{"id":1231,"date":"2011-09-09T11:21:25","date_gmt":"2011-09-09T15:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/?p=1231"},"modified":"2011-09-14T16:46:25","modified_gmt":"2011-09-14T20:46:25","slug":"broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Broward Schools Face Largest Budget Deficit in State; Effect on Other Districts Unclear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-1231 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/stacks-1\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/stacks-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sarah Gonzalez\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/stacks-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/stacks-1-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/stacks-1-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/stacks-1-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1234'>\n\t\t\t\tTextbooks at South Broward High School in Hollywood, Fla. are stacked on the ground, instead of on bookshelves, in order to save money. Broward County school&#8217;s  $141 million budget deficit is the largest in the state. South Broward High lost six teachers this summer, while other schools, like Cypress Bay High in Weston, Fla. lost up to 40 teachers this summer alone. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/room-view\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Room-view-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sarah Gonzalez\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Room-view-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Room-view-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Room-view-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Room-view-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1233'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Broward County Public School District instituted a new barcode system to keep better track of textbooks and make sure students return them after the school year. South Borward High&#8217;s textbook coordinator estimates the new system has saved the school up to $50,000 in unreturned textbooks. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/books-with-lights\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/books-with-lights-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sarah Gonzalez\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1238\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/books-with-lights-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/books-with-lights-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/books-with-lights-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/books-with-lights-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1238'>\n\t\t\t\tThe video production equipment in the MTV classroom at South Broward High was replaced by stacks and stacks of textbooks after the video production program was cut last school year because of shrinking budgets. Some of the equipment, like the stage lights, were left behind. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/teacher\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sarah Gonzalez\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1235\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1235'>\n\t\t\t\tDebra Hixon has taught at South Broward High for the past 17 years as a marine science teacher. But before and after school, and during the lunch period, Hixon also works as the school textbook coordinator in order to earn extra income. Broward County teachers are the lowest paid teachers in the state.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/whole-class\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/whole-class-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sarah Gonzalez\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/whole-class-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/whole-class-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/whole-class-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/whole-class-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1237'>\n\t\t\t\tA marine science class at South Broward High. Kevius Morgan, center, and Taylor Drake, right.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/three-kids\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/three-kids-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/three-kids-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/three-kids-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/three-kids-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/three-kids-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1236'>\n\t\t\t\tTaylor Drake, Kevius Morgan and Cristinne Paneit, seniors at South Broward High, say some teachers give them extra credit for bringing in items like markers, rulers, paper and tissues. All three say their final grades increased by a full letter in at least one class. \u201cA lot of teachers do it,\u201d Drake said, whose C grade increased to a B after she brought in classroom materials. \u201cIf they see that you\u2019re trying and you\u2019re still struggling and you bring in those items, it will boost you a lot.\u201d Paneit says &#8220;its like a raise&#8221; for working hard in class. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/2011\/09\/09\/broward-schools-face-thier-toughest-budget-yet-will-other-districts-be-next\/cypress-bay-high\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Cypress-Bay-High-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sarah Gonzalez\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Cypress-Bay-High-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Cypress-Bay-High-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Cypress-Bay-High-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/Cypress-Bay-High-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1232'>\n\t\t\t\tKayla Kervin and Elinor Taieb are seniors at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla. where 40 teachers were cut this school year. Taieb says, &#8220;some teachers actually request if you can bring some paper in for them because they are limited,&#8221; but she says students don&#8217;t get any credit for it. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Every school district in Florida is dealing with layoffs and budget cuts. But Broward County in South Florida is facing the largest budget deficit in the state\u2014more than $140 million. And its forced teachers and students in the nation&#8217;s 6th largest school district to get creative about spending money.<\/p>\n\n<p>Students at South Broward High in Hollywood waited in the rain during the first week of school to get inside what used to be the video production classroom. Only, the video production program was cut last school year.<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->Now the room is a maze of lime green, red and purple textbooks. Stacks and stacks of them. More than five feet high.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1324\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 300px;\"><a class=\"fancybox\" title=\"Debra Hixon oversees textbooks at Broward.\" href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-2.jpg\" rel=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1324\" title=\"Debra Hixon headshot\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2011\/09\/teacher-2-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Sarah Gonzalez \/ StateImpact Florida<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Debra Hixon oversees textbooks at Broward.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But the school&#8217;s textbook coordinator, Debra Hixon, has a method to the chaos.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the front is the math books, then it goes science after math and then social studies and then foreign language,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd English would be to the left side of the room. We have to leave a path for the computer carts to zoom by through here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There are no bookshelves because the county can&#8217;t afford them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHonestly there\u2019s no point in spending money on bookcases when there&#8217;s not really a need to use them,\u201d Hixon said.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just one sign of the massive budget crisis facing Broward County schools.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lowest Paid Teachers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This year the district eliminated the jobs of 1,400 teachers and about 1,000 other district employees.Though some have been re-hired.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s more than any other county in Florida.<\/p>\n<p>And Broward teachers are now the lowest paid urban teachers in the state.<\/p>\n<p>In the last three years, their salaries have been cut by 16%. Compare that to the 6% pay cut in the next worst district, Desoto County.<\/p>\n<p>And with budgets for classroom supplies shrinking, underpaid Broward teachers are recruiting students to help stock their classrooms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;An Irresistible Incentive&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s nothing new for teachers to ask students to bring in school supplies. But South Broward\u00a0High senior Kevius Morgan says his art teacher gave the class an irresistible incentive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe teacher was like, &#8216;Okay, I&#8217;m running out of paper towels and I don&#8217;t know how you&#8217;re going to dry your hands after you clean them, so if you bring in paper towels you get a letter grade up,\u201d Morgan said.<\/p>\n<p>His final grade increased by a full letter grade, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt saved me,\u201d said Taylor Drake, a senior who was given the same option in her Algebra II class last year. \u201cMy final grade\u2026 increased from like C to B,\u201d because she brought in markers, rulers and scrap paper.<\/p>\n<p>The principal of the school, Alan Strauss, said he didn&#8217;t know this was going on. But he said it doesn&#8217;t surprise him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause of the difficult budgetary times,\u201d Strauss said. \u201cBut we don&#8217;t encourage it to be for extra credit because that could be seen as a socioeconomic advantage. So I&#8217;m not a big fan of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Strauss says five years ago this wouldn&#8217;t even be brought up in the classroom.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Grand<\/strong><strong> Jury Calls School<\/strong><strong> Board Corrupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Broward school district is trying to rebound from a statewide Grand Jury report that blasted the School Board, calling it inept and corrupted by contractors and lobbyists.<\/p>\n<div class=\"module pull-quote right\">\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m hoping this year was our toughest year.\u201d<\/p>\n<h6>-Becky\u00a0McMahan, budget director for Broward County Public Schools<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<p>If it were legally possible, the grand jurors said they would fire the entire board.<\/p>\n<p>But the tumult at the top hasn&#8217;t hurt student performance\u2014at least not yet.<\/p>\n<p>Broward County is one of four finalists nationwide for the Broad Foundation Prize, which recognizes student achievement in large urban schools. The recognition is based on standardized test scores and demographic data, not just class grades.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s To Come In Other Districts?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But Becky McMahan\u00a0expects that will change soon. She\u2019s the Budget director for Broward County Public Schools.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think eventually, if these reductions continue, you know it\u2019s hard to teach in a classroom with 65 students, or 30 kids, or whatever they turn out to be,\u201d McMahan said. \u201cI&#8217;m hoping this year was our toughest year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other districts could have their toughest time next year.<\/p>\n<p>The Broward County school district spent all its federal stimulus money last year, when other districts like Palm Beach and Miami-Dade held on to some.<\/p>\n<p>But that stimulus money is likely to run out for them this year.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every school district in Florida is dealing with layoffs and budget cuts. But Broward County in South Florida is facing the largest budget deficit in the state\u2014more than $140 million. And its forced teachers and students in the nation&#8217;s 6th largest school district to get creative about spending money. Students at South Broward High in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[114,1036,1033,1052,1018,1058],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1231\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}