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Broward County residents voted to approve the Secure the Next Generation referendum on the August 28, 2018, primary ballot.
The Secure the Next Generation initiative provides a ½ mill that will be used to secure school resource officers, high-quality teachers and staff, as well as secure important programs in District schools, and expand educational opportunities for our students. This referendum supports our continued commitment to secure a high-quality education and safe learning environment for our students, teachers and staff.
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Ballot Language
“Shall The School Board of Broward County levy an ad-valorem operating millage of ½ mills annually for fiscal years July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023, to (i) enhance funding for school resource officers, including individual charter schools with more than 900 students, (ii) hire district school security staff, (iii) increase compensation to recruit and retain highly qualified district teachers and (iv) fund other essential instruction related expenses preserving important programs in district schools?
_____Yes or _____No -
Intended Allocation
The School Board voted to allocate:
- 72 percent or more of all available funds for compensation of teachers and school related staff (including all education professionals, educational support professionals, bus drivers, assistants, and food service workers).
- Up to 20 percent for security (school resource officers and security staff). This will allow for a 1 to 1000 ratio of Safe School Officers to students.
- Up to 8 percent for essential programs in our schools, such as additional guidance counselors, social workers, and behavioral staff.
All compensation will be subject to collective bargaining. The public will have an opportunity to comment on dispersal of funds generated prior to distribution. These funds will not be available until 2019/20.
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Homeowner Cost
The ½ mill increase equates to an estimated $10 per month for homeowners with an average home value of $240,000 (with a homestead exemption), and an estimated $5 per month for condo owners with an average condo value of $130,000 (with a homestead exemption). This will generate $92 million in fiscal year 2018/19 and be available in 2019/20. The referendum will expire in four years. -
Informational Materials
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SMART
- The School Board asked taxpayers to fund the SMART bond in 2014, which strictly provides funding for critical maintenance needs and capital improvement. These funds cannot be used for salaries or operating expenses, which this referendum would do.
- While there were some implementation delays, the SMART bond is still expected to be completed within the timeline promised to the community, 5-7 years.
For more information regarding the SMART bond click here.
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Additional Information
For more information or to schedule the Superintendent or his designee to speak to your group please contact the Legislative Affairs office at 754-321-2608 or megan.turetsky@browardschools.com.
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Securing Achievement
Over the last seven years, Broward County Public Schools has made tremendous strides in student achievement and fiscal responsibility. Our teachers and staff have secured this success for our students and community.
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Student Achievement
- 96 percent of innovative District schools earned an “A,” “B” or “C.”
- 84 percent of innovative District schools maintained or increased their letter grade.
- 57 innovative District schools earned an “A.”
- 31 innovative District schools increased by one or more letter grades.
- 2 schools increased by two letter grades:
- Sunshine Elementary School increased to an “A” in 2018, from a “C” in 2017.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Montessori Academy increased to a “C” in 2018, from an “F” in 2017.
- Overall, BCPS earned a District grade of “B” for the fifth year in a row, narrowly missing an “A” designation by two percentage points. The District’s overall grade also includes the performance of charter schools.
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Quality Programs
Debate: Largest in the nation, with more than 12,000 students actively competingChess: Largest school district to offer scholastic chess to all second and third grade students; all elementary and K-8 schools offer First Move, a national chess initiativeComputer Science: Courses, curriculum and activities at every school#BrowardCODES: First district to partner with national Code.org initiativeJROTC: Largest program in the nationDual Language: Offered at 35 schoolsDigital Classrooms: Focus on providing 1:1 student to computer ratioAthletics: 29 middle and high school programsInnovative and Magnet Programs: 150+ at elementary, middle and high schoolsCTACE: 60+ career, technical, adult and community education programs at middle and high schools -
Fiscal Responsibility
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In spite of the continuous erosion of funding for K-12 Public Education, The School Board of Broward County, Florida (SBBC) takes pride in its ability to balance fiscal responsibility with doing what is right for our students.
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Funding from the State Legislature this year is a mere 47 cents for each student in Broward County and will not support the important work we must do to secure our schools, compensate our teachers and support staff, and keep expanding learning opportunities for children of all ages.
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Broward County Public Schoolshas one of the highest Bond ratings of any school district in Florida and one of the lowest millage rates of any large District in the State. We take our responsibility for your children and the funds you all trust us with very seriously.
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Due to several years of insufficient funding by the State, teacher pay is not competitive for a college-educated professional and does not allow teachers to earn a decent livelihood in Broward County compared to other areas.
The State of Florida as part of Senate Bill 7026 now requires every school to have a safety officer, but did not provide enough funding to cover the cost. This unfunded mandate has forced Broward County Public Schools, as well as districts statewide, to find funding elsewhere.
The State of Florida continues to fund education at one of the lowest levels in the nation. This year the legislature increased the Base Student Allocation (BSA) by only 47 cents per student and if one takes into account the District Cost Differential, it brings positive funding of 47 cents down to negative funding of $16.76 per student. Without the referendum, the District will be forced to make cuts to meet the unfunded mandates from the State.
The District’s millage rate is still one of the lowest of all major Florida school districts, with a rate of 6.539.
(Palm Beach: 6.769, Dade: 6.994, and Orange: 7.470)
