The Leon County School Board is weighing a proposed $7 million budget reduction that could impact athletics, arts, and other student programs across the district, including the potential closure of Leon County’s virtual school.
District officials say the financial strain is the result of stagnant state funding combined with rising operational costs. Chris Petley of the district’s Office of Communications said the district has received minimal new revenue in recent years while expenses have continued to grow.
“Over the last couple of years, state funding for education at the local level has remained consistently flat in Leon County,” Petley said. “With that being said, we’re forced to look at our budget and make some really tough decisions to propose to the school board.”
One proposal would reduce the supplemental funding schools use to offset costs for programs like athletics and arts. The district has provided about $1 million annually over the past three years, but that figure could be cut in half under the new plan.
“None of these decisions are easy, right?” Petley said. “Every decision that the superintendent is recommending is a tough decision, and we understand arts and athletics and music are sometimes what keep students coming back to school every day. So those decisions have not been made lightly and have not been made in a vacuum.”
Even though no final decision has been made yet, many families in Leon County are already preparing, in case these programs are cut. The Leon County School Board will vote on what to do next at its March 24 meeting, and that decision could affect the district’s budget and the classes students have access to.
One concerned parent, Gerald Gallon, said the virtual school and these programs are important because they play a big role in his child’s learning and everyday life.
Gallon stated, “They’re very important, because I’m an artist myself, so if it wasn’t for my art teachers in high school, teaching me copyright, teaching me how to trademark federally, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
