Volusia

Volusia County

$53,872,799 in budget cuts since 2007.

What We've Lost

• Additional personnel cuts and personnel cost reductions- There will be some impact to positions and salary levels, however, class size ratios will not be adjusted.
• Review participation in acceleration programs for possible modifications (International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, Early College, Advancement Via Individual Determination) - The cost factor used to fund these programs is proposed to be reduced by the Senate, which may require modification to the way these programs are delivered.
• Review future small school closings/consolidations - Burns-Oak Hill Elementary is scheduled to close at the end of this school year, Starke Elementary at the end of 2010-11 and Holly Hill Middle at the end of 2011-12.
• Eliminate all but mandatory summer school programs (July 2009) - Those programs mandated will be offered, along with credit retrieval courses to be funded with remaining Supplemental Academic Instruction funds.
• Eliminate athletic teams and cheerleading - In lieu of eliminating sports, the district is studying a "pay to play" fee for participation in athletics, as well as other student activities. A provision is being planned to allow students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals to participate if they cannot afford the fee.
• Further reductions of teacher salary supplement budgets for extra duties - The supplements were reduced 10% this school year and further reductions may be necessary.
• Additional reduction of district and school non-salary budgets - These budgets have been reduced several times over the last two years. District non-salary budgets will be reduced by another 3% and further reductions in school non-salary budgets may be necessary.
• Expand district-wide mandatory facility closings (during holidays) - The district saves approximately $30,000 in utilities each day the district offices and schools are closed. Closings for winter break and spring will be considered.

What We've Achieved

• Volusia's 2009 graduates garnered over $26,900,000 in scholarships.
• Out of 16,000 school districts Volusia County ranks 17th in the nation for the number of National Board Certified teachers.
• Lisa Bynum, agriculture teacher at Heritage Middle, is the middle school agri-science level winner of the Florida Agriculture in the Classroom's 2009 Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award.
• Hinson Middle School was selected to participate in Florida Power & Light's Solar School Pilot program. The system will generate emissions-free electricity and provide students with a hands-on tool to learn how solar power works.
• Ray Grimard, Seabreeze High teacher, and Don Brunning, Atlantic High teacher, worked for months to produce a PBS children's show, which debuted on the local PBS Channel 15 in February and will be aired nationally on all PBS affiliate stations. The show's mission is to empower PBS's youngest viewers (grades K - 5) to be good custodians of earth as they learn the importance of keeping our planet clean and healthy.
• Volusia County received the highest ranking for Department of Juvenile Justice education programs by the state of Florida.
• Nick Martir and Bryan Walsh, Deltona High students, won first place in a national filmmaking contest, Young Minds/Digital Times, for their freeform short film.
• Linda Knowles, Starke Elementary teacher, won a national contest designed to honor innovative teachers sponsored by Northpoint Horizons, educational materials publisher.
• Diane Martin-Morgan, school social services manager, was named the "Administrator of the Year" by the Florida Association of School Social Workers for her outstanding advocacy and innovative contributions to the advancement of social work.
• Marisa Kometas, Silver Sands Middle student, won first place in the state for her short story in the Daughters of the American Revolution writing competition.
• The Scholastic Reading Counts Enterprise Edition was launched providing more than 40,000 quizzes to elementary, middle and high schools for the first time.
• The Florida PTA for his support and involvement in the PTA named Ted Petrucciani, Hinson Middle School principal, "Outstanding Principal of the Year".
• The SAFARI Montage video-on-demand system was implemented in all schools and district departments for the integration of video into the curriculum content areas.
• A new professional development school partnership was established between Timbercrest Elementary and the University of Central Florida.
• Becky Pittard, Pine Trail Elementary teacher, was selected as a Florida state-level finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching program.

Letters to Editors

• Orlando Sentinel
• Daytona Beach News Journal
• Florida Today

County Legislative Contact Information