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Florida is missing out on 3.4 billion federal stimulus dollars for cutting billions from education.

A �maintenance of effort� clause in the federal bill penalizes states where education funding fell below 2006 levels. Governor Charlie Crist sent a letter to the US Department of Education asking for a waiver. Florida Education Association spokesman Mark Pudlow said the state will have to answer for the cuts they�ve made to public schools.

�The maintenance of effort was put in there so that states like Florida, who cut their education budget, wouldn�t be rewarded for cutting their education budget by getting stimulus money. So I think that they�re going to have to answer some questions to the federal government as to why the budget was cut for education, particularly because we are not a generous state as far as education is concerned,� said Pudlow.

Crist met with US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan Sunday, to talk about waving the penalty.