Education Cuts County-By-County

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009 12:29:04 AM

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Brevard County:

MONEY:

The district is expecting to receive $24.3 million in stimulus money.
They are looking to cut $33 million down from the original $66 million.
The district was facing a $100 million reduction next year if the funding picture didn't change but the state legislature was able to find ways to cut down the debt.
Preston said the district is losing $10.5 million in the operating budget and $20 million in the capital budget.
Homeowners will likely see thier school property taxes rise $25 per $100,000 of their home's assessed value.
Superintendent Richard DiPatri said he would present an updated list of proposed cuts to the school board at a special budget meeting on May 19.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

Brevard has lost about 1,770 students since October, so some teaching jobs could be eliminated.
They’ve already made some cuts to busing, especially summer busing programs.
Departments such as facilities have lost about 20 percent of their staff through attrition. This likely will continue.
School Board Members slashed their salaries by more than 6 percent.
Brevard Federation of Teachers accepted a two-year salary freeze for teachers and service staff.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

Superintendent Richard DiPatri is asking all district employees to consider a pay cut.
946 positions - or 9 percent - have been identified to be eliminated if the district needs to trim $80 million from budget.
Potential layoffs include 378 teachers and more than 550 staff members, including administrators, bus drivers, office clerks and custodians.
Freshman and junior varsity sports could be cut.

Flagler County:

MONEY:

Budget shortfall could run between $12 million and $25 million. School in 2008 started with $7.5 million less than the previous year.
If the latest budget proposals in the legislature go forward, according to the Senate proposal, Flagler would receive $2 million more.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

Already put plans into place to save money- including eliminating bus routes and activity buses, eliminating vacated non-classroom positions

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

Flagler County School Superintendent Bill Delbrugge wrote in a report to legislators, “Massive changes, including layoffs, across the board pay cuts and program eliminations will result if the only response at the state level to declining revenue projections is to cut the state budget.”

Lake County:

MONEY:

District officials expect they'll have to trim an estimated $42 million from the budget for the 2009-10 school year.
If the latest budget proposals in the legislature go forward, according to the Senate proposal, Lake would receive $3 million more.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

Hiring freeze on all positions other than load-bearing instructional positions
All new hires are classified as “temporary”
As of March 23, 2009: School Board ordered principals and district-level administrators to take a four-day furlough next school year.
Is also closing schools one day a week during summer to reduce utility costs.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

More than 200 Lake County School employees could lose their jobs next year. The potential layoffs include:
88 instructional positions- teachers, media specialists and guidance counselors
11 assistant principals
About 87 non-instructional positions- teacher aids, secretaries and janitors
Proposed cutting as much as 3% from salaries of district=level personnel and 2% from Superintendent Susan Moxley's salary. Board members may take similar cut.

GET INVOLVED:

The district is taking suggestions on the budget reductions

Marion County:

MONEY:

Based on a 16% reduction, funding shortfall totals $44 million.
If the latest budget proposals in the legislature go forward, according to the Senate proposal, Marion would receive $1 million more.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

2008-2009 School year:
Marion School District did not renew contracts with 522 first- and second-year teachers for next year
Froze all open positions
Implemented 4-day summer work week and consolidated summer program locations
Eliminated Truancy Center and district-funded field trips
Cut 49 positions from business operations staff

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

Further reduce district and school staff and support services
Reorganize and/or reduce number of schools
Reduce salaries for district and 12-month employees
More cuts expected in transportation

Orange County:

MONEY:

As of April 13, 2009, Orange County updated their estimates, saying it would have to slash $43 million from the 2009-2010 school budget.
In March 2009, the school district estimated cuts to grow to more than $240 million.
In 2008-2009, Orange County schools lost about $93 million in state funding.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

The district has already cut about 600 jobs, mostly administrative.
School Board leaders changed school start times to avoid opening new schools, cut down on teacher costs and saved transportation money. However, public outcry lead the board to reverse this decision.
Orange Co. School Board Members have cut their salaries.
As of March 24, 2009 (still subject to final vote): School Board Members decide to close the following elementary schools:
Maxey Elementary
Kaley Elementary
Grand Avenue Elementary
Richmond Heights Elementary
Hillcrest Elementary
Pine Castle Elementary
WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

Orange County school leaders are seriously considering cutting some of the district's sports programs as a way to trim the budget for next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
These are the freshman sports that would be lost:

Football: 17 high schools
Cheerleading: 17 high schools
Boys basketball: 17 high schools
Girls basketball: 10 high schools*
Girls volleyball: 6 high schools*
*There are only 10 girls basketball teams and 6 girls volleyball teams.

Orange County school leaders are cutting field trips, and planning cuts to sports and arts.
Orange County school officials are proposing to close as many as eight small elementary schools next year, hoping to save up to $8 million to partially offset expected budget cuts.
Schools targeted for possible closure include:

Ivey Lane Elementary
Rock Lake Elementary

Osceola County:

MONEY:

Going into the 2008-09 school year, the district will receive $245 less per student than for the current year, a total cut of $447 per student over two years, district officials said. They are facing a $61 million shortfall.
If the latest budget proposals in the legislature go forward, according to the Senate proposal, Osceola would be short $3 million.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

The district is restricting out-of-state travel and taking back any funds not spent from the current year’s budget that are usually rolled over to the next year.
Two alternative programs for students who had difficulty in traditional high school settings closed in March.
As of March 24, 2009: Superintendent Michael Grego unveiled an officer reorganization plan that includes pay cuts and transfers for top-level employees. Chief Administration Officer and Chief of School Operations positions eliminated.
Five resource teacher positions from the district's department of curriculum and instruction have been eliminated.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

To help reduce the budget, the School Board will eliminate what it calls “extraordinary salary savings.”
The proposed cuts include reduced appropriations for drivers education, reading and math/science coaches, elementary swim programs, band and chorus fees for district and state competitions, the school health program, national student competitions, Jumpstart and Osceola County School for the Arts auditorium-use for schools and departments.
The district plans to cut school budgets by 2.5 percent and cut department budgets by 3 percent.
Employees will only work four days a week during the summer and Fund 100 resource specialists, who are paid with state dollars, will be reduced in order to save money.

Seminole County:

MONEY:

As of April 21, 2009, Superintendent Bill Vogel says Seminole Co. Schools are expecting budget cuts between $14 and $20 million. (Assuming the state gets the federal stimulus money.)
Bill Vogel, superintendent of Seminole County schools, said the hit for his school system would be $8.6 million, to be absorbed through the remainder of the current school year. The estimated loss for next school year is $65.5 million, Vogel said. Worst-case estimates in Seminole County could go as high as $78 million.
If the latest budget proposals in the legislature go forward, according to the Senate proposal, Seminole would be short $2 million.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

During the 2007-2008 school year, Seminole cut more than 200 teaching positions. Those teachers laid off were largely in non-core classes.
Teachers have agreed not to take raises.
As of March 24, 2009: School Board votes to allow Vogel to begin chopping $40 million from next year's budget- He will now notify as many as 317 employees that their jobs are being eliminated, including 154 of the district's 4,300 teachers. The second round would reduce employee pay by 2%.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

Health care costs will be increasing. The school district voted April 28 not to accept bids on health insurance.
The school board is considering an increase in millage rates to make up for the revenue shortfall.
School District estimates as many as1,200 positions could be eliminated at the end of this school year. The decision is due May 1.
Teachers, maintenance workers, secretaries, bus drivers and other of the district's about 8,000 employees all are at risk, officials said.
Other proposed cuts include: buying fewer textbooks, reducing student busing, shrinking summer school, reducing kindergarten to a half-day, dropping curriculum consultants and shutting down the Environmental Studies Center.

Volusia County:

MONEY:

News 13's Jacqueline Fell reports May 12 the district still needs to cut $20 million and add a rainy day fund (State requires there be $12 million, which is about 3 percent of school budget).
As of April 14, 2009, Volusia County Superintendent Margaret Smith warned as much as $25 million may have to be cut from the school district budget for the year starting July 1.
Estimates released in March 24, 2009 show Volusia faces a loss of $82 million for the 2009-2010 school year. The latest estimate -- up from $60 million just last month -- is based on the most recent state sales-tax projections and expected declines in real estate values that would result in lower property tax collections.
If the latest budget proposals in the legislature go forward, according to the Senate proposal, Volusia would be short $9 million.

WHAT’S BEEN DONE:

Volusia is losing approximately 1,100 students next school year. In the past two years, they've lost 2,500 students.
In 2008, Volusia closed seven schools and laid off 220 teachers.
In 2009, Volusia County School Board cut their own salaries by 2 percent.
The school district cut junior varsity spring sports, curtailed the use of substitutes and delayed some construction.
Districtwide competitions such as music festivals, science and social studies fairs were canceled.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN:

Funds for interscholastic academic competitions, substitute teachers, official travel, and use of district vehicles have been reduced.
Summer school, athletics and cheerleading are at risk.
A four-day week and closing more small schools have also been discussed.
Could close more schools and could shed advanced and early-college classes.

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