ENGLEWOOD — Following the official approval of the state budget, local governments are announcing what piece of the pie they received.
For Charlotte County Public Schools, full funding was secured for both of its 2026 legislative appropriation requests to help meet demands of increasing labor needs in the community.
In an announcement Tuesday, the district noted it secured $2.275 million in requests for advanced training in welding and water management.
On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed and approved Florida’s 2026-27 state budget, marking the third consecutive year CCPS has received full funding for its legislative priorities, the announcement stated.
The largest appropriation, $1.5 million, will fund the construction of a state-of-the-art welding training facility at the Southwest Florida Advanced Manufacturing Training Center.
It’s currently under development within Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park, the release stated, a project with a partnership between the district, the Charlotte County Economic Development Office and Space Florida.
It will be designed to expand advanced manufacturing training while supporting business recruitment and workforce development across Southwest Florida.
The remaining $775,000 will establish a water management program at Lemon Bay High School.
The program will prepare students for careers in utilities, water resource management and related infrastructure fields, helping meet the increasing demand for skilled workers in essential public service industries, said the district.
“Receiving full funding for our legislative priorities for the third straight year reflects the confidence our state leaders have in the work happening in Charlotte County,” Superintendent Mark Vianello stated. “These investments will create meaningful opportunities for our students while strengthening the workforce that supports our local businesses and economy.”
The district expressed its gratitude to DeSantis, Senate President Ben Albritton, and along with state Reps. Vanessa Oliver and Danny Nix for their support of the appropriations, including community partners and county leaders.
Construction of the Southwest Florida Advanced Manufacturing Training Center is scheduled for completion before the 2027-28 school year, said the announcement.