Superintendent Recommends Two Different Budget Resolutions, One Cutting $11 Million, the Other Cutting $17 Million

BRADENTON – The funding situation has gone from bad to worse in regards to the Manatee County School Board. No matter what, 54 positions will be eliminated, employees will be forced to take furlough days and budget cuts will directly affect the classroom. However, the difference in how many furlough days and how much comes out of the classroom boils down to the district’s self insurance plan. For the first time in months, Superintendent McGonegal admitted we need to hire someone else to take it over.

”I believe we should seriously consider moving from a self-insured product for health insurance to a fully insured health insurance product. That way, we wouldn’t need the extra $6 million,“ said McGonegal.

The Superintendent gave two recommendations in budget cuts for the school board to consider on Monday night – one for $11 million and one for $17 million. Because of the cuts made by the Florida Legislature, the school board must slash $11 million from their budget in 2011-12. The other six million of possible cuts would provide a reserve for the self-funded health insurance fund, which is required by Florida law.

Both plans would remove a number of employee positions including elementary resource officers. Both would lower salaries through retirement plans, outsource custodians and decrease board-provided life insurance.

District teacher Starla Galetta opposed eliminating resource officers. She talked about her own struggles growing up in an abusive household and how children need resource officers to confide in.

”In Mississippi, I lived a hard life,“ said Galetta. ”I wonder sometimes if only there had been someone I could have talked to, if only there had been someone there to comfort me. All of our schools can benefit from that voice and in many instances it is a school resource officer.“

Under the $11 million plan the superintendent guaranteed no forced lay-offs, but with the $17 million dollar plan cutting individual school budget’s so dramatically, it might be inevitable.

”I would have to look at each school's budget to answer that question,“ said McGonegal.

Based on student enrollment, each school would see thousands of dollars in cuts – high schools facing the worst of it, but it would save the district $4 million. If the county was forced to cut $17 million, there would be a 25 percent reduction in subsidies that go directly to the classroom, there would be no money at all for new media in school libraries or school improvement plans.

”It is frightening to me to see that the ($17 million dollar plan) reducing high-school budgets by $178,000 at a time when our classrooms are increasing," said board member Harry Kinnan.

Individual School Cuts

"School cuts for me are generally unacceptable," said Charman Robert Gause. "The only reason we exist is for those schools and for those students. Cuts to those services we provide for those students is something I don't want to see us do anymore of. I've held this position for a long time."

.
Under the $17 million plan, SAMP employees would not be paid for spring break, and higher paid positions would have to take an additional five days, while employees on the lower pay scale would only be forced to take one extra day. School Principals and assistant principals would be required to take six furlough days and teachers would be obliged to take four days. The plan would call for non-bargaining employees at the lower end of the pay scale to take two days.

”I struggle the most with the teacher furlough days and the school cuts we will have to make,“ said McGonegal. ”It will most likely have a negative effect on our programs and our effectiveness.“

Both plans would require the district to eliminate one "specials" teacher, those that relieve teachers of their classes for a period of planning, at each elementary school. They will be replaced with a teaching assistant. This would increase enrollment in art, music and P.E. classes.

The $11 million plan which would decrease cuts in the class room to 12.5 percent, allow a 50 percent decrease for textbooks in the libraries and individual school cuts would amount to $2 million.

SAMP employees would not get paid for spring break, and the higher paid employees would have to take an extra furlough day as well. School principals, assistant principals would receive 3 furlough days while teachers and other instructional staff would have two. Combined, this would save the district $1.75 million.

”That was a recommendation of the budget committee to try to shield lower-paid employees from these salary reductions,“ said McGonegal

Some of the ideas that the budget committee recommended to try to save money are expanding the on the job training program by hiring students for district positions and reducing technology purchases. The district also plans to expand virtual instruction which home-school students could pay for. The board plans to hire an efficiency expert to review district operations and work with a realtor to market un-needed real estate owned by the school board.

On June 13, 2011 the board will have to approve the district’s reorganization plan as well as the budget cut recommendations.