Pasco schools cut nearly 500 jobs ahead of expected enrollment decline

The big story: As it confronts declining enrollment , the Pasco County school district had eliminated nearly 500 positions from its ranks for the fall.The cuts come across the board, including nine administrative slots, 150 instructional posts and 256 school related personnel jobs. Some are connected to the closure and merger of schools , while others reflect population changes at individual campuses and anticipated grant reductions.Because of retirements and resignations, though, no current staff members are set to lose their employment, said Kevin Shibley, the district’s chief of staff. Almost everyone who was displaced by the changes already has found a new spot in the district, Shibley said, making the district able to lift its hiring freeze imposed while those people applied for openings.Not that there are many vacancies. The district has only 44 teaching jobs available, Shibley said, compared to the hundreds it had at the same time of year before voters approved a local-option property tax to boost salaries.School board chairperson Colleen Beaudoin jumped on that fact to thank residents for their past support and ask them to consider backing a November referendum to renew the tax.“It’s not about just filling positions,” she said. “It’s about having highly qualified certified teachers in every classroom every day working with our students.”While seeking to fill those classrooms, the district also will hold to the side about 50 additional teaching jobs. That way, Shibley said, the district can be nimble in case its enrollment projections are off or if any other unexpected situations arise. The school board approved the updated employee allocations on Tuesday. Security: Anthony Collins quit his post as chief deputy in the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office amid academic cheating allegations. Now the county school district has hired him as its security chief . • The state has budgeted $15 million for added security at Catholic schools in the Miami archdiocese, the Miami Herald reports. School leadership: Five Pasco County schools are getting new principals , with more to come. • Eight Hillsborough County schools have new principals assigned. Property taxes: Florida lawmakers sent a property tax homestead exemption expansion referendum to voters for the November ballot. School district taxes are not included. • The Jacksonville City Council has delayed its decision whether to place a Duval County school district property tax referendum on the November ballot, Jacksonville Today reports. New College development: The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport’s new leader has cleared New College to build a baseball field that’s partially on airport land, WUSF reports. The action might conflict with FAA directions. End of course exams: An Osceola County teen earned a perfect score on Florida’s U.S. History end of course exam. Officials said it was a statistical anomaly and made him take it again , the Orlando Sentinel reports. Course lists: Florida lawmakers gave the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors more authority to rewrite general education course lists , rather than vote only on what schools propose, Inside Higher Ed reports. Charter schools: A Duval County charter school has let go more than a dozen staff members as the board of directors restructures operations , First Coast News reports. Budgets: The Florida Education Association slammed the Legislature’s 2026-27 budget as failing to support public schools, Florida Politics reports. • Orange County superintendent Maria Vazquez said the state’s 2027 budget does not adequately meet the needs of the district, which is closing schools and slashing jobs, Spectrum 13 reports. From the police blotter ... A Miami-Dade County high school teacher was arrested on accusations of unlawful sexual activity with a minor , WTVJ reports. • A Lee County school district payroll administrator was arrested on federal Medicaid fraud charges stemming from a previous job in Connecticut, WINK reports. “This year, more than 100,000 students will graduate with bachelor’s degrees from Florida universities. As they step into the workforce, many will search for work that fills their lives with meaning. My advice is simple: If you want purpose, teach.” — James Shuls , Head of Education Liberty at FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics ( Tampa Bay Times ) “Was it ageism? Anti DEI? Yes, we are older, unlike the average college-age student. Yes, we are inclusive of retirees with professional pedigrees. And yes, our curriculum offers equal weight to all manner of the humanities.” — Norma Orovitz , retired Miami News reporter, on Florida International University canceling its Lifelong Learning Institute ( Miami Herald ) “In the coming weeks and months, supporters will no doubt be touting the tax savings to Floridians as the economy continues to sour, while critics such as cities and counties highlight the risk to public benefits, including public safety. What they won’t have to talk about now, though, is school funding, and that’s largely thanks to a handful of state lawmakers who took a chance and demanded change. ” — Peter Schorsch , Florida Politics publisher, on Florida’s property tax referendum ( Florida Politics )Student recruitment firm Caissa K12 conducted a survey of Florida parents on their views about school choice. Which of these was not part of its findings?a) Two-thirds of families are satisfied with their child’s current schoolb) More than half of families are planning or considering a school changec) More than half of families rated Florida public schools fair or poorFind the answers in the survey summary from Caissa K12 . Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup . The Tampa Bay Times Education Hub reports on Florida’s schools and universities and the students they serve. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here .

Pasco schools cut nearly 500 jobs ahead of expected enrollment decline

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