I received a phone call from my principal the other day letting me know that due to Lee County School District budget cuts, my contract is not being renewed next year. Just like that. My career as a teacher has come to a screeching halt.
I am one of 13 teachers at my school that was cut. Out of a teaching staff of 41. That is about one-third of our teachers. At Cypress Lake High School, they are cutting 18 teachers and 6 support staff. Another school has cut 15. Another 25. Another 12. The cuts are happening everywhere across the county. Cypress is only losing 18 kids next year, and schools that are typically on waiting lists also had massive cuts, so it’s not due to enrollment, no matter what you may be hearing.
You may also be hearing phrases like, “We are being fiscally responsible,” and “we want highly effective teachers and they will have a job,” and “we aren’t cutting the arts, we are just giving principals a budget that they need to figure out.” And my favorite, “we are cutting waste and putting focus back where it belongs − on students and in classrooms.” Phrases spoken like true partisan politicians. Lee County, you voted to have an elected superintendent. This is what happened. To put it plainly, you are being lied to.
This is my 14th year teaching elementary students in the School District of Lee County. I have received a Highly Effective State VAM score for the last 12 years in a row. I spent my first 8 years at Tanglewood Elementary, and the last 6 years at Lee Virtual School. I have built classroom communities that feel like second families.
If you don’t know me, you may be thinking, “well, there has to be another reason that she was cut.” I get it. I would, too. But, just to take a moment to humbly brag − I am a highly regarded teacher. Former administrators have reached out to me for years to get me to come to their schools. My current principal just sent me a text message Friday evening about how wonderful my state test scores were and how much progress my students have made this year. Over the years I have gotten many parent requests from parents who want me to be their child’s teacher, or loop to the next grade with them. I am still getting notes of appreciation from students in high school and college about the impact that I had on them in first or second grade. My students still reach out to me all these years later. I love “my kids.” I love (most of) my job. I despise the politics that are deeply ingrained in it.
I wasn’t cut because anyone complained about me, or because of bad test scores. I was cut because I have an annual contract and I am the only teacher on our elementary team of five teachers without a continuing contract. Teachers hired in the State of Florida prior to 2011 have Professional Service Contracts, which means that they are continuous. Those of us hired after 2011 have annual contracts that must be renewed each year. I was hired in February 2013. Someone had to be cut from elementary, so my principal truly had no choice. She was deeply upset when she called and emphasized that if given the opportunity, she would hire me back in a heartbeat and will gladly recommend me for any job. My heart truly breaks for the principals who are forced to make these extremely difficult decisions.
These cuts are not only affecting hundreds of teachers who will now be jobless. They are affecting the teachers and staff who remain at the schools and are now going to have to take on even more roles and responsibilities. Class sizes are already at an all-time high, but now they will balloon. Teachers at one high school were told to expect 40-50 students in each of their core classes next year. So, how exactly are we “putting focus on students and classrooms,” again?
One Board member states on social media that, “every teacher will have a job.” That claim is baseless and untrue. If every school is making cuts, even the typically “hard to staff schools,” then how will there be openings for us to apply for? That same Board member stated that the budget cuts were not due to a decline in enrollment and that enrollment is actually on the rise. A few days later, he posted that we are down 800 students. Even so, 800 students x $9,000 per student = a loss of $7.2 million. The District is reporting a $92M deficit, and is taking $45M out of capital funds to offset that, for a total of a $47M deficit. The math “ain’t mathin’.”
Yet, the District is plowing full steam ahead and building a brand new high school in Alva. In an area that no one wants it, nor is it needed, at a tune of $168M. If you want to go down that rabbit hole, look up Terry Miller, campaign manager for the superintendent and 5 Board members, county politicians, Bonita Springs and Cape Coral city politicians, the state attorney, state senators and representatives, manager of 5 PACs, AND lobbyist for developers. And guess what? The developers that he lobbies for − they own the area around the new school being built. But that’s just a coincidence, right?
How did we go from having hundreds of vacancies and a huge teachers shortage last year, to the point that we had to send recruiters to other countries to hire international teachers, to this year where hundreds, if not possibly a thousand or more, teachers are being cut? I don’t think anyone can truly answer that question. I know that there’s a perfect storm of things that is leading to the downfall of the public school system here in Florida. Vouchers for any and all private school students and homeschool students, regardless of income, to the tune of $8K per student is one of them. Those funds are being funneled out of public schools. Lee County families used $83.8M in vouchers this year, and that amount is projected to be $94.7M next year. The state budget hasn’t even been given to districts yet, but the cuts to public schools are expected to be massive. The superintendent claims that she is getting rid of $35M in “legacy spending” from school budgets. Let’s see the line items for that $35M, please. Because I’m sure that no schools are truly “wasting” that money. Schools need money for STUDENTS.
But “over $16M was cut from the district office.” Great. However, most positions that were cut were lower-level positions. And those lower-level positions, such as directors of certain departments in charge of things like Mental Health, Social Work, ESE, etc. are the ones with more direct effect on students. All while four regional superintendent positions, two other executive positions, and two lobbyist positions were created to the tune of millions of dollars. Not to mention the bullet-proofing of the superintendent’s office, increased security guards and equipment, and a separate parking structure for the superintendent. Then, there are things like $65,000 on color mailers that were sent to residences to “advertise how great our District is.” A large percentage of the people who received this mailer don’t even have school-aged children. I could go on, but all District budget items are public record. So, make a records request and dive in if you’d like to see for yourself.
I encourage you to email our School Board members, superintendent, local representatives, commissioner of Education, and governor. Let them know how these extreme cuts are hurting our teachers and students. Ask them to review and amend each school’s budget. Even if it won’t save my job, hopefully some others can be saved.
The next School Board meeting is next Tuesday, May 12, 6:30-8:30 pm. Public comment is open at the end, and community members can speak directly to the Board members who are present. You will likely get 2 minutes to speak. I will be there. Unfortunately, I cannot speak without starting to sob 10 seconds in, but I have heard that others plan to speak on my behalf, and on the behalf of the teachers and students that are being affected.
Starla Kennelly is in her14th year teaching elementary students in the School District of Lee County.
Editor’s note: The News-Press & Naples Daily News did not independently confirm the figures cited in this piece and a Lee County School District spokesperson said the district’s budget realignment is ongoing and the district would not provide the number of teacher non-renewals until it is complete.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Extreme Lee school cuts hurting our teachers and students | Opinion
Reporting by Starla Kennelly / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
