Soaring diesel fuel costs could force schools to reduce field trips and athletic events and lose millions in state financial support for hiring teachers.Coaches and athletic directors are bracing for the worst after the Florida Legislature cut more than $332 million from the state education budget in May.
Gas prices continue to soar while disposable income tightens for families and local businesses. Municipal swimming pools and golf courses, which for years have provided free services to public schools out of goodwill, will be passing on costs to battle their own budget crises.
Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Ron Blocker made a strong case for having middle-school students start class at 7:30 a.m. and high-schoolers at 9:30 a.m. -- namely, saving more than $14 million over the next five years. The change could also have the benefit of improving the academic performance of high-school students whose brains are telling them they should be home asleep while their teachers are trying to teach them algebra.
ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) recently reported-- Orange County's school start time flip-flop could be flipped back after only a year. The school board voted 4 to 3 in May to make the change to save $2.3 million in bussing costs. Middle Schools would start at 7:30 a.m. and High School at 9:30 a.m.
Meal prices will also be increasing for public school students throughout Orange County for the 2008-09 school year. Basically, it's the increase in energy prices and the cost of food. High energy prices are directly affecting food prices. Orange County schools have decided to raise the price of school meals by 25 cents. Officials say the increased cost is necessary because of the rising costs of resources from gas to food. The price increase will affect breakfast and lunch prices, potentially causing a financial burden for parents with multiple children.
Brevard Public Schools will lose an additional $10 million from its operating budget after already cutting $27.4 million that left district officials with no fat left to trim. The loss comes just a week after the Brevard County School Board approved a $27.4 million cut to the $529 million operating budget and another $15 million from the capital budget. District officials also are estimating that more losses could occur as revenue is calculated. A first draft of tax roll estimates from the county is due in mid-July, which could have lower projections. Then there is the danger of student enrollment slipping districtwide, which also could have a negative impact on school funding.
The current and future trends in education are alarming. Today's challenges seem to be affected by the rising cost of fuel. Do you see any changes in your school districts that are caused by the rising cost of fuel?
3 comments:
Clement,
I like the article that talks about how rising fuel costs are affecting education. As a veteran educator, I am concerned that this escalation will also result in teacher shortages, as districts will have to determine what is more important: budget or education. yet there is much that can be gleaned from the article regarding changes in attitudes required by all stakeholders. A new day is dawning and new kind of attitude is needed. There is likely to be cut in teachers' work week and teachers' salaries too.
As a futurist, things do not look good. What do you recommend, apart from wearing white! (Thanks, Mac)
I am confident in our government to make the necessary shifts in our fuel consumption and hopefully the United States will begin to make changes in our society to support our much needed change in our way of life. It seems like America is based on consuming which leades to all types of stress related issues and failed relationships, along with higher crime rates. Waving the white flag is okay, but I prefer to contribute to the changing of American culture by doing what I can to help make a difference.
Thank you for your comment!
Gas prices have become a national crisis that is impacting millions of people across the nation. The surging prices have made it almost impossible for some to afford to use their own transportation to go to and from work, while others have relied on alternate forms of transportation. The young students in the nation and also suffering from this unfortunate and unbearable rise in fuel prices. There have been talks about canceling afterschool programs because districts can no longer afford to provide transportation for these individuals. There has also been discussion of combining bus stops and making students walk an extra half-mile to save fuel by having buses make fewer stops. If school districts have to cancel these buses, there could be a drastic change in the crime rates for young boy sand girls. The afternoon activities provided by schools, including sports, provide a safe haven for students and helps eliminate the crime that usually peaks during afterschool hours. These activities also give students an opportunity to engage in social events that encourage the individual growth of students. Eliminating these activities actually eliminates the social growth and advancement of students. Something needs to be done with the gas prices to ensure that transportation remains available so that students are afforded these unique opportunities.
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