As local school districts attempt to deal with declining revenues, school officials are working to keep the pain of budget cuts out of the classroom. But that’s almost impossible.
Consider Volusia County Public Schools, which is the subject of an article on school finance in April’s ASBJ.
More than 500 teaching positions have been eliminated as the school system responded to nearly $50 million in budget cuts over the past two years. Foreign language instruction took a hit, and enrichment and remedial programs were scaled back.
Despite their budget struggles, Volusia school officials say with pride that the district’s core mission is largely untouched, and I believe them. Math, science, reading, and even music and fine arts were spared serious damage by budget cuts.
But make no mistake-some damage was done. Cuts in professional development, for example, won’t show up in test scores this year. But if teachers aren’t improving their skills, will they be as capable to handle the academic challenges of tomorrow’s students?
“I used to say with great confidence that the next graduating class will be our highest academically yet, but I don’t make that guarantee today,” says Chris Colwell, deputy superintendent for instructional services. “We have some residual damage, and it will take several years to get back to where we want to be.”
And that’s assuming the budget damage doesn’t get worse. Last I heard, early projections suggested the district could lose another $40 million in state and local revenue next year.
There’s nothing unique about Volusia County’s situation. Across the nation, school districts are raising class sizes, cutting back on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, delaying textbook purchases, or cutting back on social workers and counselors.
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