Student Success: what will it take in ’09?

Student Success:what will it take in ’09? Presented to Monroe County Public School Advocates February, 2009

Where Are We Exactly? • We are facing the worst budget Florida has seen in over 30 years • School Districts across the state have absorbed cut after cut due to a decline in state revenue and property taxes • School districts have cut programs and staff which could dramatically affect students and diminish future educational opportunities • Now is the time to advocate for Florida’s kids

How Did We Get Here? • A toxic combination of • poor state policy on education finance • short-sighted resource management by legislators • an unhealthy national economy • This did not happen overnight • We can’t fix it immediately • We can’t ignore it and hope it will go away

Poor State Education Policy:Florida Consistently Underfunds Education • Florida continues to rank at the bottom nationally in % of income $ spent on education

Poor State Tax Policy:Florida places too much burden on local property taxes for education $ • Florida ranks 11th of 12 southeastern states in % of local tax burden • Only Virginia has a greater local burden

Poor State Tax Policy:Florida relies too heavily on sales tax Florida Ranks 47th in overall Tax burden based on household income Florida tax revenue relies too heavily on a single 6 cent sales tax Florida exempts more goods and services than it taxes Result: Low tax burden combined with volatile sales tax base produces an unpredictable revenue stream

Short-sighted Resource Management by Legislators:Inconsistent policy due to term limits • Legislators come to Tallahassee with to-do list and little time to accomplish goals • Result: Short term fixes co-opt good long term policy • Lobbyists are more familiar with process and tend to drive policy development • Example: Prison funding increased 6% over the past two years while education funds were cut • Where is the policy that creates greater need for an educated work force than for new prisons?

Short-sighted Resource Management:Over the last decade, legislators shifted tax burden to local property tax payers Over last decade, local share increased from 39% to 51% State contributed only a small % of new $ for education Nearly all of the $3B+ came from local property taxes Higher property taxes stressed homeowners’ wallets Led to tax revolt and Amendment 1 which reduced education funding even more

Short-sighted Resource Management:Florida revenues have not kept upwith needs of the population • $20B in tax cuts passed by Legislaturein last decade during boom times • Trust funds raided each year to cover shortfalls from tax cuts • Non-recurring revenue repeatedly drawn on to cover recurring costs • Florida SBA fund lacked sufficient oversight; many local governments lost short term investment $ in 2007 • Result: Florida reserves were nearly non-existent when national fiscal crisis hit

Unhealthy National Economy:State General Revenues down $5B in Two Years • Real estate transactions drastically reduced • Sales tax income down 11% • Big-ticket sales tax down drastically (autos/electronics) • Result: Multiple education budget cuts during each of last two school years

What Can We Expect Next Year? • More of the same! • If no new revenue sources are identified, expect $3 Billion in further cuts • We expect at least a 10% cut over our current budget of about $87M • Our district will consider more drastic cuts • Clearly this is not a good strategy for Florida public education policy

$avings $uggestions • Delay Textbook adoption • Flexibility with categoricals • Hiring freeze • Cancel summer school • Cancel after school programs • Cut gifted programs • Cut school discretionary spending • Cut travel to essential trips only • Grant funded trips must include funds for substitutes • Raise temperature in schools • Institute dark campuses when unoccupied or minimum lighting for security • No extensions of DROP • Teach 6th period without supplement • Hold harmless for class size • Cut number of electives • Revise budget for lower cost of fuel • All employees work one day without pay • Cut hours for auditorium managers

How Can We Fix This Mess? • Level out the tax base to decrease volatility • Sunset all tax exemptions over a three year period • Only renew those that demonstrably improve the Florida economy • Cut sales tax as appropriate • Consider other sources of revenue • Tobacco and alcohol tax increases • Increase % revenue from gambling • Impose internet sales tax

What Can I Do to HelpRight Now ? • Get motivated • Get informed • Organize and collaborate with other advocates • Contact state and federal representatives to make sure Monroe County kids get their fair share • Find ways to help your school through the short term crisis

Why is MCSD a Good Investment? • District rated A by state for three years straight • Ranked in top 10% on most accountability statistics • Teachers paid at highest level in state • We dramatically reduced our dropout rate • Most of our students go on to further education

So what will it take in ’09? • Yourvoice—contact legislators • Your action—connect with other parents and friends of public education • Your advocacy—join PTA’s Rally in Tally March 18, 2009 at the Capitol • Let them know our kids deserve their fair share of the state budget

Resources to Consult • March 18th Event in Tallahassee organized by FL PTA www.floridapta.org/ and Florida School Boards Association www.fsba.org/educationlegislation.asp • 50th No Morewww.50thnomore.org • Floridians 4 Educational Excellence (advocacy tools) http://floridians4educationalexcellence.community.officelive.com/default.aspx/ • Greater Florida Consortium of School Boardswww.keysschools.com/gfcsb/ • National School Boards Associationwww.nsba.org/ • Once Upon a School (fundraising) www.onceuponaschool.org/

Student Success: what will it take in ’09?