Workers warned of deep school cuts

The district rolls out what the worst-case scenario would look like under a frugal House bill. One expert warns it's too late to complain.

TAMPA - Hillsborough school superintendent Earl Lennard released details of his 32-point plan to trim next year's budget by $54-million, the projected shortfall if a House of Representatives education appropriations bill wins approval.

Highlights of the suggested cuts include wide-ranging proposals, from a shorter school year to fewer guidance counselors and assistant principals.

The proposals are a "work in progress and represent a worst-case scenario," Lennard cautioned in a message sent to school district employees Monday.

Lennard noted that the dollar amount on the chopping block "is the equivalent to the salaries of more than 1,000 nonclassroom positions."

"Please note that classroom teaching positions will be the least directly affected," he said.

The district actually will be adding more teachers in the coming year to meet the requirements of the Class Size Reduction Amendment. But layoffs in other areas "cannot be ruled out at this time," Lennard said.

The proposed cuts, which won't be considered for adoption until after a state budget is approved, range from the dramatic to the five-and-dime.

For instance, the district can save about $4.8-million by dropping three school days from its expanded 184-day school year, and an additional teacher training day.

"We would like for the students in this district to go to school 200 days a year, and we fought hard for the 184-day calendar," said district spokesman Mark Hart. "But we may not be able to afford it any longer."

Another proposed cut would save $8.1-million by eliminating 400 teacher's aide positions in kindergarten through third grade. Giving guidance counselors an increased workload would result in $3.7-million in savings. Cutting some gifted programs would save another $2.5-million.

Some modest cuts include:

Dropping eight school resource officers: $350,000.

Charging more to attend high school sports events: $338,000.

Eliminating the energy conservation office: $170,000.

Eliminating middle school intramurals: $64,000.

After weeks of number crunching, district officials released the reduction plan in part to spark resolve among parents whose children will be affected by the cuts.

"Our philosophy was to put everything out there at once so everybody could react to it," said School Board member Jennifer Faliero. "People have to write their legislators and let them know that they're not happy with these cuts we're having to make."

But it may be too little too late or simply too much to comprehend.

"I think there's a lot of apathy," said Diane Clare, president of the county's Council of PTA. "The numbers sound so big, it's overwhelming. As a parent, you don't know where to start. We're talking about $54-million. Where do you get that?"

Yvonne Lyons, executive director of the Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Association, said she hopes it doesn't come to that.

She is pulling for the Senate's version to be approved, as it would mean only $18-million in cuts.

"The only thing (parents) can do right now is contact their legislators, urging the Senate to hang tough and urging the House leaders to get a clue," Lyons said. "For a district like Hillsborough, $54-million is just an awful lot to cut and try to maintain the level of services and education that our community expects."

But Susan MacManus, a USF professor and expert on Florida politics, said the community may just have to get used to it.

"This is one of those years where nobody's going to be happy about anything," MacManus said. "The only redeeming saving grace is the recognition that things are tight everywhere."

MacManus said there are any number of budgeting strategies designed to inflame the public with proposed cuts.

"Pick things that you know are near and dear to people, cut or delay big-ticket construction items or cut things that don't have a lot of support," said MacManus, who teaches a class on budgeting.

"They (district officials) are probably using every single technique known to humankind. That's part of the strategy and it's not working well, to tell you the truth."

- Logan D. Mabe can be reached at 269-5304 or at mabe@sptimes.com

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