Lawmakers will consider a plan this spring that would fund the state's 12 universities based partly on their performance. That could mean some universities lose money and others gain it.
The new model would divvy up $80 million of the nearly $3.6 billion that Governor Rick Scott is proposing for the university system. And the stakes could grow.
Senate President Don Gaetz told the Florida Chamber of Commerce this week that he and House Speaker Will Weatherford want to set aside $100 million as a performance reward for the universities.“The more prepared a student is to compete for a job in the real economy, and if a student is able to get it done and get a four year degree in six years, we want to pay those universities more money", said Gaetz.
The Senate Education Appropriations Committee held the first legislative hearing on the plan Wednesday.
While the idea seems to have widespread support at the Capitol, there are also bipartisan warnings that the devil will be in the details.
The proposal isn't universally popular, even among members of the Board of Governors. Some lawmakers are also cautious about the idea while supporting it in principle.