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Area schools are trying to make do with this year's tight state budget. But it's 'a challenge.'

 
School superintendents in and around the Tampa Bay area gathered in March to decry the state's decision to limit per-student funding this year. Four months later, as they prepare for the 2018-19 school year, local educators say they are making do with cuts but it's a challenge. Pictured, from left, are superintendents Diana Greene of Manatee County, Kurt Browning of Pasco County, Jacqueline Byrd of Polk County, Mike Grego of Pinellas County and Jeff Eakins of Hillsborough County. [MARLENE SOKOL   |   Times]
School superintendents in and around the Tampa Bay area gathered in March to decry the state's decision to limit per-student funding this year. Four months later, as they prepare for the 2018-19 school year, local educators say they are making do with cuts but it's a challenge. Pictured, from left, are superintendents Diana Greene of Manatee County, Kurt Browning of Pasco County, Jacqueline Byrd of Polk County, Mike Grego of Pinellas County and Jeff Eakins of Hillsborough County. [MARLENE SOKOL | Times]
Published July 25, 2018

School district leaders across the Tampa Bay area and state warned early and often that their 2018-19 funding could fall short of needs.

Lawmakers set the amount of new money not pledged to specific areas — most prominently security and mental health — at 47 cents per student. Programs and people might suffer, the leaders said.

Yet as students prepare to return for classes, district officials said they have taken steps to ensure that whatever budget moves they have to make will have limited impact on schools.

"We really try to hold schools harmless and keep them out of the fray when it comes to budget reductions," Pasco County assistant superintendent Kevin Shibley said, suggesting that cuts will remain at the district level if at all possible.

Hernando County superintendent John Stratton said he anticipated no school-level slashing at all.

"With that said, we are going to spend more than we are bringing in and have to use our reserves," Stratton said.

Hillsborough County superintendent Jeff Eakins said his district has gone through a years-long effort to streamline a budget that had grown bloated over time. That effort, he said, helped to "offset the lack of an increase" in the state's per student spending, known the "base student allocation."

Pinellas County schools, too, are exploring as many budget options as possible to not impact students. That includes looking at cutting costs in energy, bus routing, and health insurance.

"We're trying not to affect (students) in any way," associate superintendent Kevin Smith said. "Honestly, it's a challenge."

One area that gets attention in all counties, and that can make a difference in the school experience, is staffing.

Smith said Pinellas school leaders are considering how to make best use of teachers, within the constraints of class size rules, to ensure they reach as many students as possible.

Hillsborough and Pasco already have made some changes, framing those as more efficient use of their resources.

Hillsborough, for instance, has changed the way it assigns aides for students learning English.

For many years, Eakins said, the district exceeded its English-language learner budget, in part because several schools had full-time aides.

"We're doing a little more sharing," he explained.

The district wants to improve services to its most struggling schools, which often are also the serving the most needy students, Eakins added.

Those efforts will happen, he said, as the district can use its federal Title I funding and, where possible, money that didn't get spent in 2017-18.

"We're making sure nothing falls through the cracks," Eakins said.

Pasco County similarly has adjusted its school staffing levels. At campuses where class sizes were below the state limits, the district has removed teachers and consolidated classes.

"Some teachers will probably see more students," Shibley said.

Some elementary schools also have changed the way they run physical education classes. In some instances, the schools have needed teachers to cover a portion of the day, rather than the entire day.

Several principals asked to replace the part-time teachers with full-time aides, Shibley said, so they have the same people on campus all day, every day.

"It's really going to be extra hands," he said.

Officials in each district said they intend to continually review their revenue and spending, and to make changes as needed.

Staff writer Megan Reeves contributed to this report. Contact Jeffrey S. Solochek at jsolochek@tampabay.com. Follow @jeffsolochek.