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Hillsborough, Pinellas Schools Lose $38 Million In Budget

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By CATHERINE DOLINSKI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 29, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Hillsborough and Pinellas county public schools will lose a total of more than $38 million operating dollars and funding for Pasco County schools stays close to even under the $66.2 billion state budget that House and Senate leaders released Monday.

For Hillsborough, where K-12 enrollment is flat, the cut of $10.3 million, or $83.55 per student, was expected, said Connie Milito, lobbyist for Hillsborough County Public Schools. Total operating funding for the county's schools came close to $1.35 billion, or $7,039.63 per student.

Milito said the school board and Superintendent MaryEllen Elia are still working out how to implement the cuts. The district seeks to avoid layoffs and would first take measures such as tightening the district office's budget, reassigning resource teachers back to classrooms and delaying hires.

"Our first goal is to protect the schools and classrooms," Milito said, though as the district's staff and resources are spread more thinly, students and parents may notice the impact next year.

The reduction for Hillsborough pales next to the statewide average loss of $130.85 per student. Milito explained that Hillsborough's per-student funding includes the performance-based pay for teachers that only Hillsborough and a few other counties received for participating in the state's Merit Award Program. Not counting the teacher award dollars, she said, the loss for the district would probably be about $140 per student.

Pinellas County, where school enrollment is declining, will lose more than $27.7 million in 2008-09, bringing its total K-12 funding to $746 million, or $7,091.98 per student. Pasco County will receive $2.7 million more, bringing its total to about $469 million. However, with enrollment expected to grow by at least 1,200 students in 2008-09, that amounts to a net loss of $107.22 per student.

Pasco County schools have been bracing for potential cuts, with District Superintendent Heather Fiorentino saying this month that she would try to avoid layoffs and cuts in the classroom.

Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at cdolinski@tampatrib.com or (850) 222-8382.

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