Pasco Schools Superintendent Urges Delegation To Reject Budget

LAND O’ LAKES, FL -- Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is urging the Pasco Legislative Delegation to vote “No” on the state budget, saying the proposed student allocation is much too low.

In an email sent to delegation members Friday, March 9, Browning said the proposed Base Student Allocation increase of 47 cents per student equals less than the base salary for a Pasco County teacher.

The 47 cents per student, he said, will give Pasco County Schools an additional $34,613.29 for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

According to Browning, that’s not nearly enough. He is asking the delegation members to vote against the state budget. The state Legislature is scheduled to vote on the state budget Sunday, March 11.

The BSA is the amount of money the state provides per student, and is the main source of flexible funding school districts receive to pay for new or continuing educational programs and teacher and staff salaries. It is one part of the Florida Education Finance Program.

Browning said he’s concerned that money that should be going to pay teachers is now being used to arm schools in the wake of the Parkland school shootings.

“Although I strongly support funding school safety measures, the majority of the increased FEFP is for student safety at the expense of educating our students,” Browning said.

Earlier this week, the Legislature set aside $67 million for a program to arm school staff and $97 million for armed school resource officers.

The 47-cent increase in the BSA brings the overall FEFP funding increase per Pasco student to $88.49. Browning noted that the statewide average per student is $101.40. And since the Legislature is mandating that most of this increase be spent on school safety and mental health programs, school districts no longer have the flexibility to use the funds where they are most needed.

“The increase in funding per student will not cover inflation, student enrollment growth or teacher raises,” Browning said.

Pasco legislators have yet to publicly comment on Browning’s email.

However, one of the strongest proponents of the so-called marshal plan to arm school employees has been Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Spring Hill, who represents portions of Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.

House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, and state legislators Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, and Amber Mariano, R-Port Richey. also voted in favor of the gun and school safety bill.

The only member of the Pasco delegation to vote against the measure was Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa.

Image via Pasco School District