From the Miami Herald
by Kathleen McGrory
You thought this school year was bad?
With the federal stimulus dollars set to run out in June, next year has the potential to be a lot worse, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.
``This will be a different school system,'' he said.
That is, unless state lawmakers fill the funding gap.
Gov. Rick Scott hasn't released his budget recommendations yet and state legislators won't crunch the numbers until March.
But state economists say Florida is facing a $3.65 billion revenue shortfall, a figure almost certain to spell bad news for public schools.
If the state doesn't come up with the money when the federal stimulus dollars sunset, expect ``draconian cuts,'' Carvalho told school board members in a budget workshop this week.
Although the schools chief wouldn't elaborate, it's all but certain jobs and programs would be in jeopardy.
Carvalho is not alone in worrying about the upcoming year.
``I think if all the financial predictions come true, we are going to be in extreme dire straits,'' said Broward schools chief James Notter. ``There could be possible program cuts and personnel reductions.''
In Miami-Dade alone, stimulus funds account for $121 million of the school system's $4.3 billion budget.
They fund 700 guidance counselors, 350 media specialists, 900 special education teacher aides and five adult schools.
The state, which has used federal funds instead of its own funding, has a responsibility to make up the dollars, Carvalho said.
For now, Carvalho said, there is no talk of reducing teacher salaries. But Carvalho said he will continue to scale back the size of the central administration, assigning some administrators to classroom posts.
Maintenance will also be hard hit -- a concern, given the school system's aging facilities.
Next year, the school system has budgeted $325 million for maintenance projects and new construction, said Chief Facilities Officer Jaime Torrens. Current maintenance needs already exceed $1.7 billion.
``We'll be doing emergency-type repairs,'' Torrens said. ``But any type of routine maintenance or preventive maintenance will have to be deferred and may not be able to be done.''
That means air conditioners might not be fixed, school yards might not be drained and playgrounds and fences might not be installed.
``The classroom environment, undoubtedly, will degrade further,'' Torrens said.
Carvalho said some layoffs in the facilities department would be necessary.
``I want to, as much as possible, protect the people who carry and use a tool every single day,'' Carvalho said. ``But we will see, beginning with construction management and leadership, significant reductions in the pipeline. It is unavoidable.''
The bleak maintenance outlook gave board members pause.
``Maintenance is critical,'' Vice Chairman Larry Feldman said. ``We have a responsibility to ensure that our schools are safe and quality facilities.''
Miami-Dade, for its part, has figured out a way to cover its rising costs -- and the budget gap expected to result from tumbling tax rolls -- without endangering the jobs of employees who work in schools, Carvalho said.
He pointed out that the school system also has $76.9 million in its rainy-day fund, accounting for about 3 percent of its operating budget.
But schools administrators remain concerned about how much funding the district will receive from the state. Last year, lawmakers agreed to allocate $3,623.76 per student, more than $500 less than it provided in 2007-08.
Carvalho is not proposing local cuts until the state numbers come out.
``I'm not going to venture into fixing the state deficit,'' Carvalho said. ``We've already fixed our own budget.''
Moving forward, board member Renier Diaz de la Portilla suggested the school board slash administrative salaries in a show of good faith to Tallahassee.
``We need to demonstrate to the Legislature that we are serious about continuing to cut administrative costs,'' he said.
Diaz de la Portilla would like to see the district make the salary cuts before the legislative session begins in March.
Employees who work in schools would not be subject to the action, he said.
``It is not fair to go and ask the state for more money when they have less,'' he said.
Feldman, the board vice chairman, was cautiously optimistic.
``If we continue to work collegially, I think we can survive without having to hurt programs and people who are close to our kids,'' he said.
But, he added, ``we may have our hands tied.''
Miami Herald reporter Carli Teproff contributed to this report.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/30/2042735_draconian-cuts-expected-unless.html#storylink=addthis#ixzz1CkNm8TRS
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