If the proposed 2018-19 budget for Leon County Schools (LCS) is passed, the annual dues that parents are asked to pay for their children to participate in sports and arts programs should decrease.
The proposed LCS budget includes $700,000 for these activities which will be allocated to schools to lower the cost for parents. Each high school will receive $50,000 and each middle school will receive $25,000.
Superintendent Rocky Hanna said he wants to make it easier for students to participate in sports and arts programs. Also, Hanna said student participation in these activities is tied to better performance in the classroom and fewer discipline problems.
The budget also included a 15% increase in the LCS “minimum wage” from $9.59 to $11.09.
Other items in budget:
- Funds 22 school behavioral specialists to assist elementary schools with discipline issues.
- Funds 50 unarmed security monitors to aid in protecting campuses.
- Increases school supply budget by 25%.
- Adds $1 million to emergency reserve and fund balance.
The revenue to fund these items was, in part, due to an increase in student enrollment which generated an additional $5 million. Also, new revenue was generated by a $1 million cut in district level administration positions and salaries.
A public hearing on the budget will take place on July 31, 2018. The hearing is being held for the purpose of consideration and approval of the 2018-2019 proposed tentative budget and required millage rates.
School Budget Adds Money for Arts and Athletics, Increases LCS “Minimum Wage” added by Staff on
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Overpaid and under worked.
someone doesn’t know how to add. $9.59 plus 15% is not %11.09
Technically, you are correct.
15% of $9.59 = $1.43 (rounded up). Which would only be $11.02.
I suspect a rounding error, as 16% would be more than $11.09.
Most journalists are lousy at math. Read some of the local rag’s reportage on the city or county budget in their archive – some real doozies there! I even remember one story (Parade of Homes shill piece) a few years ago that had a house’s annual property tax bill estimated at something like $68,000, when it should have been $6800!
Actually, Alva, as the board chair, runs the meeting. You should watch more meetings. These women are forces of change and are unafraid to challenge him, or anyone that presents to the board, when they feel it necessary.
Oh, really. I guess I have missed all the innovative, bold, initiatives. But, then again I have only been here thirty-one years. This is actually a very good idea. It is absurd what parents are asked to pay, in addition to their annual LCS tax bill, for kids to take part in extra-curricular activities. I question the “behavioral specialists” when the majority of discipline issues could be handled by the administrators and a little backbone. But, that’s another story.
It may be another issue, but “behavioral specialists” (whatever that means) for discipline issues is related to “security monitors” (whatever that means) who are “unarmed” but will somehow “aid in protecting campuses.” Despite recklessly throwing ever greater amounts of money at education over the last 40 or 50 years, politicians, teacher unions, and school boards have succeeded more in indoctrinating than educating students, and contributing to the coarsening and degrading of moral and social values and individual responsibility. They have taught life is cheap and of negligible value, except for favored groups that vote Democrat. You are only beginning to reap what you have sown. Good luck!
Watched the Board meeting, never seen one before. A few comments. 1. Watching a televised Leon County School Board Meeting would be much more tolerable if there could be a Mystery Science Theater feature added. (so like when Rocky compared School administrator salaries to COT appropriate commentary could be added) 2. The whole thing has a creepy 50 shades feel to it. The “ladies” as he calls them sit and quietly add comments while he runs around and tells them what to do and pretends to listen to them. Its just weird. 3. Alva giving him a standing ovation was also weird.