Big Brothers Big Sisters Bigs Inspiring Scholastic Success (BISS)
The passage of HB 2979 represents a commitment to youth mentorship and development within Florida's educational framework. By providing financial resources to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, the bill aims to create a more supportive and engaging learning environment for students who may benefit from additional guidance. This funding could potentially have a significant positive impact on the academic performance and overall well-being of at-risk youth in the state.
House Bill 2979, titled 'Big Brothers Big Sisters Bigs Inspiring Scholastic Success (BISS)', focuses on providing funding for a mentoring program aimed at enhancing academic success among youth. The bill allocates a nonrecurring sum of $750,000 from the General Revenue Fund for the fiscal year 2022-2023 to the Department of Education to support this initiative. This funding seeks to promote positive educational outcomes through volunteer mentorship, as outlined in the Appropriations Project Request 581 associated with the bill.
While there appears to be broad support for initiatives that promote youth mentorship, discussions around appropriations such as those included in HB 2979 may bring forth debates regarding funding allocations in a broader budget context. Stakeholders may have differing opinions on how effectively mentorship programs can impact educational outcomes versus other potential investments in the education sector. However, in the case of HB 2979, it was reported that the bill received unanimous support with no recorded opposition during its approval in the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee.