RN or LPN nursing sick children back to health.

Kelley Giugliano fits that mold.

Kelley says, "Been a nurse for 11 years, done everything from ophthalmology to newborn nursery."

Now Kelley fills her day taking care of under the weather Canopy Oaks students.

District officials say placing people like Kelley at every school is the right remedy for keeping kids in class.

Rep. Curtis Richardson says the diagnosis on the state fully funding such a program is bleak.

"I'm not sure it’s possible, although it would be nice, [but] given current revenue [it] might not be possible."

School officials say the minimum costs to outfit each school would run $500,000. Leon County Schools’ legal team will meet on February 8 to go over the priority list.

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