No cut comes easy for Florida schools

Getting your household budget to balance these days is tough. Imagine the situation Florida schools are in. School boards are slashing budgets right and left to overcome multimillion-dollar shortfalls. They are making typical cuts — like salary caps and layoffs — but also getting creative with plans to use less air-conditioning and go to four-day school weeks.
Salary and job freezes

These are popular with school boards statewide. Locally, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties are talking about salary freezes. It's not so popular with teachers, though, who have staged protests. Many districts also aren't filling administrative positions, because they see that as a way to save money without harming classrooms. Pasco and Manatee counties are among that group.

Enrollment is declining, and districts can't always fill all the seats at some schools. To save the cost of busing, operations and salaries, many counties are shuttering schools (or considering it). They include Pinellas, Volusia, Escambia, Marion and Miami-Dade. In Pinellas, district officials estimate that closing three schools next year will save nearly $2-million.
Four-day school week

Hernando County schools are looking at this concept, as are Pasco County schools. It would be a way to save money in utilities and transportation costs. But officials like Pasco School Board chairwoman Kathryn Starkey have one simple question: What are parents supposed to do with their kids on Fridays?

Many districts see thousands of dollars in potential savings by keeping schools a little warmer. Among them are Hillsborough, Pasco and Brevard. Hillsborough superintendent MaryEllen Elia has said just two degrees could generate about $500,000.

By reconfiguring bus routes and school start times, some districts expect to save millions. But the notion is controversial, drawing protests in Orange and Santa Rosa counties. Pinellas officials backed off the concept before the anger could fully erupt. Pinellas transportation officials said it actually would cost more and keep kids on buses longer.

There are other ideas that have gained some attention in a few districts, but they have yet to catch on statewide. Here's a glimpse at a few proposals and the counties considering them:

Comments on this article

by linda	Jun 11, 2008 3:57 PM
to hysterical mom,schools have not been safe for years,teachers are getting threatened every day,that are punched, head butted, spat on,pushed, and disrespedted in pasco every single day the powers that be don't care one bit just keep your mouth shut

by Mary Jane	Jun 11, 2008 3:42 PM
Shame on the state legislators for funding schools with the lottery, they were suppose to fund "extras" for the schools. This shortfall has been brewing for a long time. Is Tallahassee going to take responsibility for poor budget decisions?

by Teacher	Jun 10, 2008 5:44 PM
I agree with Tricia. I'm a teacher and sometimes there are only 2 kids on a bus.

by teacher	Jun 9, 2008 5:19 PM
I agree with Katherine. If people were responsible enough to be able to feed their own children instead of mooching off schools, there's your money! Instead, people are continuing to just have more and more kids. Stop enabling these people!

by Tricia	Jun 9, 2008 4:18 PM
If Pinellas county would stop busing children all over the county and get rid of school of choice completly then Florida wouldnt be in this situation. Pinellas county needs to make every child go to there neighborhood school.

by PTA Mom	Jun 9, 2008 2:13 PM
Other states/districts have managed for decades with Mon-Fri, 8:30 - 3:30, art, music, RECESS ... I thought this was supposed to be about what's best for the KIDS. School board elections coming up should be verrrrry interesting!

by HS Teacher	Jun 9, 2008 2:12 PM
Schools were 1st in place as academic foundations. They have morphed into the 3rd parent, or perhaps the 1st in many homes. We must feed, assess, teach, transport, exercise, raise, disapline the children, but have no $ to do so...

by BadBob	Jun 9, 2008 1:47 PM
Note: Collier is not raising taxes but shifting by putting a referendum that would institute a .5 mill tax for operations while promising to eliminate .5 of their capital tax outlay.

by BadBob	Jun 9, 2008 1:47 PM
It is Constitutionally the Legislature's "paramont duty" to provide for the public schools. They have failed. Shame on them.

by Alex	Jun 9, 2008 1:39 PM
Combine school bus routes with city bus routes. Better service for everyone! If Europe can do it this way, so can we.

by Jamie	Jun 9, 2008 1:38 PM
As an elementary education student preparing to graduate in December, I'm packing my boxes and leaving the state! I was hoping to be a fresh face in Tampa's inner city schools, but now they won't even give me a chance!

by teacher	Jun 9, 2008 1:36 PM
it's amazing that important critical thinking classes such as art and music are 'specials'. For kids who need the hands on experience... there are going to be less engaging options. pretty soon we will be leaving children even further behind. Sad.

by Susan	Jun 9, 2008 9:37 AM
Florida goes back to the bottom of the heap in education. We sure will encourage people to move to our state, crappy schools and high home insurance costs. Way to go Republicans, the rich get richer.......and send their kids to private schools.

by Heath	Jun 9, 2008 9:37 AM
What to do with your kids on Friday? Drop them off at your legislator's office. Never forget why the schools and school boards are in this situation: no new revenue, unfunded class size amendment, rising transportation, insurance, utilities.

by katherine	Jun 9, 2008 9:37 AM
Umm,it is up to parent to decide what to do with kids when there is no school.Don't rely on school for free therapy,free lunch,free transport and schools will have enough money to pay teachers and actually educate your kid!

by Hysterical Parent	Jun 9, 2008 9:36 AM
Pinellas County will reduce the number of middle school Assistant Principals to two per school.Each administrator will have over 550-700 children to supervise.I don't see how schools will remain safe learning environments.Safety will be jeopardized

by Frank	Jun 9, 2008 9:36 AM
Why cut out just art and music? I wonder how much money could be saved by cutting out sports?

by k	Jun 9, 2008 9:36 AM
The elementary English books are never used. It also goes for science and Social Studies.So why buy new ones? Less students less teachers. Let the teachers pay more toward the health Ins.

by Pinellas Teacher	Jun 9, 2008 9:36 AM
Pinellas has also eliminated Reading Coaches as well as some assistant principals.