PTO: cut GBHS buses
BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Just over 100 residents turned out for the joint Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting with Santa Rosa County School District administrators at Gulf Breeze High last Thursday. The subject on everyone's mind: block scheduling.

The district school board voted in December to put a hold on any change in scheduling for one year. Gulf Breeze High teachers failed to pass a waiver of their contract which would have allowed the school to avoid a change to block scheduling for the 2008-2009 school year. But with the one-year reprieve, parents wanted to hear from administrators what they could do to help keep the school's seven-period day.

The meeting was announced as a one-hour presentation and question period, but lasted well over two hours. As one parent commented, "The school district brought out all the big guns," with Superintendent John Rogers there, accompanied by several administrators, including assistant superintendent in charge of Finance Doug Dillon, assistant superintendent in charge of Instructional Services Tim Wyrosdick, Bill Price, and other members of the staff. School Board member Ed Gray III of Gulf Breeze was also there to answer questions on the panel.

Superintendent Rogers told the crowd, "Bottom line is, we cannot keep spending more money each year than we bring in. The state only pays us for six-period days, with teachers teaching six periods. But we have not felt that was best for educational purposes, so we have both the block scheduling and the seven-period day at our county schools. And the state does not pay us to bus students to school who live within two miles of the school, and we do that too."

Financial administrator Dillon explained that there is a 37 percent gap in funding per student between the highest and lowest funded counties in Florida, and Santa Rosa is 66th funded among the 67 counties. He told the parents that Santa Rosa County gets $6,800 per student, and if it got funded at the same level as Bay County, for example, it would receive $43 million more than it receives right now. If it were funded at the same level as Walton County, it would receive $14 million more.

Dillon also told the group that 80 percent of the budget is for operating, which leaves only 20 percent for capital outlay.

Presentations were given on the pros and cons of both the block scheduling and the sevenperiod day with teachers teaching six periods. At Gulf Breeze High, teachers currently teach five.

During question and answer time, many of the parents' questions centered on how to cut the budget in other areas to avoid block scheduling, and what would happen with AP courses and college dual enrollment courses if Gulf Breeze went to block scheduling.

One parent asked why Santa Rosa School District only receives back 94 cents of every dollar sent to the state.

Rogers explained, "Right now the state funding formula is based on several factors, and one is cost of living. It costs more to live in Broward County, for example, than here. So they get more money."

He said schools also get some funding per student for a decline in enrollment, to help offset the sudden loss of revenue from students leaving a district, and Santa Rosa School District has only seen a steady increase in enrollment. "So we have to use every dollar we get from the state to actually take care of students," Rogers said.

After two hours, one mother of a Gulf Breeze High student asked for some direction as to what parents could do to help. Board member Ed Gray III said, "We need flexibility, and not so many earmarks. If we could use the money sent to us the way we feel is best for our county, it would make a huge difference. But so much of our money is earmarked as to where and how we have to spend it. We have met this week with State Representative Sansom, and he is on our side. He is helping us push for more flexibility."

But Gray said Rep. Evers has not been so much help. "I would tell him to his face, he sits on his duff and just worries about the farmers. This year you need to lobby him hard and tell him we are not worried about the farmers here, but our students," Gray said. That comment brought loud applause.

One parent asked what other cost cutting alternatives the board had considered before deciding to change the scheduling but thrown aside. Rogers said one was cutting buses within two miles of the school or a three tier bus schedule. Parents applauded at the idea of cutting buses instead of teachers through block scheduling.