Kurt Browning

Pasco County Schools proposes $1.7 billion budget

August 2, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County School Board has proposed a $1.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2022-2023.

The general operating budget increased from $734.5 million to $848.6 million. The capital budget of $455 million represents an increase of $116 million over the current fiscal year.

Superintendent Kurt Browning outlined some key expenses that are part of the proposed budget.

Browning said the district will receive additional state funding of $57.2 million, to accommodate projected growth of 3,588 students and also for recurring expenses.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said there’s misinformation on social media chatter relating to how much money the school district has available to provide raises for district employees. (File)

That $57.2 million includes:

$4.9 million for retirement increases
$3 million for health insurance increases
$3.2 million for voluntary prekindergarten expansion, and increasing costs for utilities, fuel, materials and supplies, and an increase in its costs for School Resource Officer contracts
$7.7 million for an increase of 115 school staff positions
$1.4 million for allocations needed for the opening of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation and for allocations associated with Angeline 6-12 Academy, now under construction
$6.8 million to continue to increase the minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers • $9.8 million to raise minimum district salaries to $15 per hour
$2.3 million for guest teachers; and, other funds for employee salaries to be negotiated with the union

No new district-level staff allocations are included in the budget.

The capital budget includes:

The renovation of Hudson High
The construction of a new Gulf High School
The construction of Angeline 6-12 Academy
A new classroom wing at Starkey K-8
Cafeteria renovations, replacement of HVAC systems and infrastructure upgrades at various schools

Funding up, but required spending up, too
Before requesting the board to approve the tentative budget, Browning addressed what he described as “some recent social media chatter regarding excess funds, or funding the district has received over last year’s budget.”

The issue is important because the school board is asking voters for a yea or no vote on whether to levy an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027, to support increased salaries for teachers, bus drivers and other non-administrative district employees.

Voters will decide the issue during the Aug. 23 Primary Election.

Browning asked Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, “to provide our board and the public with some additional, factual, information that will bring clarity into these recent, misleading, statements.”

Shibley responded: “We know that there has been some comments on social media about the district having plenty of excess, recurring funds, to provide salary increases — not needing a referendum for salaries.”

In essence, Shibley said, the claims are that the district has about $114 million in new money it could use for employee salary increases and would not need a referendum to increase pay.

“I wanted to take a minute to kind of walk the board through this, because I think it’s a perfect example of when $114 million is not $114 million,” Shibley said.

He then broke down the numbers, addressing the categories of expenditures the district must make based on state mandates; increasing costs the district must fund; and expenses the district will need to assume because federal funds provided for COVID-19 relief no longer will be available.

Whenever the district receives increased funding from the state, “a big chunk of that” must be spent for specific purposes, known as categorical spending, Shibley said.

Also, some money comes through the district, but immediately goes back out again, in the form of scholarship payments required by the state, he said.

He cited the example of Family Empowerment Scholarships.

“This is something that hit the district really hard. Last year, the state changed the way that they processed private and homeschool scholarships for students. Instead of paying those scholarships out of a separate bucket at the state level, they are funneling those scholarships through the district.

“So, you will see that we are paying out almost $34 million in scholarships. So, it’s basically the money is coming in on the right hand and immediately it’s going out the door with the left hand,” he said.

Also, while the district received funding increases in some categories, the increases fall far short of the district’s actual expenses, Shibley said.

For instance, there was a $2.9 million increase in transportation funding, he said.

But, according to Betsy Kuhn, the assistant superintendent for support services, state funding for transportation services is roughly half of what it costs to transport the district’s students.

Each 1% in employee raises costs $4.7 million
While the district received more money, most of it cannot be spent to increase employee salaries, Shibley said.

Specifically, the district is facing a state requirement for increased retirement contribution rates for all employees; it must pass along growth dollars to charter schools; and, it has to pay higher costs for software licenses, utility bills, fuel costs and so on, Shibley said.

Other costs include meeting the $15 minimum wage requirement and hiring additional teachers to abide by class size requirements.

Plus, the district will absorb about $10 million in costs that had been paid through the federal government’s COVID relief funds, he said.

In essence, the required spending and increasing costs add up to about $100 million, leaving the district with about $14 million for additional salary increases for employees, Shibley said.

“When you consider that it costs about $4.7 million to give a 1% salary increase to the district’s employees, that means after the teacher salary increase and the minimum wage, we do have enough for an additional 3% increase,” he said.

“I think you’re seeing that the board is budgeting and they’re planning for moderate salary increases for employees, but it is nowhere near the level that is going to catch us up with our surrounding districts,” Shibley said.

Browning told the board: “I thought it was important that we would share publicly, what the real numbers are. A huge portion of what’s on this list that he provided to you is what the state tells us we will and we shall spend, out of money they send to us.”

School board chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong thanked district staff for presenting the numbers, which she said offers transparency to the public.

The school board will have its final public hearing on the budget on Sept. 12 at 6 p.m., in the school board meeting room at the district’s administrative complex, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco County Schools budget
Total budget for 2022-2023: $1.7 billion; an increase of $251.8 million, or 17.1%
General fund operating budget: $848.6 million
Capital projects budget: $455 million.
Total tax millage for the 2022-2023 fiscal year: 5.516 mils, a decrease of .294 mils
Under the proposed rate, the homeowner of a $175,000 home, assuming a $25,000 property tax homestead exemption, would pay $44.10 less per year than last year.

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published August 03, 2022

Pasco’s Sheriff’s Office named state Agency of the Year

August 2, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has been named the Agency of the Year by the Florida Association of School Resource Officers.

The Pasco County School Board took a few minutes at its July 26 meeting to celebrate the accomplishment.

Michael Baumaister, the school district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, said: “It’s no surprise to me that they were selected, due to the incredible partnership we have with our sheriff’s office and we have with our local police agencies.

“I know there are counties in the state of Florida that cannot say that. I know that for sure.

“What impressed me the most was when the Pasco Sheriff’s Office was going up to the podium to get their award and get their recognition, the Pasco (Sheriff’s) Command insisted that we, from the school board, walk up with them to bask in the honor.

“Col. (Jeff) Harrington gave an eloquent speech and pointed out that this honor was not only for them, but for all of us.

“We really appreciate that.

“This speaks volumes about why we have the best program in the state. It’s not about the egos. It’s really what’s best for our students, our staff. And, we can have honest conversations with each other, which leads to policy change and innovation — that creates a safer environment for our schools.

“We don’t wait for a law to change. We do what’s right, and we do it now,” Baumaister said.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco also praised the partnership that’s been developed.

“We hear across the state about the friction that can go on between the district and the sheriff’s office, and who’s going to be in charge of what. The good thing about all of us is that it’s about the kids, first. The kids are the priority. It doesn’t matter who gets credit because it’s about helping those kids,” he said.

The sheriff also noted that open lines of communication between the sheriff’s office and the school district can help the district respond when students are in need of mental health counseling or some other kind of support.

Lt. Troy Ferguson of the sheriff’s office also was singled out during the statewide awards celebration when he received a lifetime achievement award.

Assistant Superintendent Betsy Kuhn shared some of her prepared remarks for that celebration with the school board.

Kuhn said: “Lt. Ferguson has been a true partner to Pasco Schools since he became our School Safety Lieutenant in 2015. Lt. Ferguson recognized the need to enhance our school safety plans and took on the project of completely revamping them, at a time when school safety best practices that were needed, were controversial.

“He designed and wrote a comprehensive, safety-focused, yet age-appropriate and sensitive active threat safety plan and prepared it for implementation, well before it was legislatively required.

“Lt. Ferguson is sought out by law enforcement agencies across the country to share his expertise and experience around school safety best practices. He has been a leader in many large-scale changes in the district’s safety efforts,” she said, citing active threat plans and the See Something, Say Something programs.

He’s involved in threat assessment and recognizes the role of a school resource officer (SRO) is so much more than a law enforcement officer, Kuhn added.

She continued: “He encourages his staff to be involved in their school communities and values mentoring and supporting our students.

“Lt. Ferguson understands and relates to our school culture and district culture so well that we often tease him about being a district employee, as well as a deputy, because he works so well with us.

“He’s hard-working, smart, resourceful and fun to work with, and our district is safer and better because of his vision and leadership,” Kuhn said.

Sheriff Nocco concurred with Kuhn’s remarks. “Troy does a phenomenal job,” he said.

He noted that the school district and sheriff’s office have a true partnership.

“When they started the guardian program, we were the first ones that got it kicked off. We got it running and going.

“People from across Tampa Bay and across the state said, ‘Can we have your training plans?’

“That’s because we were working together.

“There’s no two separate agencies. The guardians are on the same plan we are. We’re all in it together. We’re training together, we’re working together. That makes a huge difference,” Nocco said.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said he’d be remiss if he didn’t express his gratitude.

“When I attend superintendent’s meetings across the state, there are still districts — it’s like sandpaper with their law enforcement folks. I can tune them out because we don’t have that, never did, from Day One,” Browning said.

“Thank you. Thank you for what you do every day in our schools, to keep our students and staffs safe,” the superintendent said.

Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), also offered words of appreciation.

“USEP would like to thank all of our SROs and SSOs (school security officers) for the job that they do each day in protecting and working with our students. They do an outstanding job and they deserve all of the credit that they get,” Peace said.

Published August 03, 2022

Pasco Schools seek solutions for disrespect, disruption

June 21, 2022 By B.C. Manion

An increasing number of fights in Pasco County Schools prompted Superintendent Kurt Browning to issue a warning to students and parents in March.

In essence, that message was: Fighting will not be allowed in district schools. If it happens, principals should refer students engaged in fighting for expulsion.

In a videotape announcing the crackdown, Browning said it’s not that the district wants to exclude students from school but that it simply will not tolerate that type of behavior.

Browning said the increasing number of fights indicated that the district had been too lenient.

At the Pasco County School Board’s June 7 meeting, Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong asked Browning: “Was our crackdown on fighting effective?”

The superintendent responded: “Yes, it was. I don’t have the exact numbers, but I do know our numbers dropped significantly for the fourth quarter, after I made my announcement: I wasn’t playing.

“Staff has asked me: Is that going to be in place for next year?

“The answer is yes. It’s going to be in place next year, and we’re going to continue pushing it out and letting parents know that we’re not playing and you need to have conversations with your children about what appropriate behavior is, in a public setting.

“One fight and you will be put up for expulsion. It’s that simple.

“Harsh? Maybe. It depends on if you are a parent or a student or the teacher that is having to deal with, or the administrator that’s having to deal with it.

“For our teachers and administrators, it may not seem harsh enough.

“I do believe that it takes kind of a drastic step to get the attention of families and kids, to let them know that we are here to educate children. We are not here to referee fights.

“Unfortunately, where society has placed us, we often times play the role of a parent and that’s with the help of the state Legislature because they continue to require schools to do so many things that I believe ought to be being done at home, but they’re not. That’s another story, for another day.”

School board member Megan Harding said she understands there are tougher rules in place regarding fighting, but she wants to know how the district will address other behaviors that also are unacceptable.

“There are a lot of behaviors that need to be addressed, not only at the secondary level, but the elementary level, as well,” Harding said.

“I’ve heard stories of children throwing chairs, yelling, screaming and causing disruption. I’ve also seen students who are upset and leave the classroom, and support staff and admin are having to follow that child around.”

Megan asked if the board could have a discussion on that topic.

Armstrong agreed that the issue needs attention. “I think that’s a topic that we’re all interested in and it’s certainly a concern of the teachers and parents,” she said.

Browning responded: “Discipline continues to be a challenge. I will continue to say that it all starts in the home. It doesn’t start in the school. It starts in our homes. It manifests itself in our schools, and yet we’re the ones left to deal with the behaviors of these kids. Not all of our kids are ill-behaved. It’s usually a smaller group of kids that tend to consume the majority of time of our administrators and teachers,” he said.

“We continue to work on that. I will tell you, finding solutions is like nailing Jello to a tree. It’s near impossible to do that because the problem is so big, it is so complex and there’s not one single answer to it,” he said.

Browning noted that dealing with fighting it is easier mete out discipline.

“You have videos, in almost every school. You can see it. There’s no shadow of a doubt who hit whom,” Browning said.

But when it comes to disrespect, to cursing, to bad behavior — it’s difficult, Browning said.

“Our goal is not to place kids outside of school. It does not serve the child well. It does not serve the family well. It does not serve our community well, when we put kids out of school.

“But, we’ve got to make sure for those children who are disruptive, there’s some consequence for their behavior, so we can educate the ones who want to be in school,” Browning said.

The superintendent told the board that staff would provide an update when it had some firm ideas for addressing the issue.

Published June 22, 2022

Pasco Schools superintendent won’t seek another term

June 14, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning has announced he will not seek reelection, when his current term ends in 2024.

Browning was elected as superintendent by defeating incumbent Heather Fiorentino in the primary election of 2012 and by defeating write-in candidate Kathy Lambert in the general election.

Before running for superintendent of Pasco Schools, Browning served as Florida’s Secretary of State under governors Rick Scott and Charlie Crist.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning will not seek reelection, when his current term expires in 2024. (File)

Before that, he was Pasco County’s Supervisor of Elections for 26 years.

The schools superintendent announced his decision to not seek a fourth term in a June 2 YouTube video.

Browning said a variety of factors played a role in his decision, including many personal reasons.

“My wife, Kathy, is contemplating retirement and we have grandchildren who live out of state. “We want to be free to visit them more a lot more than we do.

“Some of the reasons are professional. I believe we are nearing the point where we will accomplish many of the goals I set out when I was first elected.

“Another reason? Well, it’s kind of a cliché, but you just know when it’s time.

“I am now in the middle of my third term as superintendent. When I complete my term at the end of 2024, I will have served for 12 years.

“The tenure of superintendents these days is around five to six years. I can understand why so many of my colleagues move on, after five years or so.

“This job has been challenging and it has been gratifying. I have benefited from a supportive community and a great staff. And, without both, I never would have made it this far,” he said.

“I’m extremely proud of so many things we’ve accomplished. We’ve expanded school choice, with innovative programs.

“We have done an amazing job managing growth.

“We weathered the pandemic better than most.

“And, all along, we kept the finances in order.

“But this is not a time to look backwards.

“I am determined to spend the rest of my term looking forward.

“We have so much more to get done, and I hope my announcement today will instill an even greater sense of urgency.

“I definitely feel that sense of urgency.

“We have work to do and I intend to finish strong,” he said.

When Browning came into office, he said he wanted to create a school system with more choices for parents and students.

During his tenure, the district has expanded educational options for students, by adding more magnet schools and more magnet programs. It also has increased participation rates in rigorous courses.

Under Browning, in concert with the elected school board, the district also has expanded opportunities for students wishing to pursue technical career options.

Some highlights during Browning’s administration include the opening of Starkey Ranch K-8 in Odessa. This was the first district school specifically designed to serve kindergartner through eighth-graders.

Through a collaborative partnership involving the school board, Pasco County and the developer of the Starkey Ranch community, the school was deigned to include a library, open to the public, as well as to students; a theater, which can be used for school and community performances; and, a district park, which provides facilities for both public and student use.

The district also partnered with Pasco-Hernando State College on a project to locate the state college’s Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) on a campus shared by Cypress Creek High School and Cypress Creek Middle School, also in Wesley Chapel.

Students in the school system can take advantage of IPAC’s programs and facilities. There’s a direct tie-in to the programming offered by the school district, too. Cypress Creek Middle has a black box theater.

In the coming school year, the school district intends to open Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, also in the Wesley Chapel area. That school will feature a broad range of technical training programs, along with academic offerings.

The district also has begun construction on a 6-12 STEAM magnet (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) school.

The school is being built on a site in the heart of Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus.

When fully developed the cancer research hub is expected to attract life science companies and researchers from around the world to pursue breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer.

While the district has made strides, it also has faced increasing criticism from speakers during its public school board meetings. Issues sparking controversy have included mask mandates on school campuses, money spent on professional training, textbook selection and the timing of a referendum intended to generate funding for raises for non-administrative district personnel.

On another front, soon after Browning announced his departure in 2024, former State Sen. John Legg pre-filed with the Pasco Supervisor of Elections, declaring his intention to seek the post.

Legg has served in the state’s Senate and in its House of Representatives, and is the co-founder and chief financial officer of Day Spring Academy.

The charter school, which serves pre-school through 12^th grade, has five campuses.

Published June 15, 2022

Pasco Schools’ employees to receive a 4% supplement

May 31, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools’ teachers and non-instructional staff have ratified a contract resulting in one-time supplements.

Under the agreement, teachers will receive a one-time lump sum supplement equal to 4% of their salary, and the base teacher salary will be raised to $45,200 in accordance with state statute, according to information posted on the union’s website.

The non-instructional personnel also will receive a 4% lump sum payment. But the agreement also sets minimum amounts of the supplements for non-instructional staff. For those working six hours or more per day, the minimum supplement would be $700; for those working fewer than six hours per day, the minimum would be $350.

Additionally, the agreements include increases to the district’s contributions toward employee health insurance and Florida Retirement System benefits for the 2021-2022 school year, and nominal salary adjustments to teacher salaries based on a small increase to the state’s Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) categorical, according to the district’s news release.

The United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) and the school district also have agreed to return to the bargaining table immediately, to begin negotiating additional salary improvements for 2022-2023.

On the Instructional contract, out of the 2,686 votes cast, 92% favored the contract. On the non-instructional side, 91% of the 1,998 votes cast favored the contract, according to the USEP website.

Pasco County School Board members approved the agreement in their May 17 meeting, taking action then to avoid a delay in issuing the supplements to employees.

Employees are expected to receive the supplements on June 17, according to a school district news release.

“This is very good news for thousands of employees who have been waiting to receive these supplements,” Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, said in the release. “This is extremely well-deserved.”

In addition to the supplements that were approved this year, the Pasco County School Board is pursuing a ballot initiative asking voters to improve a property tax increase to support pay raises.

The school board voted on May 3 to place the initiative on the Aug. 23 primary ballot.

The referendum question asks voters to approve up to a maximum of 1 mil in funding to be designated for improving pay for teachers, bus drivers and other district personnel, except for administrators.

At an April 5 school board workshop on the topic, it was estimated that a 1 mil increase would yield an average instructional boost of $4,000; for non-instructional, $1,700.

District calculations show that Pasco’s median home cost of $325,000, and assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, a property owner would pay $300 more per year, if the increase is 1 mil.

Specifically, the ballot question asks for a yes or no vote on whether to levy an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

The proceeds, according to the ballot question, will be used “for essential operating expenses to maintain salaries competitive with the market, attract and retain high-quality teachers, bus drivers and other non-administrative school support employees.”

There also is a requirement for “annual reporting to Pasco County taxpayers for transparency of the use of these funds.”

The board’s vote to pursue up to a full mil, followed persistent requests by Don Peace, president of USEP. The union leader has repeatedly cited the loss of personnel to other districts that pay better.

Peace said the district also needs another source of money to fill vacancies, to reduce the burden on existing staff, and to attract quality personnel to the district.

The union leader also has pledged USEP’s full support in efforts to secure passage of the referendum and, during a recent school board meeting, assured taxpayers that if the referendum is successful, the union will be paying close attention to how the proceeds are spent.

Published June 01, 2022

Pasco Schools begin ramping up ‘engagement’ efforts

May 17, 2022 By B.C. Manion

When it comes to engaging with families and the community, there are some bright spots in Pasco County Schools — but there’s no consistency.

The issue exists throughout the district, and at every level, those are some of the key findings in a report shared with the Pasco County School Board at a workshop in April.

The district has identified community engagement as one of its top priorities and, as it attempts to make improvements, it has been working with TNTP, a national consulting company.

A Landscape Analysis has been done to get to know Pasco and its needs.

“Every community is unique,” said Janet King, of TNTP.

“So, we really need to start by understanding the place’s unique history, needs and priorities.

“Even within a district, communities are not monolithic, so it’s really important to look across a county and to understand that different parts of a county have different ways of accessing information, and different challenges and different resources that we need to understand before we build any kind of plan or solution.

“Finally, without this understanding, any improvement efforts are not likely to last because it’s not responsive to what families and community members most want and need, and works for them,” she said.

The Landscape Analysis included:

Market research: Taking a deep look into Pasco’s unique history, demographics, landscape and growth patterns
Asset mapping: Peeling back the layers of who’s doing great work in Pasco and who could be great potential partners
Insights Survey: Surveyed 38 representative schools, using TNTP’s survey, to enable the results to be benchmarked nationally
Listening Tour: Conducted focus groups, one-on-one sessions and superintendent-led sessions. In short, the sessions asked: “What are your experiences? What’s working? What can be improved?”

The efforts included:

5,397 caregiver/stakeholder surveys
Eight parent/caregiver focus groups, including two conducted in Spanish
42 community stakeholder interviews
Five student focus groups
Four teacher focus groups
Five superintendent-led listening tour sessions

In total, the efforts have included more than 70 hours of listening, said TNTP’s King, who shared findings from TNTP’s work during an April workshop with Pasco County School Board.

Vanessa Hilton, the district’s chief academic officer, said TNTP was brought in to help the district to develop its capacity to improve its efforts regarding community engagement.

The district also formed its own Community Engagement Task Force, made up of district personnel representing different departments, roles and responsibilities. The task force includes school board member Alison Crumbley and assistant superintendent Dr. Kim Moore.

Hilton said the district realizes “we have lots of bright spots around the district in regards to our school efforts, but not yet, an intentional, meaningful strategy from the district level.”

Efforts to establish authentic engagement are important because it has a real impact on student achievement, King said.

“Research shows that when families and communities are engaged, it makes a real difference for students. Increased family engagement has been linked to higher test scores, increased school readiness, better attendance and decreased suspension rates for students,” she said.

Assistant Superintendent Moore noted that some of the school system’s challenges stem from its rampant growth. In the 1999-2000 school year, the school district’s enrollment was 46,458; now, its 82,377.

“That growth puts a strain on our resources. It puts a strain on how we operate as a school district,” Moore said.

“We have to look at putting in systems so our community feels that they can come in and interact with us, and be an authentic partner with us,” Moore said.

“Many of our community leaders, they want to partner with us. They don’t know how. They don’t where to go, to connect with us,” she said.

They call the district and they get passed from one person to the next.

“That increases their level of frustration and then they give up. They want to work with us. They want to support our students,” Moore said.

Steve Hegarty, public information officer for Pasco County Schools, said, in general, the district pushes out information. And, when it seeks feedback, it doesn’t routinely reach back and let people know what it did with the feedback it received.

The lack of systemwide expectation for school-based family engagement has resulted in inconsistent experiences for families, Hegarty said.

One of the issues is the variety of tools that is used to communicate with parents.

The variety of communication methods and styles can be confusing.

“If you’re a parent with three kids in the system, you might have three different ways that you’re being communicated with,” Hegarty said, adding that can be frustrating for parents.

School board member Crumbley said improving community engagement is crucial.

“This is really such important work because it touches everything we do in the school district. Everything. It really does. It has so much to do with the success of our students and our families,” Crumbley said.

She’s particularly alarmed by the survey results that reveal the connection in secondary is far below the national average.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin said she wasn’t surprised by the findings, noting these issues have persisted for years.

She suggested the district build on what’s working.

Beaudoin also pointed out the need to devise training that is focused and avoids wasting staff time.

School board member Megan Harding asked: “If we’re trying to engage the community, shouldn’t we have some parents on that task force as well? We need to be sure that we are listening to those groups.”

Harding likes the idea of holding town hall meetings, to add a forum for engagement.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong said when people want to know more about a school, they’ll visit its website.

She’s visited nearly all of them and she’s not impressed by the inconsistency she found.

“There’s nobody in charge of the websites at the schools. It’s whoever has an interest in it.

“That just doesn’t work, from what I saw,” she said.

While one school may offer a plethora of information; another might just say when lunch money is due.

Both Armstrong and member Allen Altman also said greater efforts are needed to inform the general public — who do not have children in school — about accomplishments within the district.

When he talks to people who don’t have students in the district, Altman said that many have no clue about the positive things that are happening. Instead, they only know the negative news they’ve read or heard.

Shifting mindset
Superintendent Kurt Browning agrees that much work lies ahead, and added that establishing authentic community engagement will require a broad-scale commitment.

“It cannot be just a small group of people in this district running, managing the community engagement work. It has got to be a districtwide effort. Not only that, but I’ll also say, community-wide.

“Beyond setting clear expectations, the district needs to develop tools and provide training, to shift the mindset,” the superintendent said.

The effort needs to involve “all district staff, whether you’re a bus driver, an entry operator, a school teacher, a principal, a superintendent,” Browning said.

Efforts to develop a plan of action are under way and more details are expected in June.

Community Engagement in Pasco Schools

Some key findings

Many community leaders want to partner with the district, but don’t know where to go or what the district needs.
District communication practices with community leaders tend to be one-way; stakeholders want more transparency and opportunities to provide feedback.
Where there are bright spots, there are not system-wide expectations for school-based family engagement, resulting in inconsistent experiences for families.
A lot of information is provided to caregivers at the school level, but it is not streamlined, consistent or focused on how they can support their student.
Parents want to know what their children are learning and how they can help.

Issues identified
Comments contained in TNTP’s report reveal the school district has myriad issues, when it comes to communication and engagement.

Here are some comments from the report:

“It is great to know that it is blue T-shirt day, but I want to know what my children (are) learning and how they are doing.” (Elementary and middle school caregiver)
“I left voicemails and never got a response. As a community partner, that is disappointing. I hope that they are not missing other opportunities.” (Community organization staff member)
“Sometimes community input and engagement is more of a ‘checking a box’ exercise, rather than meaningful participation.” (Community Engagement Task Force member)
“Each teacher communicates differently. There are many portals, that we, as parents, have to access.” (Elementary school caregiver)
“The communications from teachers are inconsistent.” (Elementary school parent)
“I wish the teachers all shared a cohesive communication standard.” (Caregiver)
“We should have town halls and be asked: ‘What do you think?’” (Community leader)

Source: TNTP Community Engagement report

Published May 18, 2022

School pay raise vote to go on August ballot

May 10, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County School Board has voted to ask the Pasco County Commission to place a referendum for school district employee pay raises on the Aug. 23 primary ballot.

Initially, the school board had voted to seek to have the question placed on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. But during its May 3 meeting, the board voted to amend its original request.

Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd suggested the switch, in background materials contained in the board’s agenda packet.

He explained the rationale for the change this way: “I am making this recommendation for two reasons: This will eliminate any confusion between the salary referendum and the local infrastructure surtax (Penny for Pasco) that will be on the general election ballot.

“Additionally, nonpartisan school board races are being held during the August primary and the salary referendum fits well with the school board races.”

There was pushback on the request during the public comment portion of the board’s meeting.

Some parents were skeptical about the shift from the general election to the primary.

One said fewer voters participate in primary elections and thus, the vote will not be truly representative of the community, as a whole.

Another said that rather than raising taxes, there needs to be greater scrutiny in how the district spends its money.

Speakers said they support better pay for district personnel, but not through the referendum.

A representative for a group called Lift Up Pasco said the group is made up of volunteers who support the referendum and will be working to support its passage. They said the additional source of funding will improve education, and thus, will enhance the community, as a whole.

At an April 5 school board workshop on the topic, it was estimated that a 1 mil increase would yield an average instructional boost of $4,000; for non-instructional, $1,700.

District calculations show that Pasco’s median home cost of $325,000, and assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, a property owner would pay $300 more per year, if the increase is 1 mil.

Specifically, the ballot question asks for a yes or no vote on whether to levy an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

There also is a requirement for “annual reporting to Pasco County taxpayers for transparency of the use of these funds.”

The board’s vote to pursue up to a full mil, followed persistent requests by Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), urging the board to seek the ballot initiative. The union has pledged to give its full support to efforts to secure passage of the referendum.

Board members have said the request is necessary in order for Pasco to recruit, retain and reward district personnel.

They also noted the district is losing personnel to nearby districts that offer better pay. It also is losing staff to burnout, resulting from a combination of additional stress from fatigue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a shortage of district workers.

The shortage of bus drivers prompted the district to change its school ending and starting times for the second semester this year. And, the shortage also was cited by the district as one of the reasons it has decided to end courtesy bus rides, beginning next school year, for sixth- through 12th-graders living within 2 miles of school.

Board members said action is needed because the district is losing too many employees to other districts, or to industry jobs.

In a video released after the board’s action, Superintendent Kurt Browning said the additional source of money is needed.

“For too long, we have struggled to remain competitive with other school districts in the area,” Browning said, in the video.

In other pay-related news
The union and district instructional bargaining teams have reached a tentative agreement for the 2021-2022.

Under that agreement, teachers will receive a one-time lump sum supplement equal to 4% of their salary, and the base teacher salary will be raised to $45,200 in accordance with state statute, according to information posted on the union’s website.

The union and district also have agreed to return to the bargaining table immediately after the ratification of the 2021-2022 contract to begin negotiating additional salary improvements for 2022-2023.

The union and district also have reached a tentative agreement for school-related personnel for the 2021-2022 school year.

The union and district agreed to the 4% supplement for school-related personnel and also agreed to a guaranteed minimum for all school-related personnel.

Also, the parties will immediately open the 2022-2023 contract year to begin to bargain additional recurring raises to deal with compression as the district moves toward the minimum $15 per hour minimum requirement, beginning in October 2022, according to the union’s website.

Published May 11, 2022

Pay raises needed to remain competitive

April 26, 2022 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County School Board is asking voters to step up to provide more funding to enable the school district to improve pay for teachers and other district personnel, except for administrators.

The board voted unanimously to pursue having the referendum question added to the November 2022 ballot.

The board is asking voters to approve up to a maximum of 1 mil in funding to be designated for improving employee pay.

In an April 5 school board workshop on the topic, it was estimated that a 1 mil increase would yield an average instructional boost of $4,000; for non-instructional, $1,700.

‘I personally believe we are nearing a crisis. The teachers are leaving. Ultimately, it is about the children of Pasco County and the families.’ — Pasco School Board member Alison Crumbley

District calculations also show that Pasco’s median home cost of $325,000, and assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, a property owner would pay $300 more per year, if the increase is 1 mil.

The board’s vote to pursue up to a full mil, followed persistent requests by Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), urging the board to seek the ballot initiative.

Peace repeatedly has cited the number of district employees who are resigning or retiring, and has said the district must improve pay and fill vacancies, to stem the tide.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin made the motion to support the ballot initiative, which was seconded by board member Alison Crumbley.

Specifically, the ballot question asks for a yes or no vote on whether to levy an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

There also is a requirement for “annual reporting to Pasco County taxpayers for transparency of the use of these funds.”

“We are losing good teachers because they can’t make ends meet here,” Beaudoin said, offering many specific examples.

“We are not talking about numbers. We are talking about people you know and I know,” she added. “Pasco County Schools is the largest employer in our county. Everyone has someone in their family, their neighborhood or a friend, who works for us.”

Besides losing teachers to nearby districts that pay better, the district also is losing teachers who are leaving the field to work in industry, Beaudoin said.

‘For too long, we have struggled to remain competitive with other school districts in the area.’ — Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning

“We want our teachers using their talents for our kids. We don’t want them leaving the profession,” Beaudoin said.

“How many ways can we ask our community to compromise, or settle for having substitute teachers or people with provisional certifications? Our community members want people with professional certifications who are highly qualified,” she said.

“Our community is tired of the revolving door of teachers and the lack of bus drivers that has led to inconvenient bell times and fewer child care options.

“We want the best teachers for our kids.

“We want to attract and retain the best teachers for our students, because they deserve it,” Beaudoin said.

Action needed to reduce staff departures
Board members unanimously agreed with the need to have the flexibility to go up to a full mil of additional funding.

“We’ve known for decades our salaries aren’t keeping up. The evidence and data are all there,” Crumbley said.

“I personally believe we are nearing a crisis. The teachers are leaving. Ultimately, it is about the children of Pasco County and the families.”

Board member Megan Harding agreed: “I don’t disagree. We’re short-staffed everywhere, and I’ve talked to many teachers who have left the profession, due to pay.”

In the board’s backup materials for the April 19 meeting, there were 23 instructional, five bus driver and 47 non-instructional resignations, Harding said.

“We owe it to our students, teachers, staff and the community to try for this referendum,” Harding said. “We tried for many years to put a Band-aid on the problem, and I think it’s time that we asked the community if they’re willing to help us fix it once and for all.

“We cannot be a world-class education system with one of the lowest pay scales in the region.”

After the meeting, the district released a YouTube video of Superintendent Kurt Browning, advocating passage of the referendum.

‘How many ways can we ask our community to compromise, or settle for having substitute teachers or people with provisional certifications? Our community members want people with professional certifications who are highly qualified.’ — Pasco School Board member Colleen Beaudoin.

The next step is to ask the Pasco County Commission to place the referendum on the November ballot, Browning said.

The superintendent noted: “For too long, we have struggled to remain competitive with other school districts in the area. In most cases, those other school districts have already taken the step that we are taking now.

“They recognized that they couldn’t simply rely on funding from the state. They made their cases to the voters and got a referendum approved.”

As a result, other districts can offer better pay, which puts Pasco at a disadvantage, Browning said.

“Long ago, the Legislature provided a mechanism for school districts to supplement staff funding for salaries, and several school districts have already taken this step.

“It’s time for us to act,” Browning said.

“We are losing good people.

“Who could blame a teacher or a bus driver for seeking better pay in a neighboring county?

“We need to turn that around; by taking this step, we are showing our commitment to keeping our great employees working in Pasco County, and attracting more of them,” the superintendent said.

More details will be shared in coming months, Browning said.

Union president Peace has pledged USEP’s full support in working toward passage of the ballot initiative.

Published April 27, 2022

Her behind-the-scenes work saved millions for Pasco Schools

April 26, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Observers of Pasco County School Board meetings know her as the woman who breaks down the complex language of school finance into easy-to-understand English.

Her budget updates explained how much money the school district had available to spend in various categories — because when it comes to spending state and federal funding, there are often strings attached.

She also kept the board informed on how the district’s investments were faring, and how much interest the school system would have to pay on financing school construction projects, or buses, or other big-ticket items.

When it came to finances in Pasco County Schools, Olga Swinson has been the voice of authority, as the district’s chief finance officer since 2006.

Olga Swinson is stepping away from a 32-year career in Pasco County Schools. The chief finance officer is credited with steering the district through some financially turbulent times and for helping to save millions, which could be used to directly benefit teachers and students. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Her work in the school finance arena dates back to 1990, when she joined the district as an internal auditor. Next, she worked as superintendent of finance, then as director of finance, before assuming the role she will retire from on April 29.

Swinson served under superintendents Thomas Weightman, John Long, Heather Fiorentino, and finally, Kurt Browning.

Browning joined the district’s leadership staff and Pasco County School Board members during the board’s April 19 meeting in honoring Swinson’s service, expressing their gratitude for her financial leadership and congratulating her on her retirement.

Browning kicked things off, with a good-natured tone, by sharing an encounter he’d had with Swinson earlier in the day.

“She sent the board and leadership an email that was thanking us for giving her the opportunity to serve as chief finance officer, among other positions,” Browning explained.

When he saw Swinson, he told her: “I was just a little surprised at the tone of that email because it certainly didn’t sound like Olga. It was tender. It was caring,” he said, eliciting laugher from the room. “It was empathetic, sincerely grateful, for the experience she’s had in the Pasco district.

“As she’s looking at me, she’s wagging a finger. She says: ‘Don’t say a word tonight.’

“I looked at her and said, ‘I won’t say a word tonight.’

“And, as she walked off, I said, ‘I will say multiple words tonight.’”

Then Browning began describing Swinson’s many attributes.

“I count Olga Swinson, as being, in large part, the glue (in the district),” Browning said, noting the district’s success depends largely on its financial integrity and stability.

“There has never been a moment, not a single moment, in the 10 years that I’ve been superintendent, that I have ever had any doubts, any concerns, any questions, about our financial standing in this district.

“I will tell you, that speaks volumes,” Browning said.

Over the years, because of her tough budgeting skills and her ability to say, ‘No,’ Swinson developed the nickname ‘Nolga,” Browning said.

Deputy Ray Gadd continued on that theme.

“We give her a lot of grief, calling her NOlga, for ‘No,’ all of the time,” Gadd said.

But the truth is that because of her financial management skills, the district has been able to do far more than it would have without her, he said.

“She doesn’t get a lot of credit for how it (her work) benefits children — but her managing of finances in this district has greatly benefited the lives of children.

“It’s made us effective at what we do. And, when you compare our financial statements to some surrounding counties and other places throughout the state, we’re hard to beat,” Gadd said.

Her acumen is known in school finance circles
School board member Allen Altman said Swinson is known for the accuracy of her numbers, and that she has helped steer the district through financially turbulent times.

“Olga and I, I feel like, have some of the same battle scars,” said Altman, who has served on the board for 15 ½ years.

“We went through the Recession and laid off several hundred employees. And, we’ve been through the battles with the State,” Altman said.

When board members have to make difficult decisions, it’s important to know there’s “integrity behind the numbers,” Altman said.

Swinson’s “financial stewardship has saved this district millions of dollars of money that has been spent on children and employees, that wouldn’t have been, otherwise,” Altman said.

“I give her credit for that and thank her, for that,” he said.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong agreed with Altman regarding the importance of having numbers the board could rely on.

“Our job is so much easier because we could trust, exactly, the numbers that you gave us — so we know we were making the best decisions possible,” Armstrong told Swinson.

Board member Alison Crumbley said Swinson’s financial leadership has been unwavering.

“Mrs. Armstrong and I started (on the board) during the Recession. The first task was to make $55 million of cuts. Olga led the way. It was excruciating.

“We got through it, and all of the while, maintained a AAA Moody Bond Rating, somehow, through all of this, which has saved our district millions of dollars,” Crumbley said.

She also pointed out that when she was attending state school board training sessions people have frequently told her: “Oh, you have Olga Swinson. We’ve heard about her. You’re so lucky.”

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, agreed that Swinson’s reputation for excellence is known throughout the state.

Kuhn said she’s had the opportunity to be part of the Florida Institute of School Finance, where she’s seen Swinson in action.

“It confirmed to me what I already know — Olga is a rock star in the world of school finance,’” Kuhn said.

Besides hearing words of praise, Swinson received a huge bouquet of roses and a standing ovation.

Her response was simple.

“I will miss all of you, and it’s been a rewarding career,” Swinson said.

Olga Swinson
Olga Swinson ends her 32-year career with Pasco County Schools on April 29.

Here’s a snapshot of her roles in the district:

Chief Finance Officer, 2006 to 2022
Director of Finance: 1997 to 2006
Superintendent of Finance: 1993 to 1997
Internal Auditor: 1990 to 1993

Swinson served under superintendents Thomas Weightman, John Long, Heather Fiorentino and Kurt Browning.

Published April 27, 2022

New Kirkland Ranch principal described as ‘a blessing’

April 12, 2022 By Mike Camunas

It surprised Dee Dee Johnson.

The longtime Pasco County Schools teacher and administrator was named 2021 Principal of the Year in November and all of it came as a shock, especially when Superintendent Kurt Browning showed up with a bouquet of flowers.

Dee Dee Johnson was named Pasco County School District’s 2021 Principal of the Year and is now principal of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation. The new high school is set to open in August. (Mike Camunas)

“Oh, it was very unexpected,” said Johnson, who has been with Pasco County Schools for 18 years. “It was pretty cool that my peers nominated and voted for me. There are so many great leaders in the area and so many great leaders that I’ve learned from and still reach out to. I felt great that everyone recognized that I worked hard and want to do what is best for the kids.

“I was very surprised to get the award.”

Those who know Johnson and her work, however, weren’t as surprised. As someone who worked her way up from math teacher to principal of the soon-to-be-opening Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, it was a long time coming. Especially to one of those leaders who has witnessed Johnson’s career firsthand.

“We are just blessed beyond blessings to have her,” said Dr. Kim Moore, assistant superintendent for Career and Innovative Programs. “She is a phenomenal leader with a proven track record. Every school she has gone to has improved because she is that phenomenal leader.”

Johnson is a product of the school system where she works. She attended Quail Hollow Elementary, Weightman Middle and Zephyrhills High.

At Zephyrhills High, she was a soccer star — earning a scholarship to Florida Atlantic University, where she graduated in 2000.

“She is from the community and knows the community,” Moore said. “So everyone knows her and she’s earned that trust as a person from the community.”

Johnson began her career as a mathematics teacher at Centennial Middle and then moved on to her alma mater, Zephyrhills High. Next, she became assistant principal at Wesley Chapel High, where she was named principal in 2017.

In the 2018-2019 school year, she became principal at Pasco Middle.

Superintendent Browning named her Kirkland Ranch’s first principal in September.

“I couldn’t think of a better person to be that school’s principal,” Moore added.

Johnson’s ties run even deeper with Pasco County’s school system, as her husband, Mike, is the football coach at Cypress Creek High in Wesley Chapel.

Now, Johnson’s days are filled with planning to open Kirkland Ranch, which includes visits to the construction site until the work is finished this summer.

“I’m ready for August,” Johnson said.

“But the kids will come and tour it in July, so I really just can’t wait until then,” she said.

Published April 13, 2022