Funding Cuts Impact Miami-Dade County Public Schools Employees, Services To Students

FUNDING CUTS IMPACT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMPLOYEES,
SERVICES TO STUDENTS

Funding cuts to Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), the nation’s fourth largest school district, have begun to impact services to schools and students. Funds used to pay part-time hourly workers at a number of District locations, including schools, have been cut and some workers have been informed they will no longer report to their usual hourly assignments.

M-DCPS funding was cut by $32 million during a special session of the Legislature last fall. This week, the District learned it will face another $29.2 million in funding cuts. The impact of that amount of funding cuts coming so late in the fiscal year when accounts have been depleted is equivalent to more than $100 million or 4.2 percent on an annualized basis.

“We have seen this potential impact coming for some time and have addressed it at several public meetings,” said Superintendent Rudy Crew. “Now it has become a reality, and it is a terrible development both for our employees and for our students, who are the recipients of their services.”

Over the last year, M-DCPS has taken a number of steps to address these funding cuts and avoid affecting services to students:

Budgets already have been reduced in all areas except full-time positions by $91.5 million.
A moratorium was placed on non-essential hourly and overtime expenditures, travel, and purchases or new commitments requiring the use of general fund dollars.
A hiring freeze was imposed, including hourly staff, except for direct classroom staff.
Cabinet and Regional Superintendents have reviewed their budgets and made appropriate reductions.
A list of suggestions was presented to the Commissioner of Education and legislators to give the District more spending and compliance flexibility.

Funding for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2008, will be based on this year’s funding levels, after reductions, and may be at the same level or even decreased further. Estimated funding cuts for the next fiscal year may reach $200 million. The school district continues to strategize for these anticipated cuts and will discuss plans at a workshop to be held at the School Board Administration Building, 1450 N.E. Second Avenue, Room 726, on Monday, March 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.