THANK YOU, SARASOTA COUNTY VOTERS,
FOR SUPPORTING YOUR SCHOOLS!
WE, THE TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF,
WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE
OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS
TO THE VERY BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.
We welcome your suggestions and
personal assistance in doing so.
You can contact me at karen_johns@sarasota.k12.fl.us .
Q & A Regarding the Referendum
How has the recent economic crisis affected the Sarasota Co. School District?
• It’s been a triple whammy of reduced state funding, reduced property tax income and declining enrollment.
• Reduction of $70 million in two years
• Loss of more than 1,000 students
• Elimination of over 500 staff positions
What has the school district done to reduce expenses?
• Will save $87 million in construction projects over five years
• Avoided more than $5.2 million in energy costs through conservation
• Saved $5 million by adopting the seven-period day in middle and high schools
• Reduced custodial costs by $3 million while cleaning 600,000 more square feet
• Reduced transportation costs by $2 million a year
• Reduced costs for background checks $253,000 by having them done by a district police department employee rather than the Department of Education
• Reduced food costs by $250,000
Has the district maintained quality services for students?
• Graduation rate is at an all-time high.
• Dropout rate is at an all-time low.
• We are among the top 10 districts in the state in FCAT reading and math scores.
• We have improved student achievement.
• We have narrowed the achievement gap.
• Schools are a safe haven for children in unstable home environments.
How has the voted millage funding been used?
• Maintaining competitive salaries to attract and retain best teachers
• Reduced ratio of students to counselors
• Supported class size reduction
• Funded 30-minute longer school day
• Literacy and data coaches
• Supported science, music and art teachers
• Supplemented inadequate state funding for charter schools
Is that funding still needed?
• Essential to continue current service levels
• Will keep worst effects of cuts further from classrooms
• Essential to maintain learning gains
• Some cuts will be necessary next year even though the referendum passed.
• Cuts without the referendum would be devastating.
How could the district justify asking for a continuation of a voted millage in such difficult economic times?
• The local demand for higher quality education is higher than the state will fund.
• High-quality schools sustain property values.
• The school district is the largest employer in the county.
• All of the money generated by the 1-mill stays in Sarasota County.
• Eighty percent of the district budget is in salaries; most salary money is circulated in the local economy.
• The cost of millage for the average homeowner is about 38 cents a day.
• Cutting another $38 million from the district budget would delay workforce development and economic recovery.