Manatee County School District, Florida

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Manatee County School District is a school district in Florida. The school system has a total attendance of 42,095 students project for the 2009-2010 school year. The Florida Department of Education provides a list of past, current, and future school enrollment totals for each district.

[edit] Website evaluation

Main article: Evaluation of Florida school district websites

[edit] The good

  • Budget is published.[1]
  • School board members are listed with contact information.[2] Meeting calendar[3] and agendas available.[4]
  • Annual financial audits are published.[5]
  • Awarded vendor contracts are listed.[6] Labor contracts posted.[7]
  • Has information on requesting public records requests.[8]
  • Administrative officials are listed with contact information.[9]
  • Student progression plan[10], testing schedules[11], and FCAT scores posted.[12]

[edit] The bad

  • Meeting minutes are not posted.
  • Does not have information on taxes or any details on background checks.

[edit] School board

The school board controls school property, establishes, organizes, and operates the schools of the district, including: establishing schools, adopting enrollment plans, providing for school elimination and consolidation, cooperating with school boards of adjoining districts in maintaining schools, maintaining the school year schedule and other more specific duties as outlined in the Florida statute. [13]

It operates, controls and supervises the district's public schools as well as determines the rate of school district taxes, with the option of two or more school districts operating and financing educational programs together.

Below are the school district board members:[14]

School board member District Term Term expires
Barbara Harvey District 1 2010
Harry Kinnan District 2 2012
Jane Pfeilsticker, Vice Chair District 3 2010
Robert Gause District 4 2012
Walter Miller, Chair District 5 2010

[edit] School Budget

The district budget for the most recent completed fiscal year came to $393,482,000. This is further split up into four groups for a more structured system, which include:

  • Instruction: $179,781,000
  • Teacher Salaries: $113,088,000
  • Pupils: $14,572,000
  • Total Support Services: $104,619,000

There are currently 42,370 students enrolled in the district.[15]

[edit] 2009-10

In July the School Board approved a tentative budget of $697 million for 2009-10 and a 2.3% increase in property taxes. Officials expect $218 in property tax revenue, a decrease of $26 million from the previous year. Despite the rate increase, property values in the county have severely declined. Final votes on the rate and budget are scheduled for September 10.[16]

[edit] Mill revenue

Below are the mill rates collected by the school district:[16]

Year Millage Rate Estimate Revenue
2009-2010 7.541 $218,000,000
2008-2009 7.372 $244,000,000

[edit] Academic performance

[edit] 2007-2009

Below is a chart of the school's grade based on the student's performance of the statewide test called the FCAT.[17] To see results, click "show".

[edit] Unions

The Manatee Education Association (MEA) is the teacher's union for this school district.[18]

On May 19, 2009 MEA and management reached a tentative agreement on teachers and paraprofessionals salary, benefits and working conditions for the 2009-10.

The agreement, signed after six day-long sessions, includes:

  • step movement on the salary schedule as required by the contract,
  • restoration of salary (1%) for those at the top of the salary schedules,
  • no change in cost or benefits in health insurance,
  • changes to the language governing pay dates.[19]

[edit] School choice

The School Choice Program began in the 1998-99 school year at the high school level and was expanded over the next two years to include middle and elementary schools. The County received a Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) grant and in 2001-02 expanded magnet schools from three to ten.

The County describes the program:

"Manatee County’s School Choice plan provides all students the opportunity to apply for choice to district schools that meet their educational goals and needs. Parents have the option to select from forty traditional public elementary, middle and high schools; ten magnet schools; numerous high school academies and alternative programs, a Tech Prep program; eight charter schools; home-education programs; and over thirty private schools. This public school parental choice plan allows Manatee County to make student assignments using parent’s indicated preferential school choice as a significant factor."[20]

[edit] Lobbying

Main article: Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying

Taxpayer-funded lobbying, public entities using funds to lobby for special interests, happens in cities, counties, and other entities. These activities are hard to track. The issues lobbied for may be diverse, but school lobbying typically deals with issues close to the school district or school board.

In July 2009, Sunshine Review submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to the 27 Florida school districts with lobbyists registered for 2009 with the Florida legislature. [21] The results are included in Florida school districts lobbying totals. (For information on the project or to start your own, see the project page.)

Manatee County School District has two registered lobbyists with the Florida legislature and executive for 2009.[22] [23]

The school district pays membership dues to the Florida School Boards Association, a taxpayer-funded lobbying association.[24]

[edit] Representation

The school district has been represented by Mixon & Associates since at least 2003. [25]

Firm Date start Date end Amount
Mixon & Associates1-Nov-0831-Oct-09$26,631
Mixon & Associates1-Nov-0731-Oct-08$26,900
Mixon & Associates1-Nov-0631-Oct-07$24,900
Mixon & Associates1-Jun-07end of special legislative session$5,000
Mixon & Associates1-Nov-0531-Oct-06$24,900
Mixon & Associates1-Nov-0431-Oct-05$24,900
Mixon & Associates1-Nov-0331-Oct-04$14,500

Manatee schools has spent $147,731 on lobbying contracts with Mixon & Associates since 2003.

The firm helps coordinate legislative activities. It runs weekly conference calls to brief the Superintendent, School Board Liason, and other staff, on the status of relevant legislation, as well as issues that impact Manatee County Schools.[25] The firm helps the school district pursue funding, grants, appeals, and approvals before state agencies in Tallahassee, Florida.[25]

[edit] Most recent

The school district spent $26,631 in 2009 on a contract with Mixon & Associates.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Working for accountable government now


  1. ↑ Budget
  2. ↑ Board Members
  3. ↑ Calendar
  4. ↑ Agendas
  5. ↑ Financial Reports
  6. ↑ Awarded bids
  7. ↑ Employee Contracts
  8. ↑ Public Records
  9. ↑ Contacts
  10. ↑ Student Progression Plan
  11. ↑ Testing
  12. ↑ FCAT
  13. ↑ School board powers and duties, Florida statute
  14. ↑ School board members
  15. ↑ Manatee County School District Information
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bradenton Herald, School board OKs tentative budget, millage, July 30, 2009
  17. ↑ Florida School Accountability Reports
  18. ↑ Manatee Education Association
  19. ↑ MEA Tentative Agreement Reached
  20. ↑ Manatee County School District, Manatee School Choice Plan
  21. ↑ Online Sunshine - Lobbying Information
  22. ↑ Florida Executive — 2009 Registrations By Principal Name
  23. ↑ Florida Legislature — 2009 Registrations By Principal Name
  24. ↑ Florida School Boards Association members list
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Manatee Lobbyist Contracts
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