STATE LEGISLATURE DEALS EDUCATION RECORD CUTS;
DISTRICT PROPOSES NEW PLAN

(Bradenton, FL - May 9, 2008) The Florida Legislature ended its 2008 session on Friday, May 2, 2008 with a record $4 billion in budget cuts caused by a statewide decline in sales tax revenues, according to the Miami Herald. Public education absorbed the biggest blow, receiving a $2.3 billion reduction in funding.

“Destructive budget cuts will have a huge impact on our public schools when classes begin in August. Floridians will see schools closed, programs curtailed, teachers and other school employees laid off. There will be an array of changes, few of them good, when school convenes for the 2008-09 school year. In a state that has underfunded education for decades, it´s a grim situation.”

Belita Grassel, President
Lake County Education Association
Orlando Sentinel, May 4, 2008

With the help of considerable input and conversation with district administrators, teachers, support personnel, students and the community, district officials have been working on a plan to cut the Manatee District´s 2008-2009 budget by $21.4 million. The goal is to avoid as many layoffs as possible while making the cuts so the district can maintain and maximize the level of service to our students.

Now that the legislative session is over, the district is ready to unveil an updated proposal to meet the $21.4 million reduction required to balance the 2008-2009 budget. Some of the key features of the updated proposal include:

• A 10.8% cut to district support departments resulting in $5.6 million in savings.
• A reduction in school budgets of more than $5 million focused on the elimination of vacant positions. Originally, the proposed cut to school budgets was $8.7 million.
• No step increase for all district employees (pending negotiation) for the 2008-2009 school year, resulting in a savings of more than $3 million.
• A continuation and expansion of the district´s energy-savings plan, which is projected to save $1.4 million.
• A 1% salary reduction (pending negotiation) for instructional employees, teacher aides, teacher assistants, parent liaisons, support non-bargaining employees, support employees represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; substitutes, principals, assistant principals and Supervisory Administrative and Managerial Personnel (SAMP) pay grades 1 through 14.
• A 2% salary reduction for District SAMP Leadership at pay grades D-15 and above.
• School Board members and the School Board Attorney have indicated they will donate 4% of their salaries to the Manatee Education Foundation, which provides private funding to enhance the educational experience in Manatee District classrooms.
• The Superintendent has indicated he will ask the school board to reduce his salary by 2%; and he will donate an additional 2% to the Manatee Education Foundation.
• The combination of the above salary cuts exceeds $2.3 million.

A complete rundown of the proposed budget reductions is being sent out with this release.

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