Govenor Makes Major Announcements at Viera

June 11, 2020 – At a press conference held in Viera, Governor DeSantis made two major announcements.

The 2020 AAU Junior Olympics will be held on the Space Coast of Florida July 25- Aug 8. Approximately 5000 athletes, coaches and families of athletes are expected to attend. Venues for the various sporting events within the competition will be held primarily at Brevard County Public School facilities with supporting venues provided at Brevard County Parks & Recreation locations.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that we’re getting this opportunity,” Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Peter Cranis said. “The timing of it couldn’t be any better.”  Cranis said he expects 10 to 15 sports will be contested at the 2020 Junior Olympics.”

At the same news conference in Viera, the Governor announced major financial support for education to help close the achievement gap created during distance learning required by the coronavirus. The announcement outlined nearly $1 billion in emergency funding from the $2.2 trillion federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in March.

The plan includes:

• $64 million to close achievement gaps, including a 4- to 5-week summer reading program for K-5 students.
• $20 million to help schools identify supplemental reading curricula for K-3 students.
• $15 million to train, develop and support up to 2,000 new reading coaches.
• $223 million to support early learning programs, including $55 million in financial assistance to childcare providers.
• $61 million to support childcare providers that reopen during the state’s phased reopening plan.
• $21 million for transition-to-Kindergarten programs, including summer programs for about 45,000 rising kindergarten students with limited language skills.
• $45 million in safety net funds, including $30 million for tax credit scholarships and $15 million in financial relief.
• $8 million for all public school students graduating next school year to take the SAT and ACT free of charge.
• $5 million to expand civic literacy programs.
• $35 million to increase capacity in career and technical education programs.
• $2 million for increased telehealth services for students dealing with mental health issues related to the pandemic.

Of this funding, up to $15 million is slated for Brevard Public Schools, with up to an additional $3.4 million earmarked for the county’s charter and private schools, proportional to student enrollment.

For additional information on the AAU Junior Olympics, go to: http://aaujrogames.org/

Source: Florida Today 06/09/20 ; 06/11/20