The Florida Lottery announced today a record $25 billion in transfers to Florida’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. For the past 25 years, the Florida Lottery has firmly established itself as an essential and dependable funding source for public education; contributing more than $1 billion annually for the past 10 consecutive fiscal years. Lottery education funds are appropriated by the Florida Legislature and then administered by the Florida Department of Education.
«We are proud of this accomplishment and are very thankful to all Lottery players and retailers who have helped us reach such a significant milestone,» said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell. «We will continue to strive to increase funding for education programs in our state for the next 25 years and beyond.»
Florida voters, by a two-to-one margin, approved a constitutional amendment in 1986 authorizing the state to operate a lottery for the purpose of generating additional funding for education. These additional funds have contributed to K-12 programs in Florida’s 67 school districts, community colleges and state universities, the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, other state student financial aid, and the construction and maintenance of public schools through the Classrooms First and Classrooms for Kids programs.