Oscar Winners, Fashions, Stars
Jul 29, 2008 7:01 pm US/Eastern
Board Meets To Trim $60M From Broward Schools
Athletic And After School Programs Could Be Scaled Back
Some Bus Routes Will Be Consolidated
Meeting Started At 5:30p.m. Tuesday Evening
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
The best way to cut millions of dollars from the upcoming school year budget will be the focus of a public meeting at the Broward School District headquarters.
School board members me Tuesday to discuss how to trim more than $60 million from the 2008-2009 budget.
Broward Superintendent Jim Notter says when the county's classrooms open for business next month they should look and operate like they did last school year. That, he says, is the result of solid planning.
"This district has done a fantastic job of focusing on teaching and learning and therefore keeping those cuts as far away from that as we can," said Notter.
Outside the classroom, however, some things may change. Some middle school sports programs will be cut or scaled back. Certain clubs may be consolidated, and certain electives could be eliminated. Many parents will also see changes to their child's trip on the school bus in order to save gas.
"Ten percent of the stops have been eliminated; basically what that means is we've consolidated those stops," said Notter.
Broward school board members did protect about $40 million dollars in raises and healthcare increases for teachers.
Notter says declining enrollment, a troubled housing market, and state budget cuts are the basis of this crisis, and the horizon is bleak. The state warned Broward educators to prepare for another $20 to $30 million dollars worth of cuts in the middle of this school year.
"The perfect storm has hit us," said Notter. "We're at the brink here in the state of Florida of either funding public education adequately, or being willing to accept a second class public school system."
The cuts in Broward are not nearly as deep as those in Miami-Dade where the district faces a nearly $300 million dollar shortfall. That could mean teacher layoffs and the elimination of some programs. The next public hearing on Miami-Dade's budget will be Wednesday at 6 pm.
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