Volusia Schools cut JV sports, may cut more teachers

Parents will have to pay to attend graduation ceremonies

By Al Everson
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jan 8, 2009 - 6:56:23pm

There was standing room only, as parents, students and others concerned about education packed Deltona High School for a lesson on school funding.

A statewide shortage of dollars for public schools has prompted deep cuts in the district budget, Superintendent Margaret Smith said. Junior Varsity spring sports and cheerleading have been eliminated, and more austere measures may be in store.

"Our district budget we've gone through line by line," Smith told the audience of 1,000 plus. "We are decimating every budget line."

Claiming the Volusia School District has suffered the loss of more than $42 million in revenues in less than two years as the overall economy has slumped, Smith warned local schools are facing another $13.7 million hit.

The Volusia School District's budget totals about $1 billion.

An end to the funding problems does not appear to be in sight, as the recession deepens and Florida may see additional reductions and worsening deficits.

If the cash shortage becomes more acute, Smith said, schools may have to adopt a four-day school week, eliminate varsity sports and cheerleading, delete many elective courses, and end advanced academic programs like the International Baccalaureate program at DeLand High School.

Smith noted, however, state law would have to be changed to allow the school district to implement a four-day week.

More school closings may be in the offing, and more teachers and other district employees may be cut from the payroll, on top of more than 800 positions eliminated in the past year and a half.

Because of the pending budget cuts, Smith warned the Volusia County school system will slice expenditures for textbooks and other instructional materials; teacher training; a redesign of the curriculum; and out-of-county travel.

In addition, the use of cell phones by school-system employees will be restricted, and district employees will no longer be allowed to take home vehicles belonging to the school system. These cuts, the superintendent said, have put the local school system "at the breaking point."

That is not all: High-school graduations at the Ocean Center will become ticketed events, and parents and others will pay to attend. The Teacher of the Year Banquet at the Daytona Hilton Oceanfront will be canceled, as will districtwide academic fairs and competitions.

The latest cuts come in the middle of the school district's fiscal year, and as the Florida Legislature meets in special session to close a state budget gap of $2.3 billion.

As lawmakers deliberate where to cut spending against the backdrop of falling revenues, Smith billed her Powerpoint presentation "Call to Action," urging those alarmed at the bad news to contact their state legislators and Gov. Charlie Crist to demand an end to further cuts in education spending. She also asked citizens to lobby state lawmakers to give local school districts more local decision-making power.

Currently, county school boards have little discretion in shifting funds from one part of their budget to other parts. For example, dollars set aside for building schools may not be transferred to operating expenses.

"We want more flexibility with the money we do get," Smith said. "We want local control."

To give the Volusia School District some relief in the current crisis, Smith further recommended a moratorium on implementing the state's class-size standards and other mandates that often generate more paperwork for teachers.

Smith was backed up by School Board Chair Diane Smith (no relation).

"This is about our state's future," Diane Smith said. "Our education system is the economic stimulus."

Despite the economic downturn, the women encouraged the crowd to pressure lawmakers to allocate more funding for schools, even if doing so requires tax increases.

One idea floated is to raise the state's sales tax by 1 percent, from 6 to 7 percent, and to devote the new revenues to public elementary and secondary education. The tax increase, Dr. Smith explained, would be "on a temporary basis for a year or two" to address the current funding shortfalls.

Other suggestions include eliminating sales-tax exemptions and making extra efforts to collect sales taxes on Internet and mail-order purchases.

"Make your voice heard," Dr. Smith urged the crowd.

Diane Smith called upon each person concerned about the state of school funding to "send at least one e-mail" to a legislator or the governor, before going to bed, and to follow up with additional mailings and conversations with state elected officials in coming days.

Dr. Smith's persuasive power worked with many in the audience.

"To me, sports and music are the most important," Katie Collins said. "If you want all this, you have to pay for it."

— al@beacononlinenews.com

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