Mar 10, 2008 10:12 pm US/Eastern
School Teachers Say Miami-Dade Is Cutting Too Much
Part Time Teacher's Aides Have Already Been Laid Off
A Moratorium Has Been Placed On Spending & Travel
The exact details of the cut will be ironed out in another meeting at the school board on Wednesday.
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
In an effort to work within a scaled back budget, the Miami Dade School Board held a workshop on Monday to decide where cuts should be made for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
Several schools have reportedly already begun to lay off part time teacher's aides who have been informed not to report for work. Schools within the district, the fourth largest in the nation, have been advised to make cuts to their yearly budget as well as impose a moratorium on purchasing and spending. The district has also instituted a hiring freeze.
Hundreds of part time workers have already been laid off,
However with $29 million cut from its budget, the school board is looking to cut back on even more.
Citrus Grove Elementary School teachers hit the street for support Monday, voicing their concerns about what they say was a health care plan that costs too much.
"We did get a raise, you know the upcoming school year, but that raise is gonna be eradicated basically because of the new increase in health care," said social studies teacher Julio Sala.
"[We] have have basically forced us to back in October cut $32.3 million worth of funding and this week cut an additional $29 million," said Assistant Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
One of the main complaints from parents and teachers is that not enough is being cut at the district (administrative) level, and too much is being cut at the classroom level.
The Miami Dade School District said funding for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2008, will be based on this year's funding levels, after reductions, and may be at the same level or even decreased further. Estimated funding cuts for the next fiscal year may reach $200 million.
"It's not right," said parent Betty Robertson whose child attends Naranja Elementary. "This school needs all the help it can get. It shouldn't be getting any budget cuts, honestly."
Parent Joan Gonzalez agrees.
"Education should come first. That's why we need a lot of changes in the state regarding all the politics going on."
The exact details of the cut will be ironed out in another meeting at the school board on Wednesday.
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