Duval school budget cuts

[Garden guy]

Cuts are bullshit..this city and its citizens have spent years defunding our public schools by lowering taxes on everything possible. This has left us with a bunch of kids who can't find thier ass from a hole in the ground...support for the public schools is based on our taxes....we must refund our schools with taxes...wherever it comes from it's going to have to come from taxes because it's quite clear that the rest of the world could care less and we now see what we get when we follow the "conservative" ideas and rules and regulations...the public must fund the public schools....i'm also flabergasted that our public school administration is sitting on some of the most expensive land in our city...i say sell that damn thing and put the administration in some of the strip malls that litter our city...until we change the view and the mentality of our school board and the parents this citys kids are fucked.

[NotNow]

^  I'm not sure it was meant that way, the that is a post crying out for education.

I agree that the administrative costs in Duval seem to be high.  Is there a comparative study of the cost of administration with other districts our size?  I'm not so sure about class size.  I was always in classes of about 30 while growing up, and it didn't seem out of line.  Perhaps the other side of the coin is discipline in the schools.  In my limited exposure to Duval schools, the kids seemed to be running the place.

[duvaldude08]

Well when I was first enrolled in a magnet school my mom had to provide the transportation. And this was back in 1994. She worked FT and had three kids. I understand everyone does not have the means to do that, but if you want your children to have the best education, you will do what you have to do. Also, let's top blaming Duval County, its the state that cut the funding.

[NotNow]

Don't forget the loss of federal funds as well.  I do blame Duval for a bloated administration, and the lack of control in the schools.  And, of course you are right, the State for misguided cuts to education.

[duvaldude08]

Don't forget the loss of federal funds as well.  I do blame Duval for a bloated administration, and the lack of control in the schools.  And, of course you are right, the State for misguided cuts to education.

Yeah duval county does share some of the blame, but the cuts in education spending statewide put a nail in Duval county's coffin.

[kells904]

duvaldude, seems like we're about the same age.  I remember specifically, my Kindergarten class being exactly 30 kids, and most years after that hovering at or above 25. I also had the "privelege" of watching classrooms devolve into zoos first hand, throughout the 90's.  That had nothing to do with class size; it was lack of "home training".

I'm sure it'd be met with copious amounts of piss and vinegar, but I'm of the mindset that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have a self-imposed tax for public schools, at the city level.  I don't understand the concept of sending tax dollars to Tallahassee and DC for Deptartments of Education, just so it can be distributed elsewhere and back.

Why do we even need a School Board, and both a State and Federal Deptartment of Education?  What are they doing that Duval County School Board shouldn't be responsible for?

[duvaldude08]

duvaldude, seems like we're about the same age.  I remember specifically, my Kindergarten class being exactly 30 kids, and most years after that hovering at or above 25. I also had the "privelege" of watching classrooms devolve into zoos first hand, throughout the 90's.  That had nothing to do with class size; it was lack of "home training".

I'm sure it'd be met with copious amounts of piss and vinegar, but I'm of the mindset that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have a self-imposed tax for public schools, at the city level.  I don't understand the concept of sending tax dollars to Tallahassee and DC for Deptartments of Education, just so it can be distributed elsewhere and back.

Why do we even need a School Board, and both a State and Federal Deptartment of Education?  What are they doing that Duval County School Board shouldn't be responsible for?

+100

[JeffreyS]

It doesn't seem to have anything to do with are the costs appropriate are not.  Cuts were mandated and then we are supposed to analyze where to cut.  If there had been some analysis that showed hey we are spending too much on this or that so we decided to cut that would be one thing. What we now have to hope for is that their is a bunch of needless spending because the Governor and State Senate do not care if where the cuts come from. They didn't bother to even check if what spending we were doing was appropriate are not.  

I can see the debate now
Rick Scott to Senate: Did you know we are the 49th ranked state for spending per student?
Senate: Really?
Scott: That is way to high on the list. Make some massive cuts.
Senate: Yes, yes yes!!!!! (high fives all around)