Cutting it close

School superintendents issued a warning to the Legislature this week that its education budget cuts too deep, and that Florida schools cannot do more with less.

School superintendents rose up in unison this week to protest the Legislature's education budget. Here's what it would mean: fewer classroom aides, security officers, guidance counselors, nurses, textbooks and computers. School districts in every corner of Florida would be forced to cut tutoring and teacher training programs, reduce aid to students with special needs and slow school desegregation efforts. This is no way for a growing state to prepare to compete in the 21st century.

Though the Senate budget plan is more generous than the House's, the allocations still would force many county school districts to cut millions of dollars from the classroom.

Hillsborough would be forced to cut as much as $54-million next year; Pinellas, $37-million and Pasco, $16-million. The heavy impact of the cuts on academic programs and on critical support services prompted nearly three dozen school superintendents to publicly criticize the proposals in coordinated appearances this week.

The cuts would erode the quality of classroom teaching. Pinellas superintendent Howard Hinesley has proposed slashing 600 jobs. He would move administrators into teaching positions, cut services to disabled students and end the district's prekindergarten program. Hundreds of teacher aides, library assistants and other trained staff would be offered new jobs - driving school buses.

Hillsborough is considering a wide range of cuts - dropping three days from the school year, eliminating millions of dollars in teacher training, doing away with dozens of school nurses, social workers and psychologists and cutting programs for children with special needs. Pasco wouldn't be able to cover its contractual bills.

In Palm Beach County, the cuts could reach $40-million to $80-million. The district there is considering eliminating an entire class period at the high school level and cutting funding for magnet programs, kindergarten, paraprofessionals and sports.

House Speaker Johnnie Byrd defends the worst cuts and derides the school districts for crying wolf. He must believe these services come free or expect teachers to do more with less.

School districts already faced deficits caused by higher costs for fuel, health care and insurance. Many have taken responsible steps - renegotiating insurance and employee benefits packages and putting off nonessential instructional expenses (computer software, for example). But this budget reaches deeper. It drives another wedge between school teachers and the state and weakens the ability of individual school boards to meet their county's specific needs.

That the superintendents, who like to work below the radar screen, would criticize lawmakers in such public fashion is itself a measure of the stakes involved. As Ken Pruitt, the Senate appropriations chairman, said: "These professional groups don't go around putting sticks in the eye of leadership."

The superintendents, who have a good feel for the politics back home, actually did Tallahassee a favor by issuing a legitimate warning. The question is, will the Legislature listen?

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