2011/12 school year budget

[Guest guest]

I read in a post from Christiana:

" He is entering 5th grade this year in the EB cluster which has gone from 4 kids

up to 14 kids due to the closing of the other EB cluster at the school, budget

cuts. "

__________________

I'm confident we will be hearing the " Budget " word as an excuse for many things

when the next school year gets underway.

DO NOT LET THEM TELL YOU THEY CAN'T DO SOMETHING THEY SHOULD, BECAUSE OF BUDGET

CUTS.

Your ESE student brings in a significant amount of State and Federal IDEA money

well above what is attached to a typical student. The IEP drives services for

ESE students, not the budget. Those additional funds are not " attached " to your

child but go into the schools general fund for the Principal to spend as he or

she sees fit. They will be under increased pressure to spend those fund

elsewhere, and they can legally, but not at the expense of FAPE or your childs

IEP.

And in Broward County the Board and Upper Management has been mis managing our

tax dollars at the expense of our students for years.

In Febuary 2011 a Grand Jury had this to say:

http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/09/09-1910/Filed_02\

-18-2011_Final_Report.pdf

From page 2

The evidence we have been presented concerning the malfeasance, misfeasance and

nonfeasance of the Broward County School Board (Board) and of the senior

management of the Broward County School District, (District) and of the gross

mismanagement and apparent ineptitude of so many individuals at so many levels

is so overwhelming that we cannot imagine any level of incompetence that would

explain what we have seen.

From page 4

As an example, the Board has authorized the spending of billions over the last

10 years and has saddled Broward taxpayers with $2 billion in long term debt,

and yet we have thousands of empty seats at under enrolled schools in the

eastern portion of the county and critically overcrowded schools in the western

part of the county and no concrete plans to address the problem. We find that

the current situation is a direct result of the Board's lack of vision,

foresight, planning and leadership as well as a deliberate attempt to withhold

information in order to keep building unnecessary space.

A great deal of taxpayer money spent on this construction has been wasted as the

direct result of the Board's interference and self dealing as well as a result

of their failure to engage in any meaningful oversight of the District's

building activities.

____________________________

I have also sat in Due Process hearings and watched as the Broward District

spent around $10,000 to deny a $500 independent evaluation.

The Board decided to lay off 1,400+ teachers and I don't believe any of the

$100,000+ salaried upper management got their walking papers.

Meanwhile they can afford to pay a janitor $100,000+ a year.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-05-26/news/fl-broward-schools-votech-20110\

526_1_head-custodian-broward-teachers-union-janitors

Do not buy into their " budget cut " whining when it comes to your ESE child. They

have to provide a free and appropriate education and our children should not

suffer because of their mismanagement. Let your school board know if you hear

anything like this, they are responsible and should be advised of the results of

their actions.

Steve

[Guest guest]

Good lord this is awful though not shocking. Do you think that Miami Dade school district is any better?

Clara

From: Steve

Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 2:56 PM

To: sList

Subject: 2011/12 school year budget

I read in a post from Christiana:"He is entering 5th grade this year in the EB cluster which has gone from 4 kids up to 14 kids due to the closing of the other EB cluster at the school, budget cuts."__________________I'm confident we will be hearing the "Budget" word as an excuse for many things when the next school year gets underway.DO NOT LET THEM TELL YOU THEY CAN'T DO SOMETHING THEY SHOULD, BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS.Your ESE student brings in a significant amount of State and Federal IDEA money well above what is attached to a typical student. The IEP drives services for ESE students, not the budget. Those additional funds are not "attached" to your child but go into the schools general fund for the Principal to spend as he or she sees fit. They will be under increased pressure to spend those fund elsewhere, and they can legally, but not at the expense of FAPE or your childs IEP.And in Broward County the Board and Upper Management has been mis managing our tax dollars at the expense of our students for years. In Febuary 2011 a Grand Jury had this to say:http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/09/09-1910/Filed_02-18-2011_Final_Report.pdfFrom page 2The evidence we have been presented concerning the malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance of the Broward County School Board (Board) and of the senior management of the Broward County School District, (District) and of the gross mismanagement and apparent ineptitude of so many individuals at so many levels is so overwhelming that we cannot imagine any level of incompetence that would explain what we have seen.From page 4As an example, the Board has authorized the spending of billions over the last 10 years and has saddled Broward taxpayers with $2 billion in long term debt, and yet we have thousands of empty seats at under enrolled schools in the eastern portion of the county and critically overcrowded schools in the western part of the county and no concrete plans to address the problem. We find that the current situation is a direct result of the Board's lack of vision, foresight, planning and leadership as well as a deliberate attempt to withhold information in order to keep building unnecessary space. A great deal of taxpayer money spent on this construction has been wasted as the direct result of the Board's interference and self dealing as well as a result of their failure to engage in any meaningful oversight of the District's building activities.____________________________I have also sat in Due Process hearings and watched as the Broward District spent around $10,000 to deny a $500 independent evaluation.The Board decided to lay off 1,400+ teachers and I don't believe any of the $100,000+ salaried upper management got their walking papers.Meanwhile they can afford to pay a janitor $100,000+ a year. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-05-26/news/fl-broward-schools-votech-20110526_1_head-custodian-broward-teachers-union-janitorsDo not buy into their "budget cut" whining when it comes to your ESE child. They have to provide a free and appropriate education and our children should not suffer because of their mismanagement. Let your school board know if you hear anything like this, they are responsible and should be advised of the results of their actions.Steve