ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orange County School Board is scheduled to hold a work session Tuesday afternoon to discuss the district’s budget amid concerns about losing millions of dollars due to declining student enrollment.
School Board member Stephanie Vanos said that about half of the district’s funding comes from local property taxes, while the other half comes from the state sales tax. The one mill property tax, which will be on the ballot for renewal this November, currently pays for 11% of the district’s budget.
But with current state funding, Vanos said the district is about $1,300 per student lower than it should be.
“We’re getting less funding to really provide the same services that our students need,” Vanos said. “And that really takes a deep cut into our budget, and that’s sort of what we’re struggling with now.”
Last week, district leaders said they were expecting student enrollment to decline by another 3,000 students next year, which could mean a loss of $27 million in state funding.
Vanos said the School Board cut 2% of non-teaching positions this year and eliminated 3% of positions last year.
“I think all of us want to make sure that our students are the most protected, and so we are making sure that our classroom teachers are there and that we’re not cutting classroom teachers if we don’t absolutely have to,” Vanos said, adding that lower birth rates, fewer families moving into the area and taxpayer-funded voucher programs are playing a role in the decrease of enrollment numbers.
During Tuesday’s work session, the School Board is expected to discuss the district’s operating budget (day-to-day costs to run the schools) and its capital budget, which helps pay for infrastructure and technology.