Stormy seas

The budget news just keeps getting worse for Florida education. Last week, The Gradebook reported that the long-anticipated cut in revenues to Florida school districts for this fiscal year will be $355.2-million. What that means: Remember the budget your school district approved over the summer? Forget about it. It was based on the belief that the district would get a certain amount of revenue. Now, that figure will be far less than expected -- $14.4-million less in Pinellas, for example.

By the end of last week, however, word came that the revenue decline will be even more severe. Lanse Johansen, the chief business officer for Pinellas schools, tells the School Board in a memo that he has learned of an additional cut of about $7-million in March.

Again, we're not talking about next year's budget. It's this year's already approved budget. Next year's budget, according to Johansen, will need to be cut by at least $40-million, Johansen says, not the $36-million originally envisioned. All of this assumes there will be no raises for district employees this year or next, he says.

"I am sorry to be the bearer of such bad news," Johansen wrote, "but it is clear that we still have another 18 months or so before we can expect any major economic recovery for our state funding system."

The budget will be on the agenda when the School Board meets in a workshop tomorrow.

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Comments

[another teacher, not retired]

retired teacher, you are my hero (heroine?)!!!!!! you are right on!!!!

[Tony]

It seems most of the teachers that had something to say believe as I do, that the district level is to loaded up. It is time to reduce admin costs.

Why all the doom and gloom? Sansom said just yesterday that "now should be a time to celebrate all of the Republican legislators who got re-elected." Listen to your leaders and celebrate!

[Secretary]

The parking lot at the TAJ is sometimes times FULL because because new teacher orientations & trainings are held there. I invite you to come take a walk thru and see just how many areas are void of staff!

[retired teacher]

The parking lot at the TAJ is full during the day, so there must be lots of people pushing paper there. Get rid of half of them. Let the ones who would be left there add an hour to their day (without extra pay) and make them accountable for how they spend their day.

Those site based administrators who sit and talk on the phone all day and have little pow wows document how they spend their day. Teachers see them wasting lots of time.

The special assignment people need a new assignment.....the classroom. If they are so great, put them where they can demonstrate their expertise. They have been wandering in and out of classroom checking, doing those idiotic walkthroughs. They have been preparing to go back to the classroom by taking notes on what they learn, NOW let them use all that info and TEACH children instead of annoying teachers.

Since teachers have received no extra $$$$$ for their added responsibilities, park some buses and save some $$$$$$ by sending kids to their neighborhood schools or let the parents arrange transportation. Don't say we promised them grandfathering. Charlie promised to hold education harmless. He lied; so it must be all right to change your mind.

School board needs to tell parents that they should be happy that there is a close to home school for their children. You told the teachers to be happy that they have a job.

Audit the books. Audit the books. Audit the books. Audit the books. Look at the organizational chart. Look at how many ESE supervisors there are, cut some of them. IEPs can be perused at their leisure. Let them spend time at night doing some of their paperwork. Teachers do.

So much can be done, but it takes a backbone to do it.

Audit the books! Audit the books!Audit the books. Find the slush funds. Get rid of grandfathered bussing in Pinellas. Cut subject area supervisors, curriculum developers, and other worthless administrative positions so they can practice what they preach.Put them back in the classroom. No more rehiring adminsitrators after they retire. Start at the top. Protect the classroom.

not right about diesel prices if has gone down from $4.50 to under $3.00 an I should know I drive a diesel

[terminator]

Tony and Allison,
good points. don't let them fool you. over the past ten years (prior to this past budget year), the state provided on average 8% annual increases per year.
what the fatcats at the districts would have you believe is they've squeezed every last bit of money they possibly can and now they're cutting into "bone".
Well don't believe it. They're full of bull****!
They'll try every slimy, underhanded trick they can to avoid cutting upper management and excessive executive compensation for their friends and cronies.
Just today there was an article about Florida University Presidents making over $700K per year yet they whine about how the legislature doesn't give them enough money, how they won't be able to afford raises for the rank and file and then they turn around and raise tuition putting the burden on the backs of students.
These guys should all be exterminated.
What they are too dumb to realize is the GOP legislators hate these guys guts more than anything you can ever imagine and it will be a joy to cut their budgets this year by another 10-15% just for the privalege of watching them writhe in pain.
So just keep on cutting from the bottom hogs and you'll be sealing your own fate at the same time.
We're going to shred their budgets like they're a hunk of parmesan cheese and we're Tony Soprano eating a big bowl of spaghetti.
The vise continues to tighten. These guys won't do the right thing so unfortunately, we're forced to do it for them.

I don't get the comment about Culp's face. That is the way she always looks.

Why are we picking on Pinellas County Administrators when it was the Legisalture that passed a bogus budget in May. In July, they admitted that 4% of their budget was a lie. They held an additional 2% or 3% of additional cuts to themselves until two weeks after the election was over. HHHMMMM. Liars do not get rewarded in the end. Bush got his war, but eventually the "people" figured out what he was and his approval/disapproval rates reflect the fact that we know. The leadership of the Florida Legislature better work to recreate a small amount of credibility for themselves because eventually people will get rid of people they don't trust.

[BBMOM]

Thanks for the info MC. Last time I looked the diesel was still very high and didn't seem to be dropping like the regular gas prices.

I also believe one of the supervisors at the transportation office told me that they get their gas from a distributor and are quoted a set price for the year. Sounds like we need to renegotiate the contract if that is the case.

[Mr. Concerned]

not right about diesel prices if has gone down from $4.50 to under $3.00 an I should know I drive a diesel

[BBMOM]

To all the questions about fuel cost savings. I believe the buses are diesel and diesel prices have actually gone up. I hope I am wrong about the gas source for the buses.

[Secretary]

I work for PCSB in a support position, and am here to tell you that many of the supervisors & staff had additional responsibilities piled on when the budget cuts hit last year. We all pitch in and work together to get things done, but you can only cut so much before it becomes impossible to do it in an effective manner! And don’t think for a minute that additional cuts in the Admin. Bldg. won’t impact the classrooms. As for no raises again… well I do consider myself fortunate (thus far) to even have a job. But it goes without saying it’s difficult to figure out how I’m going to cover just the Progress Energy increase alone…

[pirate]

And meanwhile over in Pasco county, thousands have
been spent on "clickers". Oh yeah, that money came
from a different categorical and grants. What a waste!

[Alison]

Alison, just to clarify: My position with the district is a "support service" position. Unfortunately, I don't get paid more than what you posted. However, it really has to do with performing ones duties that they are being paid to do. No matter what the pay is. I realize it's everyones responsibility to "cut back" during this economic crisis, I agree with you. It's just that I don't see the cut backs in the school system as being spread out evenly enough for fairness. (Smile)

and Tom: I appreciate your comments, but unfortunately, my position is that the school system should be happy that I am willing to continue to perform a workload that, as I stated in my original comment, doubled 6 years ago. And that I still put my best foot forward every day. Forgive me if I'm not feeling so thankful right now.

[Tom]

Two things Alison. One is that you seem to be able to point the finger at everyone else but yourself and you are a department head. Perhaps you need to have your job combined with another department if you have the time to see what everyone else is doing. Remember Alison when you point at others you have three fingers pointing at yourself.
Secondly I suggest you look around at your friends and neighbors to see that no one has been getting any raises lately and better yet none of your neighbors get a fully funded pension and as many days off as you get as a school board employee. As far as I am concerned you ought to be very quiet right now and be happy that you are still employed under this budget crisis and that you have all the benefits that most other working class people have not enjoyed for years.

[Alison]

Alison, the avg teacher makes around 35-40K/year and you're a supervisor, so I know you make more than that. Your ends should be meeting in all kinds of ways. Try living on less. We all have to cut back. Spare me the rhetoric.

[Tony]

district spokeswoman Andrea Zahn What does she make a yr? How much do we need a district spokeswoman? Is this a FULL TIME position? What does she do besides press releases? Seriously people, stop being sheep, do not believe everything in print or press releases from the school board.

[Tony]

Alison - That is exactly what I am talking about.

gloucester - Fuel was budgeted a few months ago when it was much higher. We should be seeing a savings, right?
I could not run for school board, I am a private industry person and my mindset would not be welcome by all the whiners like you. I do what needs to be done to keep costs down and my production people( teachers) taken care of. How is there vice-pricipals and pricipals that don't have a school they work for?

[Tom]

I think we ought to ask the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association's Jade Moore, the union's executive director, as to what should be cut. This man thought he had the answers while he sat on the TBRC so let's give him a chance to speak out on this problem. Also let's cut some money out of the McKay Scholarship Fund and while we are at it put an income cap on its' availability as well. Currently a parent can be earning a million dollars a year and still qualify for the McKay Scholarship which is nothing more than a school voucher under a different name.

[Alison]

Myself and my husband work for Pinellas County Schools. Exactly how long are we supposed to continue with no raise while the costs of groceries, water and insurance rates are continuing to go up. Electricity is anticipated to be some 20% higher beginning in January....and it goes on and on and on. In our household alone we have, in essence, stopped living just to make ends meet. The school system needs to change gears drastically. We have too many "high end" positions that are not needed. We don't have anywhere near the number of students that we had 10 years ago. But yet, we have probably about 20% more non school based administrative positions filled right now. I DO NOT want to work another day without at least a cost of living increase until I start seeing some of the "higher ups" doubling their workload like I had to do about 6 years ago. If the positions were doubled up like the little guys are, that would take care of a huge chunk of the money it is projected to take to run our schools. Instead of all this "outsourcing" of tasks, why aren't the people already in the positions being made accountable for their work performance? Write them up, when they get three -- fire them and get replacements. There are lots of people out there that would be GLAD to have a job and value it enough to do the job well. I see it all day long at the school I work at, plant operations staff spending most of their day just hanging around and talking to one another. Ask them to do something and it takes longer for them to rattle off all of their excuses as to why they can't than it would've taken me to just do it myself. The same goes for all of these "teacher Assistants". No person, supervisors or department heads, are making these people accountable for their actions on the job. Get rid of the deadbeats and hire the people who appreciate having a job. And start with the supervisors that aren't seeing to these positions. As a department head, I feel I have an obligation to make sure that my department is functioning in a cost effective manner that is conducive to our school's educational goals.

[Jayson]

Republican, Democrat, or Independent......for the sake of our young folks, please don't cut education. For the sake of our older folks, please don't cut public safety (police, fire, EMS). Charlie, you have asked the state to do more with less. Thanks for the tax cuts.

[gloucester]

Who knows what fuel costs will be next year?

What is your basis for saying that the non-teaching personnel are twice that of teaching? Include Bus Drivers? Custodians? Payroll People? All those folks who have a job because the school system is over regulated? Hey, why don't you run for School Board and save us all money.

[Tony]

Lee - When your power bill or grocery bill goes up, what do you do? Do you go to your boss and take more money? Or do you cut back? If we can cut back, the school board can. The budget has risen more than 50% in the last 4 yrs, they need to stop being greedy. They did not think for a second that the tax revenue might drop, and if they did, they figured they would just raise taxes.. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE YOU THINK THAT IS OKAY? YOU A TEACHER? I would bet if we asked the teachers, they would say ADMIN is way to heavy.

[George]

Every tax supported-entity in the western world must tighten its belt, including the Pinellas school district.

There is a reduction in students in the district now compared to the number of several years ago.

If there is a reduction in students, why should there not be a reduction in school revenues?

[Mr. Concerned]

if the already approved budget has now been thrown out the window as you say then that probably means that any district that has already agreed to a employee compensation packages now we'll go out the window to ?

[Tony]

Lee - Why not? Pinellas has more than 2 times non teaching staff than teaching. There is always waste to be cut. They need to dig down and find it.

[Lee]

Tony,
You can't cut, cut, cut $40 million. What non-teaching staff is left--a few people here and there.

[LDH]

So much for the future education of our children in Pinellas County! Just another reason to move out of this district! I bet there will be plenty of money to dump into an unnecessary waterfront ball park because baseball and the revenue it brings is much more important than the future of our kids.

[Tony]

Why is the Times pulling posts? I asked about fuel saving, since prices are falling. What is the budget for fuel for the 08/09 school yr? What are the new projections with the drop in fuel costs?

[Tony]

What was the projected fuel costs for 2008 -2009? Are we going to see savings in fuel as we should. Cut back on energy use. Take away all but the most important vehicles. Cut Cut Cut

[Tony]

Cut Cut Cut, but do not for One Second think you are going to raise taxes. Non-Teaching staff is way to high. Reduce school board executive positions, cut salaries to top level people. Fuel costs have dropped, is this going to help the budget? Or do we just forget about that? I am trusting the new board to protect the people and manage on what you have.

Unbelieveable!!!