Florida school leaders have known for months that their districts stood
to lose millions if Gov. Crist decided to go through with his plan to
hold back 4 percent of all state funding. Some made lists of what they
might slash, while others held out until they had firm numbers in place.

Well, that time has finally come.

FDOE deputy commissioner Linda Champion has informed
superintendents that the withholding will begin on Dec. 10.
Because the state provides slightly less than half of public schools'
money, the actual cut amounts to 1.93 percent of the funding, or
$355.2-million statewide.

The state's two largest school districts, Miami-Dade and Broward, will
absorb $80.1-million of the total. Here in the Tampa Bay area, the
reductions will play out like this:

• Hillsborough, $26-million
• Pinellas, $14.4-million
• Pasco, $9.1-million
• Hernando, $3-million

Perhaps the worst thing about this is that these cuts might not be the
last we see this year and, many lawmakers tell us, next year could be
even worse. The answer, several say, is more likely to be making
government "more efficient" and not raising more revenue.

"I think we're going to try to live within our means," Rep. Will
Weatherford of Wesley Chapel, who's likely to lead one of the House
appropriations committees, told the Gradebook.

To see the latest funding calculations, including the holdback amounts, click here.