2012 ends and 2013 begins

Reflections on 2012

2013 is here now but before we look forward to the year 2013 it is important to reflect on 2012 and its effects on our schools.

Last year at this time one of the big concerns was the Florida Legislator’s budget funding and how it would affect our schools in Citrus County.  While that will continue to be a concern we struggle with, it by no means is the single major concern facing our schools at this time.  Funding for Citrus County Schools has been reduced, in the last many years,` by over $20 million. This has required us to make difficult choices, often having to choose the lesser of two beneficial learning opportunities for our students. In 2012, as a school board, we unanimously approved and recommended maintaining a continuance of $.25 millage rate for schools.  Unlike in 2010, the voters did not approve it.  This will now mean a loss of nearly $2.5million a year to our students and schools.  Furthermore, a circuit court found the new Florida Retirement Benefit to be unconstitutional,  requiring that all state employees now contribute 3% personally into FRS.  This ruling is now on appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.  Many believe that the high court will also confirm and uphold the lower court’s ruling that it was unconstitutional to change the rules in the middle of a person’s process of already having provided the services toward the retirement plan that was in effect during the years of past services.  What this means to our school district is that unless the State Legislature increases the amount that employees were forced to pay FRS then Citrus County School District will lose another approximately $2-2.5million dollars less funding for our student and schools.  This, along with additional costs and needs, means that Citrus School District will be facing about $6 million less in funding in the year 2013 than it received in 2012.  This is on top of any changes in funding lost by Duke Energy not paying their full tax assessment bill, which will also run into millions less going to our students and schools.  What this means for the school board is that we will be beginning the budget process earlier, again this year, and we must look at and explore any and all options of reducing costs and increasing revenue in order to limit any negative effects on our students and their learning.

Successes in 2012

There are many challenges ahead for Citrus Schools but we have much to be proud of in our schools and the accomplishments for our students, schools and district are numerous but these are just a few that come to mind for 2012.

First we, In Citrus County, often boast about Citrus Schools being designated as a High Preforming District.  (Click here to read my blog post, “2012 High Performing School District for 6th Year!”)What now makes this highly prestigious designation even greater is that next year only three county school districts, in the entire state of Florida, is even eligible to achieve the designation of a High Preforming District and Citrus is one of those three.

In 2012 we learned that under the new State of Florida’s teacher appraisal system, Citrus County teachers under the Florida Department of Education, describe that 97% of Citrus County public school teachers received a score on their evaluation of “highly effective” or “effective”!!!  We could have told them that before they spent millions and millions!  I continue to believe that it is more like 99%. (Click here to read my blog post, “Citrus Teachers are Amazing”.)

In June, the Washington Post ranked all of Citrus County’s High Schools as “outstanding High in America” for their performance on AP tests, IB tests, Industry Certification tests, and college level coursework. (Click here to read my blog post, “Washington Post: ABCs of The High School Challenge”.)

I very am proud that both the Citrus County School Board along with the Florida School Board Association each separately passed a resolution against the overemphasis of high stakes testing on our students.  (Click here to read Resolution)

This list of our student’s, school’s and district’s successes could go on and on and it is those individual and collective “wins” that inspire me everyday.

Looking Forward

The challenges we are facing in our school district and county are great and significant but Citrus County has bravely and successfully always withstood a challenge.

I have much faith in the Leadership Team of the Citrus County School Board and the Superintendent and her Executive Team as we work together on the challenges ahead of us.

Please continue to provide me with your observations, input, and suggestions for our schools and district as I value it greatly.  I further ask for your prayers and thoughts for the decisions ahead of us.

“God Bless our Citrus County Schools in 2013!”

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