The plan would give Florida $3.5 billion in state budget aid. Just over $2 billion of that has to go to education. But the plan reads this money can't be given out if state support for public schools has dropped below 2006 levels.

The potential loss of the federal money, which puts a greater emphasis on local taxes, has some worried.

"We certainly hope that what comes out of Washington won't further penalize Florida's schools and Florida's students because of what the state is doing," said Alachua County Schools spokesperson Jackie Johnson.

State officials hope the federal government will take into consideration that local funding of public schools is typically a part of the state's funding formula.