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SCHOOLS BUDGET PROVIDES TAX CUT TO HOMEOWNERS, MIAMI – Homeowners will get a lower tax, students will have increased learning opportunities and classrooms will be less crowded under the 2006-2007 budget that goes to the Miami-Dade School Board Wednesday for approval. The budget proposed by Superintendent Rudy Crew drops the school tax rate to 8.105 cents for every $1,000 of property value, down from 8.438 cents this year. That cut will save typical Miami-Dade homeowners who have remained in their homes and made no major renovations $7.24 this year. Due to the rise in property values countywide, the tax bill for the typical home purchased this year or improved in some waywill rise by $173.18. The budget funds continuation of an aggressive program to construct and renovate schools, which yielded about 20,000 student seats at the start of this school year. The tentative budget funds projects to add capacity at 33 schools. The District will continue to spend more than 75 cents of every operating dollar on direct services to students. In addition to successfully lobbying for about $136 million in additional state aid, the District will redeploy existing resources and eliminate unnecessary jobs to support its strategic priorities to advance learning. The District has cut nearly 1,400 non-school jobs as it has increased efficiency. The tentative budget includes funding for: • Secondary School Reform ($2.1 million) – 11 middle and senior high schools will be transformed into smaller learning communities to prepare students for college and careers in the global economy • District-wide focus on literacy ($3.1 million) – Teachers will get significant additional support to improve daily instruction in reading and language arts • Improvement to Gifted Education ($1.7 million) – The District will use more staff and a different assessment to identify students who are gifted. The District has hired about 1,700 new teachers for the current school year, including about 750 specifically needed to continue to meet the requirements of the state’s Class Size Amendment. ### 06-FMN/033 |
