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Pasco School Board seeks flexibility, funding in legislative agenda

The district’s goals have not changed much in recent years.
 
SCOTT KEELER  |   Times
New Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addresses members of the Florida Legislature during a luncheon on the fourth floor rotunda of the Capitol, Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Tallahassee after DeSantis was sworn in.
SCOTT KEELER | Times New Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addresses members of the Florida Legislature during a luncheon on the fourth floor rotunda of the Capitol, Tuesday, January 8, 2019 in Tallahassee after DeSantis was sworn in.
Published Feb. 14, 2019

As state lawmakers approach their 2019 spring session, the Pasco County School Board aims to put the finishing touches on the priorities it would like to see the Legislature accomplish.

With teacher contract negotiations still unsettled, one of the board’s key requests is for added funding without strings attached. Specifically, it seeks an increase to the unrestricted base student allocation, which districts can use for any general operating purpose.

“We need to be able to have discretion to do what’s best for our communities,” district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said. “We need more money for salaries in place of bonuses that don’t count toward teacher retirement.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for boosting the state’s teacher performance bonus system as part of his budget request. He also has proposed a larger base student allocation, taking money from categoricals such as digital classroom spending to make that happen.

Lawmakers have said they will look at the governor’s proposals, but intended to have their own version of the budget by the third week of session. Appropriations committees meanwhile expect to start reviewing line item requests next week.

Pasco has asked for some specific appropriations, including more funding for its regional aeronautics academy.

Also in the pursuit of local control, the board is asking lawmakers to consider allowing school boards to increase their capital projects tax rate by a supermajority vote above the current cap of $1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value. It’s also requesting the ability to exempt a school construction project from certain state regulations after a public hearing and supermajority board vote.

Board chairwoman Alison Crumbley presented some of these ideas, along with others, to the Pasco legislative delegation in December.

The board plans a workshop to discuss its priorities, and the best way to pursue them, at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday before its 5 p.m. meeting, in the Wesley Chapel High cafeteria. Read the current list of legislative goals here for more details.