The shoes are beginning to drop

Bob, by my figures we spend approximately 12,500 dollars per student in this year's proposed budget. The national average is about 10,600 per student. The state average is about 8,900 per student. Okaloosa County spends about 9,600 per student. The taxpayers of this county provide adequate funding for each student. It does not make sense that Walton County cannot provide raises, substitutes, bus drivers, supplements and per diem for training when districts with less funding provide those things. In fact, I would be willing to bet that Okaloosa provides much more for about 3,000 less per student. Maybe we don't know the solutions yet, but most people can guess where the problem is.

I'll venture to bet that Okaloosa's administrative staff is about the same level as Walton's while they serve easily twice the students.

I understand that. I still think that teachers would be a better advocate to find where those cuts should come from that could either eliminate or reduce the proposed impact on them.

I got a dollar for that one Danny...

Bob, I can only relate to you what I have heard from those very teachers. Most are on yearly contracts and have no job security to speak of. They are scared if they speak out they will be unemployed. While the old tenure system was filled with abuses, the pendulum has gone too far the other way. The union is trying to reform and become relevant again and they have leadership which is trying. But building organizations takes time. Meanwhile, they need our help or many of our quality teachers who have no ties here will leave and our children will suffer the consequences.

I'll venture to bet that Okaloosa's administrative staff is about the same level as Walton's while they serve easily twice the students.

under Tibbets you might have been close, not real close but closer
but not under the new union hand puppet...she's terrible and is padding
the salaried union bigwigs at the expense of the classroom teachers which means the kids as always

I have the donut then, after all, cops are famous for having them, even old retired ones

The union is trying to reform and become relevant again and they have leadership which is trying. .

yes because the hands on labor is always the unions main concern.
like the pharoahs cared about the pyramid labor.

Ok, got it, there is no financial issue. And when the elected officials forego their pay you have made up approximately 250K. Thanks for the solution.

First Bob, play that BS elsewhere. Please point to where I said there was no fiscal issue? Oh, you can't. The lowest form of internet discussion is where one person attempts to attribute words to someone else that clearly aren't present. If you can't produce my words, an apology should be forthcoming. The balls in your court.

Second, my idea is a damn site better than telling the teachers to suck up their bosses incompetence. But I got it Bob, you have to play the political game in your job. You guys got yours. The teachers get f'd again. You just don't get it. But you'll sure as hell be hitting the ceiling when someone screws your folks.

How many raises have the teachers of Walton County gotten that the county gave them, not the governor? And even in that case, the Queen tried to give more money to the janitors first. Want to know where part of the short fall is Bob, try that unfunded raise they negotiated with God knows who to give ESPs a big raise. Even though ESPs in Walton County are paid dramatically more than in neighboring counties.

You are clueless Bob.

Step one: The elected super who allowed an unqualified subordinate to take over a $100 M budget should forego her salary until the mess is cleaned up.

Step two: The paid school board that allowed this to happen under their noses should forego their salaries until the mess is cleaned up.

The teachers did not make this mess. "Professional" (Haha) administrators made this mess, although they are given plenty of money that the super requests. There is no budget shortage. There is a budget incompetence and it's pure BS that anyone would think the teachers, that only got a raise after the governor gave it to them (And the Queen tried to give that to the janitors), should be asked to suffer more because elected good ole boys can't do their damn job!

Sorry. must have miss read that wrong....
First, I think we are on the same page with regards to supporting teachers, but if there are no other ways to balance they will take it from where they think they can get it.
I am not sure how or what you think they can cut that won't effect teachers and classrooms and that is why I like and still want to wait for what the teachers come up with a plan or solution.
Third, I am still waiting for any suggestions by you other than there isn't a budget shortfall but budget mismanagement. Not sure I agree with no budget shortfall and certainly appears to have been a mismanaged budget which even the school district has pretty much said.
Fourth, the Governor only proposed the raises the legislature changed it to include support and administrative staff.
One of the smartest guys I know when it comes to budgets, will hopefully reply here, because I am pretty sure if there is anyone that can figure the issue out and explain it, Bob Hudson can.
Please don't think I am against the teachers. The professional negotiator the School Board hires is the same one they hire where I negotiate. I have attempted to contact members of the Teachers local to no avail and was even asked to leave my number with someone who would give it to someone from the teachers. I am like anyone else, I have participated in raising 3 kids here and have 2 grandkids I fully expect to go to school here. I have a daughter who was a teacher in another district and understand the stresses she was under. So to say I don't get it, maybe I don't get your perspective, but I certainly get mine.

Well, I'll wipe the egg off my face. Not how I meant it, but certainly what I wrote. My apologies.

I know you say you support the teachers, but given that the teachers of WCSD have been paid substandard salaries for years, cutting the teachers first probably isn't the answer.

Well, I'll wipe the egg off my face. Not how I meant it, but certainly what I wrote. My apologies.

I know you say you support the teachers, but given that the teachers of WCSD have been paid substandard salaries for years, cutting the teachers first probably isn't the answer.

I agree and finding a solution with little to no impact is the best possible solution.

Now that everyone is on the same page let's see if we can help them. I am the first to admit my knowledge of the school budget is not what it should be, so anyone with knowledge, please help educate me.

I spent a while looking at the most recent budget, as presented to the board by Superintendent Anderson. I also attended and spoke at the both of the first two budget workshops.

The question I asked, and could not get solidly answered, was "Why is there a 24 percent increase in the 'District Leadership' category of the budget but only a 4 percent increase in instructional costs?" I asked the interim CFO this question, the superintendent, etc. in a public meeting and did not get an answer.

In my opinion, the first step towards realigning the district budget to focus more on students and classrooms (i.e. instruction and teachers), is to get the budget to align to the district's goals. They should make sure they have a strategic plan for improving student learning and funding that plan, not just funding last year's budget with additional money. The next step is for the school board to require that the superintendent present a more detailed budget for approval.

As it stands now, the budget packet is, and has been for a long time, about 20 pages of Excel or QuickBooks pages, printed out, with little explanation. It's hard to figure out much, aside from the basic increases/decreases in different categories.

- Andrew Campanella

Well, I'll wipe the egg off my face. Not how I meant it, but certainly what I wrote. My apologies.

I know you say you support the teachers, but given that the teachers of WCSD have been paid substandard salaries for years, cutting the teachers first probably isn't the answer.

I know that some years ago teachers with graduate degrees and years of teaching experience were paid very well. However, the trend in the last 4 years has been to get rid of the experienced teachers and hire young entry level teachers.

I know that some years ago teachers with graduate degrees and years of teaching experience were paid very well. However, the trend in the last 4 years has been to get rid of the experienced teachers and hire young entry level teachers.

This is happening all over the country, and it is terrible.

I know that some years ago teachers with graduate degrees and years of teaching experience were paid very well. However, the trend in the last 4 years has been to get rid of the experienced teachers and hire young entry level teachers.

It's the Wal-Mart approach to education. Rather than cutting bloated unnecessary positions and salaries at the top you cut at the front lines while wondering why profits (graduation rates) and customer service (test scores) keep dropping.

Note: When I refer to test scores I don't just include the "gold standard" of FCAT, I refer also to the number of students taking advanced placement tests, LSATs, etc.

Referendum failed. Done. Over.

What did happen is fact:

1) C. Jones was elected and she owes us about $1000 for fraudulent insurance.

2). B. Eddins was elected and has a criminal history as long as my left arm (left is about 1 inch longer)...

3). C. Jones used a "loophole" to hide her big money donors till After it was a violation. She had big $$$ to pay violation so nothing to see here...

4). What goes around comes around so look for some excitement after November 2014.

No hard feelings, just amazement at how ignorant the voters actually are.

Schools are and will be a mess.

BCC is getting stacked to go back in time with my Delorian to the Quinn McMillan days.

Back to the Future Walton County Style.

;-)

The District Office doesn't seem to be making any cuts there. Why aren't they having to take some pay cuts, lay off some of the useless overpaid staff in the District Office ? It's always the schools and teachers that are forced to make the sacrifices. I know of some highly qualified teachers have left Walton County schools to go to Okaloosa and Bay County schools because they could earn a lot more money. They received credit for their years experience, education level and credentials. I'm not even sure why we even waste out time discussing this. Every election here just seems to prove how the majority of Walton County citizens are apparently ignorant and do not want anything to change. The turnout for this last election was pathetic.

College ain't for everybody. Some gotta stay home and mind the local bidness.

College ain't for everybody. Some gotta stay home and mind the local bidness.

Which apparently can't function without well placed people in politics.

Thought folks might find this humorous