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Hernando Today

Board Agrees To Cuts, But Falls Short Of Goal

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: February 23, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - They came to cut $25 million from the budget.
They left agreeing in principle to a school district with frozen salaries and fewer teachers and fewer support staffers such as reading and math coaches, but still well short of their target savings.
During a five-hour slog of a workshop, the school board on Monday tried to give Superintendent Wayne Alexander the "clear direction" he'd requested on 37 cost-saving ideas totaling some $31 million.
By the end of the workshop, the board had reluctantly given support to cuts totaling close to $20 million to an operating budget of about $164 million.
Alexander started the meeting on an ominous note, saying the budget cuts would likely be "the most difficult task" the board has tackled since his arrival nearly two years ago. State officials have said the school district should be prepared to cut the budget by as much 16 percent and that number could go up when the Legislature meets next month.
Board members said they were willing to increase the teacher-student ratio by two to three students from kindergarten to high school, depending on the grade level. The move would mean the loss of 129 positions, mostly by attrition through retirements, resignations and non-reappointment. It would save nearly $7.4 million.
"To be able to solve a fourth of our problem, I support it 100 percent," Fagan said.
The board agreed to start negotiations with HCTA and the Hernando United School Workers union to freeze salaries at current levels. That would save nearly $3.3 million.
The members were clearly averse to layoffs, pay cuts and other strategies that would affect incomes, such as shortening the contracts for principals and assistant principals.
"We don't need to be scaring our people to death until we know from the state what kind of numbers we're going to be looking at," Fagan said.
A proposed 5 percent, across-the-board pay cut should be, as member John Sweeney put it, "the very, very, very last resort."
"I really don't think we can take any more from our people," Sweeney said.
The head of the teachers union agreed.
"We are not at that stage yet," Joe Vitalo, president of the Hernando Classroom Teachers Association, told the board.
Vitalo said the union won't even entertain the thought of pay freezes until the district has firmer numbers next month.
The board hesitated to cut as many as nine positions in the district's facilities and maintenance department, for a savings of nearly $485,000.
Board member Sandra Nicholson said district employees need to keep in mind that layoffs could be on the horizon.
"I see it as a reality check," Nicholson said. "The reality now is we have to have our people prepared."
About one hour into the meeting and then again about two hours later, Alexander urged the board to be more aggressive despite the difficult decisions that could include layoffs.
"Twenty five million dollars is 25 million dollars, and if the classroom is sacred, everything else has to be up for grabs," Alexander said.
The board agreed to trim six district office positions for a savings of nearly $369,000. The staffers who fill the secretary and curriculum posts would be reassigned when possible.
The board was split on the issue of ending transportation services for magnet students, which would save some $836,000.
It would be patently unfair to single out magnet families, Fagan said.
"Those kids are students of the Hernando County school system and they have as much right to ride a school bus as anyone else," he said.
Nicholson said the board should at least consider the option.
"There's always carpooling and other ways to get there if that's the program you want," she said.
Board members said they were open to cutting the extra allocations that magnet and themed schools use to offer their programs. That would save about $800,000.
District staffers said doing so wouldn't prevent the schools from continuing to offer their programs, but "it is a challenge to offer exciting, innovative programs without the allocations," said Joe Clifford, principal at J.D. Floyd K-8 School, which has an environmental theme for its middle school grades.
At least two board members said they would support removing the cap on enrollment in the district's magnet schools. The board agreed to discuss that issue at a to-be-scheduled workshop.
A majority of the board agreed to place the cutting of 10 assessment teachers among the last resort options after school principals came to their defense. The teachers collect and disseminate testing data, which is critical to improve FCAT scores, Clifford said.
The board split on the issue of cutting middle school sports. Sweeney called it "part of the school experience." Bonfield said it was a luxury that wouldn't impact the classroom. They agreed to consider it among the last resorts.
Left undecided was whether to end bus service for students who live within two miles of school, though several board members said they would hesitate to support that.
Among the other strategies the board approved in principle:
Renegotiate contracts with program providers. One example is a contract with the firm Lindamood Bell, which provides lessons for the lowest performing readers. Estimated savings: $1.2 million.
Shut down school facilities during winter and spring breaks and for most of the month of July, for a savings of about $656,000.
Cut the supplemental pay budget (for teachers who take on extra duties such as coaching) by nearly $600,000.
Reduce reading teachers to students at level 3, 4 and 5 of state standards for savings of about $571,000.
Trim the budget for substitutes by more than $341,000.
Adjust thermostats a few degrees to save about $324,000.
Cut one media specialist per high school for a savings of about $228,000.
Cut four drivers education teachers for a savings of about $228,000.
No travel out of the district for field trips, for a savings of about $139,000. Athletic competitions would be an exception.
Cut three math coach positions for a savings of about $171,000.
Eliminate activity bus service for savings of about $106,000.
Reduce custodian hours by increasing to 21,000 square feet per custodian.
Complete an energy audit, for an estimated savings of about $10,000.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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