By ALICIA LEONARD
The Walton County School Board (WCSB) met for a 4 p.m. workshop, followed by their second regularly scheduled meeting of the month at 5p.m., at the South Walton High School media room on the evening of Feb. 17.
Chief Financial Officer Debra Noyes presented a Power Point presentation outlining what the half-mil referendum covers for the district. This will be the fourth time voters will get to decide if the half-mil will be continued to be used in the general fund budget to provide only local school children in the district with enough teachers, up-to-date instructional materials, school resource officers and a well rounded educational experience, including arts, text books, teachers, and other extracurricular activities and after-school activities.
Noyes told the board that once student needs are funded to 90 percent, the rest of that funding is distributed to“property poor” districts outside of Walton.
The half-mil is not distributed outside of Walton schools and is not considered a tax increase. The board has dropped the Capital Millage Outlay millage by a half-mil ever since voters approved the referendum, making it more of a swap for tax payers, rather than an increase of any kind. The cost of the half-mil is .50 cents on every $1,000 of property and brings in $6.4 million for the district as well as providing the district with funding flexibility.
If the half-mil is not approved, Noyes told the board it could cost up to 142 employees, or 12 percent of the district workforce being let go as the district’s biggest expense – 77 percent – is personnel, and they have cut corners already in all other areas. Possibilities could also include school consolidation or outsourcing, and the loss of programs.
Other board members discussed how other districts that have had to cut teachers and lose the advantages of smaller classroom sizes and said the schools and student test scores showed a rapid decline. There are no other ways for the district to increase incoming operating funds, and they currently are ranked as one of the top 10 districts in Florida.
Florida only ranks as 41st in expenditures per student and 50th in per capita expenditures and percent of personal income spent on schools, leaving local districts to search for much of their own funding. Noyes said during the presentation, “In short, we can’t depend on the state.”
Voters will make their decision at the polls on May 19, and more people may vote due to the ability to mail in their ballots.
District Superintendent Carlene Anderson said there is a Political Action Committee (PAC) being put together to go out and speak with voters on how the half-mil impacts local education and they are happy to speak anywhere or to anyone that might have questions.
The regular meeting following the workshop moved along quickly, only drawing extra discussion on the subjects of school calendars and reimbursing the difference between school transport cost and the costs of charter buses to carry Paxton and Freeport state basketball finalists to south Florida for playoffs.
The board approved the school calendar, 4-1, with board member Mark Davis as the nay vote, expressing concern over half-days for professional development causing distress for parents trying to find child care, often only a few days after kids return from holidays.
The issue of paying the difference for a charter bus concerned board members. Kim Kirby expressed a need to keep an eye on the budget for the district as no solid cost numbers were available to vote on. Anderson said the decision could set a precedent for future trips.
Davis said he thought the board should step up to the plate and make sure all the expenses were covered, and offer a reimbursement to a private citizen donor that provided funding for the charters.
Anderson told the board each school was allocated $7,500 for their expenses, and staff estimated the difference in the charter might only be a couple of hundred dollars more than using the district’s transportation.
The board approved the charter expense 4-1 with Board chair Gail Smith being the nay vote.
Davis requested to workshop extracurricular expenses for the district, such as sports and art programs, and a date was set for 4 p.m. on March 3 to discuss the issue, before the regular board meeting at 5 p.m. at the DeFuniak district board room.
To see more on school and board activities, as well as meeting dates and times, go to www.walton.k12.fl.us.