—Frustration Mounts Over Missing Student ID Numbers in Cross-Check System—
Last week, Florida House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee members expressed growing frustration as they grilled state officials and Step Up for Students representatives about the second-quarter scholarship payment process, focusing on why Florida Student ID numbers are not consistently used to track students receiving public education funds.
Impossible to Cross-Check
Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka opened the hearing by questioning scholarship funding organizations (SFOs) about whether they include Florida Student ID numbers in payment files submitted to the Department of Education. The answer revealed a critical gap: some organizations don’t include these numbers at all.
- Explanation Given: The digital format for the files doesn’t include an ID field.
That didn’t sit well with committee members. Rep. Tobin Overdorf delivered a pointed rebuke: “The single most amount of calls that we now receive in my office is about Step Up funds… I am absolutely amazed that now I’m at a committee hearing, and we’re talking about a format on a form that we don’t have the number on. Therefore, we can’t track the student.”
- Chair Persons-Mulicka stated the statutory requirement: “Currently, Florida statutes requires every student who receives public funds for education, whether scholarship or public has to have a Florida ID number. It seems like that’s already the statutory requirement.”
32.8K Students Suddenly Appear
Rep. Alex Rizo pressed for solutions: “We’re out millions of dollars, and schools and parents and students are getting frustrated. We’re all getting frustrated. So it seems to me like someone knows how to fix the problem. Let’s get down to business and fix the problem.”
The hearing also revealed concerning numbers: 32,840 students appeared on the second-quarter payment file who weren’t on the first-quarter file, yet they were slated to receive back payments for both quarters—representing approximately $75 million.
- Chair Persons-Mulicka concluded with a stark warning: “I still have major concerns over those 32,840 students who appeared on the quarter two payment file who weren’t on quarter one and yet are on the quarter two payment file to be paid for two quarters… that’s $75 million.”