Marion County Public Schools, Florida

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Marion County School District is a school district in Florida. The school system has a total attendance of 42,108 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

  • School board members are listed with contact information.[1] Meeting minutes[2] and agendas are available.[3]
  • Academic guidance and testing information is provided.[4]
  • Budgets and audit reports are published.[5]
  • Information on how to make public records requests is posted.[6]
  • Union[7] and vendor contracts are posted.[8]
  • School board policy outlines background checks for employees.[9]
  • Administrative officials listed with contact information under respective department.[10]

[edit] The bad

  • Does not provide information on taxes.

[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. [11]

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:[12]

School board member District Term Term expires
Judi Zanetti District 1 2012
Jacqueline Porter District 2 2012
Bobby L. James, Chair District 3 2010
Sue Mosley District 4 2010
Ron Crawford District 5 2010

[edit] School Budget

Marion County school district currently retains $338,100,000 for its general operations budget, a total which is compiled from adding together other groupings of budgetary needs, which are:

  • Instruction: $161,905,000
  • Teacher Salaries: $103,242,000
  • Pupils: $18,536,000
  • Total Support Services: $109,437,000

Furthermore, there are currently 42,035 students enrolled in the school district.[13]

[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.[14] To see results, click "show".

[edit] Unions

The Marion Education Association (MEA) is the teacher's union for this school district. It has over 1,700 members.[15]

Chris Altobello currently serves as President.[16]

MEA describes its function on its website, stating, "MEA works diligently to improve professional compensation and protecting our members' rights through expert collective bargaining, grievance processing and political action. At the same time, we are strong advocates for professionalism in education. Thus, we offer training, seminars and workshops, as well as up-to-the-minute information on the constantly changing demands and requirements of our profession."[17]

[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. [18] The results are included in Florida school districts lobbying totals. (For information on the project or to start your own, see the project page.)

The school district received the FOIA request on July 27, and sent a response letter postmarked August 11. The district asked for $242.64 for the request. [19]

Marion County Public Schools has four registered lobbyists with the Florida legislature and executive for 2009.[20] [21] Only two of these lobbyists work towards influencing the executive.

The school district pays membership dues to the Florida School Boards Association, a taxpayer-funded lobbying association.[22]

[edit] Representation

Marion County Public Schools have been represented by the lobbying firm Mixon & Associates since at least 2006.

For the 2006-2007 period, the school district had a contract with the firm for $20,000.[23]

Payments to Mixon & Associates, 2006-2007
Date Payment
03-2006$1,666.66
04-2006$1,666.66
05-2006$1,666.66
06-2006$1,666.66
07-2006$1,666.66
08-2006$1,666.66
09-2006$1,666.66
10-2006$1,666.66
11-2006$1,666.66
12-2006$1,666.66
01-2007$1,666.66
02-2007$1,666.66

Payments made to Mixon & Associates for the contract terms total $19,999.92 for this period.[23]

The contract with the firm for 2007-2008 was for $20,000. [24]

Between March 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009, Marion County schools had a contract with Mixon & Associates for $20,000.[25]

For 2009-2010, the district has an agreement with the firm for $20,000. [26]

Contracts with Mixon & Associates, 2006-present
Contract start Contract end Amount
1-Mar-0628-Feb-07$20,000
1-Mar-0729-Feb-08$20,000
1-Mar-0828-Feb-09$20,000
1-Mar-0928-Feb-10$20,000

[edit] Most recent

Marion County Public Schools has a contract with its lobbying firm for $20,000 for 2009-2010.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Working for accountable government now


  1. ↑ Board Members
  2. ↑ Minutes
  3. ↑ Agendas
  4. ↑ Guidance and Testing
  5. ↑ Finance
  6. ↑ Records Requests
  7. ↑ Union Contracts
  8. ↑ Vendor Contracts
  9. ↑ Employment policies
  10. ↑ Departments
  11. ↑ School board powers and duties, Florida statute
  12. ↑ School board members
  13. ↑ Marion County School District Information
  14. ↑ Florida School Accountability Reports
  15. ↑ Marion Education Association
  16. ↑ MEA Leadership Team
  17. ↑ MEA Who We Are
  18. ↑ Online Sunshine - Lobbying Information
  19. ↑ Marion FOIA response
  20. ↑ Florida Executive — 2009 Registrations By Principal Name
  21. ↑ Florida Legislature — 2009 Registrations By Principal Name
  22. ↑ Florida School Boards Association members list
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Payments to Mixon & Associates, 2006-2007
  24. ↑ Payments and contract to Mixon & Associates
  25. ↑ [1]
  26. ↑ Payments and contract, Mixon & Associates, 2009-2010


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