Intergovernmental Affairs & Grants Administration

M-DCPS BRIEFING
Superintendent Rudy Crew addresses Florida lawmakers’
huge cuts to education funding
May 6, 2008

Earlier this year, we anticipated the tough economic times ahead and the difficult choices our public schools would be facing. Although the Florida Constitution mandates high-quality public education, and good public policy dictates that in times of economic difficulty existing resources be equitably allocated, Florida lawmakers have severely cut funding to our schools. Our fears have become a reality, and the tough choices are now being made.

On Monday, April 28, 2008, The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, held a budget workshop, facilitated by Michael Bookman of the Florida School Boards Association. (To review the budget workshop presentation, click here.)

The discussion focused on cutting more than $284 million from the District’s 2008-09 budget, based on an expected $75 million decrease in state funding and over $200 million in increased costs.

Among the key considerations supported by a majority of the School Board:

Eliminating 261 positions from the District's central administration, saving $20 million.
Eliminating bonus pay for administrators, including principals and assistant principals, saving $1.4 million.
Resolving not to rehire administrators or teachers who have already retired, saving $13.9 million.
Imposing pay cuts for administrators, principals and assistant principals, saving $1 million.
Eliminating all non-mandatory summer-school programs, saving $9.9 million.
Increasing the price of school lunches by 50 cents (free/reduced-price lunch students exempt), offsetting the cost of food service by $3.7 million.

At the School Board meeting of April 16, 2008, the Board approved a reorganization plan to save the District approximately $13.7 million in recurring annual costs. The School Board will vote on the reduction-in-force recommendation at its May 21, 2008 meeting. Both the reorganization and the reduction in force would take effect on June 30, 2008, or soon thereafter.

It takes courage to make the tough but right choices during these difficult times. Above all, we must remain focused on our goal of giving our students the world.