Hundreds of thousands of students in Florida's 67 counties have benefited from these contributions to the education system.
The Florida Lottery announced on November 12, 2020 that its latest transfer to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) has brought its life-to-date education contributions to more than $38 billion over the past 32 years.
Florida Lottery contributions have become a habit since they made their first donation of more than $46 million back in February of 1988, the year in which the lottery was created with the precise objective of generating and maximizing income to improve public education in Florida.
Although these contributions represent a small fraction of the state’s overall education budget, the Florida Lottery’s impact on Florida students and schools can be felt across all counties.
Shaping Bright Futures
During the past 18 years, Florida Lottery has contributed more than a billion dollars annually to education. The main purpose of that money is to finance all aspects of public education in the state of Florida, from entry-level colleges (which have received more than $20 billion to this date) to universities (which have been backed with about $10 billion).
But there is one project that is the flagship of all the work the Florida Lottery does for education: the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
This initiative was created in 1997 by the Florida Legislature and its core mission is to help students attend college so they can receive an education and find a better future for themselves and their families.
Since the beginning of this endeavor, the Florida Lottery has contributed more than $6.8 billion to send more than 880,000 students to college.
Having Allies is Worth a Fortune
Needless to say, Florida Lottery’s contributions are made possible by the players, but its employees and the more than 13,000 retailers that support the organization’s sales infrastructure deserve a well earned shout-out. They play a very important role in all efforts to support education.
A task of this magnitude cannot be carried out without the support of all the people and institutions interested in providing study opportunities to those who need them the most.
A good example of this is how that money is distributed to schools: each contribution made by the Florida Lottery is placed in the EETF, and it is the Florida Department of Education, together with the state Legislature, who determines how these funds will be allocated to the public education system. It is a chain of coordinated efforts to support the students dream of getting a degree.
Not all tickets win the grand prize, but all players should feel proud to know that each ticket they purchase helps fund the education of someone who truly wants to make it in life.
For more information, visit http://www.flalottery.com/brightFutures
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $38 billion to education and sending more than 880,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 99 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Lottery retailers, and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $72.5 billion in prizes and made nearly 3,000 people millionaires.
Above content provided by the Florida Lottery.
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/11/25/florida-lottery-reaches-38-billion-education-funding/