Our community's children are our most valuable assets. They represent the future quality of life for the Florida Keys.
Keeping the Keys "family-friendly" is hugely important to help maintain our sense of community. We have 8,405 students who go to school every day in 17 schools, of which six are public charter schools. The only sensible vote is to continue to support our schools, helping to attract new families and maintain property values.
On the January ballot, there is a referendum item to continue flexible school funding. We must vote "yes" to permit the continued transfer of money from capital accounts to the classroom, where the money is actually needed. This is not a tax increase; it's a reauthorization -- for another four years -- of what we have been doing since 2004.
By voting yes, voters will allow a portion (0.5 mill) of an existing capital ad valorem tax to be used for operations, such as teachers, school nurses and classroom supplies. Failure to pass this measure means that existing taxes will be frozen in capital accounts, and not available to pay the daily costs of running our schools.
Should voters thoughtlessly or unknowingly vote no, some $9-plus million in funding for classroom teachers, student athletics, art and music programs, and school supplies will be lost. It must be stressed that all students and teachers will be negatively impacted, perhaps with closed schools, longer bus routes, and reduced course offerings. This would not be a wise outcome.
Background: There has been well-publicized turbulence and dubious spending in our School District in recent years. But, that is the past. Voters should understand that cost reductions are the order of the day now. This year's operating budget has already been cut from $90 million last year to $80 million this year. Both the superintendent and the School Board have acknowledged that continued reform is in the cards for next year.
While all of us would like instant action, "right-sizing" our district takes professional planning and some time to implement change. This is happening. I'm pleased to see good collaborative work being done with both Superintendent (Jesus) Jara and the board focused on more cost reduction, without impacting student achievement. A negative vote on this referendum at this time would be disruptive, to say the least.
How are the schools? Here's the good news: Despite the turmoil and leadership changes in the recent past, student achievement has continued to rise. This is a tribute to the hard work of teachers and school leaders who didn't take their eye off the ball.
As a member of the Florida State Board of Education, I have a unique perspective on the state of our schools. They are improving. We are implementing a national Common Core Standard curriculum to raise the bar in Florida. We aim to compete favorably with the rest of the country and internationally. Expectations for student achievement have been raised, as have expectations for our teachers and staff as we transition into statewide merit pay requirements. Reaching these heights with funding under pressure is not easy, but must be done.
Monroe's schools now rank eighth out of 67 counties in Florida based on student achievement. By almost every measure, Monroe is pretty good and certainly getting better.
Monroe's students increasingly take advanced placement and other higher level courses. With six public charter schools, the school choice options in our communities have never been greater, and 12 percent of Monroe's kids have opted for a charter school.
Monroe is still ranked as an "A" district in Florida, but with higher standards, it will be harder to keep that ranking. Both Monroe and the entire state are moving in the right direction, and making steady progress.
Why is this referendum important? Education is the currency of the 21st century. High quality education for Monroe's kids links them inextricably to high-paying jobs. We taxpayers know that a thriving economic future for Florida and our nation depends on our students being internationally competitive.
This referendum is the vehicle to exert significant local control over the way our taxes are spent. Should it fail to pass, monies will have to be spent on state-prescribed capital projects.
I urge you to vote, and to vote yes on this referendum. It won't change our taxes, but it will benefit our schools, our kids, and the future of the Keys.
John R. Padget lives in Key West and currently serves on the Florida State Board of Education. He is past superintendent of Monroe County schools, and holds a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School.
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011
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