Although the Manatee County School District has already cut $44 million from its annual operating budget over the last two school years, the district is expecting an additional cut of $6 million to $15 million for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year, according to the district´s finance deparment. This additional budget cut is the result of reduced state sales tax collections and decreasing property tax values; as well as potential costs increases in Florida Retirement premiums, health insurance premiums, step increases for employees, and unemployment costs.
Florida´s state legislature is scheduled to meet from Tuesday, March 2, 2010 to Friday, April 30, 2010. The state budget developed during that legislative session will ultimately determine the depth and scope of budget cuts in the Manatee School District.
We are interested to hear your thoughts and ideas on these potential cuts. Please read the following information and provide us with your input.
Thank you for your interest in education in Manatee County.
As we work through the tough budget months ahead, we need your help in crafting a plan that impacts our students the least while meeting our strict budgetary requirements. Here are some budget reduction points to keep in mind as we face these current and future cuts:
| 1. | Will the proposed change negatively impact achievement of our strategic objectives in our strategic plan, EdVantage? |
| 2. | Will the proposed reduction impact student achievement? If so, how? |
| 3. | Will the proposed reduction impact the safety of students? If so, how? |
| 4. | Is there a potential impact on the Manatee Education Association (MEA) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) negotiated agreements? If yes, what? |
| 5. | Will proposed reduction impact the class size for core courses? If yes, how? |
| 6. | Will proposed reductions impact the District by displacing personnel? If yes, how? |
| 7. | Is the function of the services impacted required by law? If yes, how? |
| 8. | How will the cut affect our level of service to students and teachers? |
| 9. | Proposed reductions must not violate required services as provided for in an Individual Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, etc. |
| PTA Budget Talking Points in PDF | |
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Click for School Board 2009-2010 Budget by Fund
Frequently Asked Questions
We encourage our staff and community to voice questions and concerns as we work through these budget cuts. You can submit them via email to budgetinfo@manateeschools.net. As we receive your input regarding budget cuts for the current school year and for 2010-2011, we will post answers to those questions and concerns on our web site: www.manateeschools.net > HOT TOPICS > BUDGET. The purpose of the email hotline is to quell unfounded rumors by providing realistic and rational responses from District Officials with direct knowledge of the budgetary process.
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QUESTION: Aren´t we top heavy as a school district? ANSWER: One of the things we were really proud of as a school district is the percentage of total operating expenditures we funnel into our classrooms. In fact, when you compare the Manatee District to the six other districts in the state of Florida closest to our size (38,000 students to 43,000 students), you´ll see that Manatee ranks No. 3 in the percentage of total expenditures spent on instruction. See the following chart for details:
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QUESTION: I´ve heard summer school is being canceled this year. Any truth to that rumor? ANSWER: Summer school has been reduced to a very basic level of service. QUESTION: What is going on in other districts? Are the cuts they are facing as deep as ours? ANSWER: The cuts are as deep or deeper in other school districts. To see for yourself, please visit the “Budget Cuts in Other Districts” link to find stories about those districts.
School District of Manatee County |
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QUESTION: Is the Manatee County School District expecting another budget cut for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year? ANSWER: Yes. Our initial projection is that we may need to cut an additional $6 million to $15 million depending on what takes place in the upcoming session of the state legislature. |
QUESTION: Why is the school district enduring more budget cuts? ANSWER: For two basic reasons. First, we are expecting some cost increases that we simply can´t avoid. We´re expecting an increase in our retirement contributions, utility cost increases and salary issues that are subject to collective bargaining. Also, we don´t expect that the state will fully fund our Class-Size Amendment costs. |
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For a full Question & Answer Budget Interview with Jim Drake, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services - CLICK HERE | ||
Para una Pregunta y Contestación completa sobre la Entrevista del Presupuesto con Jim Drake, Asistente Superintendente para Servicios de Negocios - Haga Clic Aquí | ||
Brainstormed Ideas based on the following Guidelines:
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Potential Savings |
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| 1 | Reduce District Office positions and levels of service (In 08-09 and 09-10 118 positions were eliminated) |
Amount TBA |
| 2 | Eliminate the subsidy for Employee + 2 health insurance (Price health ins. Actuarially) | 2,984,297 |
| 3 | Require two (2) days without pay | 1,822,664 |
| 4 | Eliminate Media Specialist at Elementary schools, replace with aide | 1,623,732 |
| 5 | Eliminate one specials teacher at elementary, replace with a teacher assistant | 1,249,182 |
| 6 | Review the cost and curricular supplements (guidance, media, team leader, department chair, vocational ag, test coordinator, ESE Secondary Chair, Child Study Team Coordinator, remote school, etc. < MORE INFORMATION > | 1,081,401 |
| 7 | Eliminate STAR program teacher positions (16) | 1,072,000 |
| 8 | Close one middle school | 1,000,000 |
| 9 | Reduce or eliminate extra curricular supplements such as sports, dance, music, academic, student group leaders, etc. | 974,464 |
| 10 | Eliminate another basic aide at each elementary school (replace with sub) | 371,484 |
| 11 | Schools share media specialists. | 804,892 |
| 12 | Close one elementary school | 750,000 |
| 13 | Reduce or eliminate supplements for Education/Training for non-teaching staff. 21 certificate incentives, 39 masters degrees, 32 doctoral degrees, 47 AA/AS degrees & 68 bachelors degrees. < MORE INFORMATION > | 602,566 |
| 14 | No new hires, use long term subs (25 instances @ $18,500 per) | 462,500 |
| 15 | High Schools: hire some teachers for 1st semester only (when enrollment is high) | 441,630 |
| 16 | Reduce one elective teacher at each high school | 378,540 |
| 17 | Eliminate the subsidy for Employee + 1 health insurance (Price health ins. Actuarially) | 319,657 |
| 18 | Reduce or eliminate School Resource Officers at elementary schools | 300,000 |
| 19 | Eliminate the extra days for guidance counselors | 138,570 |
| 20 | Eliminate the extra days for media specialists | 43,000 |
| 21 | School Board Assess .25 mill critical needs property tax | 6,365,500 |
| Total Dollar Amount of Brainstormed Ideas | 22,786,078 | |
You may submit questions, comments and suggestions to
budgetinfo@manateeschools.net
Please do not send attachments with your email, if you have lengthy suggestions
please write them in the body of the email, thank you.
You may also call the Budget Hotline to leave suggestions at 708-8770 extension 2233
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Contact Your Legislators to
Help Save Education in Florida!
The following link is to a Word document that you may download
and fill in the name of the legistlator and your name (optional)
and print for mailing to the legislators listed below.
Sample Letter to Legislator
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Senator Mike Bennett (R) (District 21) 3653 Cortez Road West, Suite 90 Bradenton, FL 34210 Phone:(941) 727-6349 FAX:(941) 727-6352 email:bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov |
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Senator Arthenia L, Joyner (D) (District 18) 508 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Suite C Tampa, FL 33603-3415 Phone:(813) 233-4277 FAX:(888) 263-7871 email:joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov |
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Representative Ron Reagan (R) (District 67) 7011 15th Street East, Suite B1 Sarasota, FL 34243-6205 Phone:(941) 727-6447 FAX:(941) 727-6449 email:Ron.Reagan@myfloridahouse.gov |
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Representative Bill Galvano (R) (District 68) 1023 Manatee Avenue West, Suite 715 Bradenton, FL 34205 Phone:(941) 708-4968 FAX:(941) 708-4970 email:Bill.Galvano@myfloridahouse.gov |
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Representative Darryl Rouson (D) (District 55) 302 Manatee Avenue East, Suite 304 Bradenton, FL 34208 Phone:(941) 708-8570 FAX:(941) 708-8572 darryl.rouson@myfloridahouse.gov |
| Please Note: Using the First Class email system to contact legislators is not consistent with SDMC policy. However, please be encouraged to do so using your personal computer on your own. |
Get Involved with Other Parent and Teacher Groups
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Please watch this video to find out more about budget issues in the Manatee County School District and how you can get involved. |
Fund Education Now.org is a permanent grassroots, non-partisan group created by parents to inspire and empower voters to advocate on behalf of Florida´s children.
Fund Education Now
“50th No More” is a non-partisan, grassroots organization designed to fight back against budget cuts to our great public schools.
www.50thnomore.org
A non-profit group of parents, teachers, principals, and volunteers have come together as Floridians for Quality Education to support public education. We want to recruit residents and elected officials to help us advocate for better funding for public schools in the future.
www.makeeducationapriority.org
Florida Education Association sponsored web site
www.makeourschoolsapriority.org
HONESTY & INTEGRITY ARE VITAL!
Decisions about the budget will be made by our School Board in public board meetings.
The agenda and agenda materials are available for each School Board
meeting 7 days ahead of time @ manateeschools.net.