INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – Students, parents and teachers packed the County Commission Chambers Tuesday night to make their pleas to the School Board to save various programs and classes despite what could be $12 million worth of budget cuts this next school year.
During the discussion, parents and teachers voiced support for higher taxes to help fund education. That measure would require a favorable vote by at least four of the five school board members at a future meeting to generate an estimated $3 million in revenue to offset the budget. They also recommended to the school board not to approve Superintendent Dr. Harry La Cava’s request to hire a consultant to perform the tasks of Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, a position left vacant by the retirement of Dr. Julius “Butch” Teske.
Denise Colon, a member of the Indian River County Education Association, which represents the teacher’s union, asked the board not to approve the superintendent’s request.
She said she had been in a meeting with the superintendent who said he would split the position’s duties between other assistant superintendents and, if they found they could not perform the work, he would consider hiring a consultant.
Less than a month later, Colon said, the superintendent was making the recommendation to spend more than $39,000 for a 9-week hire.
“That kind of speaks to the trust issues we’re having between the leadership and the people,” she said.
Dr. La Cava later withdrew his request to hire a consultant, citing the comments from the public. His withdrawal elicited cheers and applause from the audience.
He said he had collapsed jobs and streamlined administration, “though it never seems to be enough.”
Not filling the position would save the district an estimated $180,000, Dr. La Cava said.
Gifford Middle School student Caroline Manera presented a petition signed by 200 of her fellow classmates to show their support for keeping reading classes at the middle school.
“How many kids would still read if they weren’t pushed to?” Manera asked, drawing chuckles from the adults in the chambers. “I’ll answer that – not many.”
She and many others, including students, parents and teachers alike, voiced support for keeping the reading program for all students, not just those who are performing at lower levels based on FCAT results.
School district officials have recommended cutting the upper level reading programs at middle schools to save a little more than $1 million. The cut would result in the loss of 22.5 teaching positions.
Those position cuts are a small portion of what was proposed earlier in the day during a school district budget workshop, where officials identified 116 positions to eliminate, including 45 teachers, all 21 media specialists, and 25 special education assistants, among others.
The district has also identified nearly 72 positions that would be “eliminated” but brought back using federal stimulus funds. Those positions would include nine arts and music teachers, 17 special education assistants, and seven elementary school physical education teachers.
Several of the parents and teachers who approached the school board Tuesday evening asked that the district spare the arts and music programs, highlighting the benefits of a well-rounded education.
“Art is the universal language,” said Kristin MacPhee, telling the board that art helps students learn creative problem solving, sensitivity to the beauty in the world and stimulates the imagination.
Parents and teachers also expressed concern about the district’s proposal to cut funding for new textbooks, especially those for math, which are 10 years old, according to one speaker.
Cyndi Fields told the board that the math textbooks students currently have do not cover 28 of the standard benchmarks students are required to learn.
As for the public support of higher taxes to fund education, the Indian River County School District has the authority to levy a .25 millage increase assessed on property taxes. The increase, if passed, would equate to approximately 66 cents a week – of $33 a year – on an average home with an assessed property value of $159,000 and a homestead exemption of $25,000.
If the school district were to want to keep the increased rate for the following 2011-12 school year, it would have to put the question on the ballot for voters to decide, according to current state law.