Today's news

DID YOU GO TO THE TEACH-IN? Lots of parents and community members did, telling kids about their jobs and hobbies. Students learned about sky diving, banking - heck, even journalism. More than 63,000 folks volunteered in Pinellas alone. If you didn't make it, think about it next year. (Times photo, Ken Helle)

SEEKING MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHERS: UF and FSU team up to win $10-million in grants that will help them jointly recruit and train educators in the high-demand fields.

SHOULD MUSLIM GIRLS WEAR HIJABS AT SCHOOL? Even Muslim girls aren't of one mind on the topic.

NAME THAT SCHOOL: It's Hernando County's turn to choose new school names, and the recommendations have begun. They range from the serious - Jessica Lunsford Elementary - to the less so. Neverland, anyone?

NEW ENTRY IN PASCO RACE: Florida Turnpike spokeswoman Joanne Hurley, a retired teacher, announces her candidacy for Pasco School Board.

TOP EMPLOYEES: Hernando recognizes its school-related employees of the year tonight. Click here for the list of winners.

WHO'S IN CHARGE: A lawsuit over whether Florida lawmakers or the Board of Governors have the power to set tuition gets under way, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

DON'T TASE HIM, BRO: A school resource officer uses her stun gun to take down a student involved in a fight at a Brevard high school, Florida Today reports.

ANOTHER CHARTER CHALLENGE: Broward joins the growing list of districts ready to fight the state over who can authorize charter schools, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

TAX COLLECTIONS DOWN AGAIN: State economists reveal that revenue is down for a second straight year, and reduce their forecast for the coming year by $2.5-billion, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

MONTHS AWAY: Martin teachers and the district declare impasse in contract talks, pushing resolution far into the future, the Palm Beach Post reports.

UNPOPULAR IN TEXAS, TOO: As in Florida, a majority of school districts in Texas have rejected that state's merit pay plan, the Dallas Morning News reports.

REVISING HEAD START: A bill to expand access to the preschool program and boost the teachers' qualifications is headed to President Bush's desk, the Washington Post reports.

Comments

[Tax Collections Down Again]

When will there be a blog entry about the impact of losing another $2.4 billion between now and the end of the 2008-2009 FY off of the already dire estimates of state revenues? This is the most important public education issue out there.

If the state cuts 40% of the $1 billion lost from public education, another $400 million must be shaved from the current year budget that already was reduced by $400 million in recurring revenue just 5 short weeks ago. If this happens, public education will receive a recurring increase of LESS than the increase received from property tax increases (largely the RLE).

Also, with 5 months already gone from the fiscal year, the impact of a $400 million cut (about 2.5% of the total education budget) would be doubled with only half a year to absorb the entire fiscal year's cut.

With nearly $600 million in year over year increased CSR costs, the state will have provided less than nothing for those costs if the cuts have to be made.

What is even more concerning is that even if nothing else happens this year, a huge cut would be needed next year. They have spent all summer and fall in Tallahassee and haven't accomplished one good thing.

Finally, if the Legislators are looking for a cheap (it doesn't cost them a dime) way to help revitalize the economy, they should undo the state mandated school calendar dates. If the public schools open two weeks earlier, they will move the impact of the state's expenditure on public education 4% earlier into the fiscal year which could spur some additional economic impact. Teachers, custodians, bus drivers and others who are not on 12 month contracts would start earning money (and spending it) earlier, which could help to move us to recovery.