Palm Beach County School District, Florida

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Palm Beach County School District is a school district in Florida. The school system has a total attendance of 168,456 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 schedule, minutes, and agendas available.[3]
  • Administrative officials listed with contact information in the directory.[4]
  • Includes information on how to make public records requests.[5]
  • Has information on how academic and district performance is evaluated.[6]
  • Annual financial audit is available.[7]
  • Vendor[8] and labor contracts are available.[9]
  • Includes information on the half-cent sales tax.[10]
  • Provides information on criminal background checks.[11]

[edit] The bad

  • Does not provide complete information on taxes.Working for accountable government now


[edit] Website upgrade

In January of 2010, the county announced it would be upgrading its district site to be more accessible to users, along with offering consistently updated information. “This new design was created with our online audience in mind,” Chief Information Officer Deepak Agarwal said in a statement. “It will be packed with high-quality videos, news, calendars and content that will be constantly updated.”[12]

[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.

In Palm Beach County the seven School Board members are elected every four years. Three members are elected in the same year as Presidential Elections, and four are elected during the gubernatorial election.[14].

The chair and the vice chair are elected for one year terms every November. [15]The Chair presides over meetings, appoints all committees, and performs other duties prescribed by law or by the school board. The Vice-Chair presides in the absence of the chair, or in circumstances where the chair is unable to perform his/her duties. [15]

The School Board members are entitled to budgets that will cover their operating expenses, and are provided with laptop computers, fax/answering machines, cellular phone, personal computers, and any other furniture or equipment that may be necessary to complete their school board duties. [16]

Below are the school district board members: [2]

Member District Term Expires
Monroe Benaim, M.D. District 1 2012
Paulette Burdick District 2 2012
Bill Graham, Chair District 3 2010
Carrie Hill District 4 2010
Frank A. Barbieri, Jr., Esq. District 5 2012
Dr.Sandra Richmond, Vice-Chair District 6 2010
Debra Robinson, M.D. District 7 2010

The current Superintendent is Art Johnson, Ph.D. The superintendent is reponsible for the administration and management of the school district, with the ability to close down any and all schools in case of emergency. [17]

[edit] Committees

The school board has the authority to establish advisory committees to advice the board on specific matters requiring extensive study and discussion. [18] Current committees are:

  • Audit Committee: primarily responsible for the District's financial reporting and maintaining compliance with lows and regulations relating to accounting and financial matters. [19]
  • Construction Oversight and Review Committee (CORC): responsible for oversight, review, and recommendation concerning the construction of schools. [20]
  • Finance Committee: Committee in charge of a quarterly review of the school district's investment portfolio, maintaining compliance with Local Government Investment Policies, and keeping the School Board informed of short- and long-term debt obligations. [21]
  • Independent Sales Surtax Oversight Committee (ISSOC): The committee was established to oversee and approve the District's usage and expenditures of proceeds from a half-cent sales surtax approved in 2004. [22]
  • Technology Committee: The purpose of the Technology Committee is to assist the school board in developing and analyzing its technological infrastructure. [23]

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

[edit] School Budget

The total budget funds for the 2008-2009 school year was $3.3 billion, including the general fund operating budget of $1.5 billion and capital funds $1.4 billion. [25] Out of this, about $516,560,000 (or thirty-four percent) is used for teacher and general administration salaries.[26] The Debt Service fund, used to pay principal and interest on financial obligations, is $268.3 million. The Special Revenue-Other Fund accounts for 2008-2009 is $125.5 million. The budget decreased in 2008-2009 by 8.95% from the 2007-2008 school year.[25]

The 2009-2010 tentative budget is $3,053,729,965 including $1.1 billion for capital projects and $261 million for debt service. [27] Class size reduction operating funds are $191.7 million. [27]

Palm Beach County School district is slotted to receive $29,289,922 under the Recovery Act.[28] They also currently retain an extremely populous student body, numbered at 174,935.[26]

[edit] Millage

Below are the millage rates collected by the school district:[27]

Millage Rates 2008-2009 2009-2010 Increase/Decrease Estimated Revenue
Non-Voted Millage
Required Local Effort 4.898 5.485 0.587 $778,738,945
Discretionary Operating 0.4980.650 0.152 $92,284,469
Additional Discretionary 0.105 0.000 -0.105 $0
Capital Projects 1.7501.500 -0.250 $212,964,160
Discretionary Capital Outlay 0.0000.098 0.098 $13,913,658
Critical Capital Outlay Needs 0.000 0.250 0.250 $35,494,027
Total Millage Levy7.2517.9830.732 $1,133,395,259

[edit] Slosberg Funds

The county received Slosberg Funds from the County Commissioners office in quarterly payments from 2008 to 2009.[29]

  • July - September: $237,276
  • October- December: $247,599
  • January - March: $273,303

[edit] Federal Funds

In March 2009, the US Senate passed the FY2010 omnibus appropriations bill, which included the passage of three Palm Beach School District requests.[30]

  • Teacher Mentoring and Training Program: $585,000
  • Career Education for at-risk and Adjudicated Youth Pilot: $300,000
  • Youth Gang Prevention Project: $300,000

[edit] Lobbying

Main article: Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying

Taxpayer-funded lobbying is the practice of government entities using public funds to lobby. This occurs at all levels of government: it can be at the federal level or occur at local level with cities and counties, for example. These activities are hard to track because of the broad nature of lobbying, among other reasons. The issues lobbied for by governments can 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. [31] The results of the information requests are included in Florida school districts lobbying totals. (For information on the project or to start your own, see the project page.)

Palm Beach County School has reported $950,000 spent on federal lobbying since 2000 (see table).

Federal lobbying expenditures, 2000-2009 [32]
Year Amount spent on lobbying
2009 $50,000
2008 $120,000
2007 $120,000
2006 $120,000
2005 $120,000
2004 $120,000
2003 $120,000
2002 $120,000
2001 $60,000

The school district pays membership dues to the Florida School Boards Association, a taxpayer-funded lobbying association.[33]


[edit] Representation

Palm Beach County School District employs the services of lobbying firms Schoolhouse Consulting group, Capital City Consulting, and Alcalde & Fay.

A contract outlines the agreement between the firm and the school district. This is separate from the actual payments that the school district makes to the firm, which may exceed or fall under the contract terms.

[edit] Schoolhouse Consulting group

Schoolhouse Consulting Group provides lead consulting services to the district since at least 2004.[34] The group represents the school district before the Florida legislature, Department of Education, and the State Board of Education, and it consults the district on funding, strategy, and education policy.[35]

For 2008-2010, the contract between the school district and Schoolhouse is for $300,000. [36]

For consulting for 2006-2008, the school and the firm have a contract for $266,000. [37] [38] [35] The school made one payment totaling $191,200 to the firm during this period, $58,000 over the original $133,000 allotment. [39] A line item change [39] suggests that the terms of the contract may have changed, as payments exceed the $266,000 limits.

For 2005-2006, the maximum amount for the contract was $127,900. [40] For the 2004-2005 year, the agreement is for $121,800 (see Contract stipulations. [34]

Schoolhouse contracts with Palm Beach County School District
Date start Date end Source of funds Contract amount Payments during term
Jan-2008 Dec-2009 Office of Chief Operating Officer/Government Relations $300,000 $140,000
Jan-2006 Dec-2007 The Office of Community Involvement $266,000 $191,200
$152,880
2005 2006 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $127,900 $51,600
Jan-2004 Dec-2004 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $121,800 $71,400

[edit] Capital City Consulting

Capital City Consulting has similar consulting responsibilities as Schoolhouse consulting. The group represents the school district before government bodies and it advises the district on policy.

For 2007 through 2009, the school district had a contract with Capital City Consulting for $104,600.[41]

For July 1, 2005 through June 29, 2007, the school district paid the firm $100,000. [42] The two payments made during this period total $104,604. [42] [43] This money comes from "The Office of Community Involvement". [42]

For July 1, 2004- June 30, 2005, the two year period of consulting cost $48,500. [44]

The contract for July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004 was for $48,500. [45]

Capital City contracts with Palm Beach County School District
Date start Date end Source of funds Contract Amount Payments during term
Jul-2007 Jun-2009 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $104,600 $52,304
$52,300
Jul-2005 Jun-2007 The Office of Community Involvement $100,000 $49,992.92
$49,999.92
Jul-2004 Jun-2005 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $48,500 -
Jul-2003 Jun-2004 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $48,500 -

[edit] Alcalde & Fay

Palm Beach County School District pays for services of the lobbying firm Alcade & Fay. [46] Alcalde & Fay help the school district focus on getting earmarks.

The school district and Alcalde & Fay have a three year contract for March 1, 2007 through February 28, 2010 for $223,300.[47]

For March 1, 2004 to February 28, 2007, the contract was $237,000 and came out of the budget for Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships. [48] Payments were disbursed $6,200 a month. [49] [50]

For July 1, 2003 to February 29, 2004, the contract between the school district and the firm was for $48,119.18. [51] The contract for February 20, 2003 to June 30, 2003 was for $74,271. [52] A contract that ended February 19, 2003 was for $42,586. [53]

Alcalde & Fay contracts with Palm Beach County School District
Date start Date end Source of funds Contract Amount Payments during term
Mar-2007 Feb-2010 Chief Operating Office Budget $223,200 $74,000
$99,200
Mar-2004 Feb-2007 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $237,000 $37,628
$49,600
$74,400
Jul-2003 Feb-2004 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $48,119.18 $37,200
Feb-2003 Jun-2003 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $74,271 -
- Feb-2003 Governmental Relations & Business Partnerships $42,586 -

[edit] Contract stipulations

The school district does not disclose confidential student information. It also does not typically cover travel expenses for lobbyists. The contracts for the county and its consultants has a maximum, flat amount that the county will pay for lobbying services. The lobbyists or firm must pay for their own background checks.

Palm Beach County has a section in its contracts titled "Minority Status": "The school district strongly encourages active minority/women business enterprise participation with all professional services." It asks that firms disclose whether the business is minority owned (minimum 51%) or if the independent consultant identifies as a minority.

[edit] Legislative Priorities

[edit] Budget Cuts

A major theme of the 2006-2007 school year priorities was restoring budget cuts, specifically to the Base Student Allocation (BSA), the amount spent on each student, and to the workforce budget. Vernon Crawford, the lead lobbyist for Schoolhouse Consulting Group, applauded Bill Nelson for supporting the restoration of education and workforce budget cuts in March 2006.[54]

The school district announced its intentions to lobby for $155 million to increase the BSA on April 23, 2006. It also sought to fund the BSA's through $200 million from future revenue.[55]

To promote these efforts, in June 2006 lobbyists for the school district urged emails and faxes to Reps. Young, Weldon, and Crenshaw, three of Florida's members on full Appropriations, to show support of restoration of prior BSA levels. Additionally, following the updates of both the American Association of School Administrators and National School Boards Association, district officials urged supporters to contact Congressional members to show support for restoration.[56]

One solution to the budget cuts in the BSA was proposed on April 17, 2007, when district officials advocated taking $147 million from the Merit Award Program, a program that provides financial rewards to teachers whose efforts have resulted in positive outcomes for students.[57]

School district officials also advocated further funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in February 2007. They also approved to eliminate further cuts in programs like Safe Schools and Teacher Training.[58]

On June 14, 2007, lobbyists representing the district celebrated the House passage of three measures dealing with tax relief. These measures kept School District budgets the same for 2007-2008 and would keep the budget frozen at those levels until at least the upcoming fiscal year. In February 2009, school district lobbyists expressed concern with regards to the downward trend in sales tax collections of Florida sales tax. Such a decline would adversely affect the budget for education.[59]

[edit] Gang violence earmark

In July 2007, lobbyist thanked Representatives Tim Mahoney and Robert Wexler for supporting an earmark that would grant Palm Beach School District $450,000 for gang violence prevention.[60]

[edit] School grading

Lobbyists applauded the Senate Education Committee's approval of SB1908, which would move grading of high schools towards a learning gains model that would recognize student achievement and teacher performance, on March 12, 2008.[61]

[edit] Student dress code

Lobbyists for Palm Beach County Schools approved of the Senate's "droppy drawers" (SB302) Bill, which would ban students from wearing pants low with underwear showing.[62]

[edit] Medicare Safety Net Act

In April 2008, school district officials advocated the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, and urged Board members and others to contact local Congressional members in their DC offices to show support. Officials claimed this was necessary to avoiding future budgetary problems. [63]

[edit] Legislative Relations

The 2009 House and Senate Committee Assignments revealed that lobbyists would have no education representation in the Senate from Palm Beach. In the house, Representative Kevin Rader would represent Palm Beach on the Community College workforce education committee. Senator Atwater and Representative Hasner would also provide legislative leadership. [64]

[edit] Other

The lobbyists, in conjunction with the firm Alcalde & Fay, urged congressional delegation to support the passage of the FY08 Appropriations Bill and received a positive response after meeting with representatives from the National School Boards Association, the Council of the Great City Schools, and the American Association of School Administrators.[65]

[edit] Most recent

Expenditures and contracts for 2009 run at $326,700 for the school district's lobbying activities. This number comes from a single year of representation from each firm (see Representation) and from adding to that the amount of expenditures for 2009. This does not include membership dues to lobbying organizations.

[edit] $840,000 driveway

J.C. Mitchell Elementary school in Boca Raton received, after approval from the Palm Beach County School Board, permission to buy a half-acre of land for $440, 000 for the building of a second driveway. An additional $400,000 was needed to create the driveway.[66]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Additional reading

[edit] References

  1. ↑ Budget
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 School Board
  3. ↑ Meetings
  4. ↑ Contacts
  5. ↑ Records
  6. ↑ Research and Evaluation
  7. ↑ Financial Reports
  8. ↑ Vendor contracts
  9. ↑ Contracts
  10. ↑ Treasury - sales tax
  11. ↑ CBC
  12. ↑ Sun Sentinel, Redesigned website for Palm Beach County schools, December 28, 2009
  13. ↑ School board powers and duties, Florida statute
  14. ↑ Board Elections
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Officers of the School Board
  16. ↑ Expenditures of Board Members
  17. ↑ Responsibilities of the Superintendent of Schools
  18. ↑ Advisory Committees to the Board
  19. ↑ Audit Committee
  20. ↑ Construction Oversight and Review Committee
  21. ↑ Finance Committee
  22. ↑ Independent Sales Surtax Oversight Committee
  23. ↑ Technology Committee
  24. ↑ Florida School Accountability Reports
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Executive Summary of the 2008-2009 Budget, pg. 23
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Palm Beach County School District Information
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Annual Budget 2009-2010
  28. ↑ Grants to Local Educational Agencies - FLORIDA
  29. ↑ "PBC Lobbyist E-mails," Jul. 2009
  30. ↑ "PBC Lobbyist E-mails," Mar. 2009
  31. ↑ Online Sunshine - Lobbying Information
  32. ↑ Open Secrets
  33. ↑ Florida School Boards Association members list
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 PO for Schoolhouse Consulting Group, December 5, 2003
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 New business recommendation, Schoolhouse Consulting Group
  36. ↑ School District Consultant Agreement, October 19, 2007
  37. ↑ Agreement between the School Board of Palm Beach County and Schoolhouse Consulting Group, Inc., October 19, 2005
  38. ↑ PO for Schoolhouse Consulting Group, December 2, 2005
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 PO for Schoolhouse Consulting Group, July 17, 2007
  40. ↑ PO Schoolhouse Consulting Group, July 5, 2005
  41. ↑ PO for Capital City LLC, June 7, 2008
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 PO for Capital City Consulting LLC, May 30, 2006
  43. ↑ [1]
  44. ↑ PO for Capital City Consulting LLC, July 7, 2004
  45. ↑ PO for Capital City Consulting LLC, July 21, 2003
  46. ↑ Client List
  47. ↑ Agreement between the School Board of Palm Beach County and Alcalde & Fay, January 24, 2007
  48. ↑ Agreement between the School Board of Palm Beach County and Alcalde & Fay,, February 18, 2004
  49. ↑ PO for Alcalde & Fay, July 7, 2007
  50. ↑ PO for Alcalde & Fay, March 4, 2004
  51. ↑ PO for Alcalde & Fay, July 17, 2003
  52. ↑ PO for Alcalde & Fay, May 16, 2003
  53. ↑ PO for Alcalde & Fay, August 13, 2002
  54. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, March 2006
  55. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, April 2006
  56. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, June 2006
  57. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, April 2007
  58. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, February 2007
  59. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, April 2006
  60. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, July 14, 2007
  61. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, March 12, 2008
  62. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, March 12, 2008
  63. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, June 2, 2006
  64. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, Dec. 9, 2008
  65. ↑ Vernon Crawford Email, Jul. 13, 2007
  66. ↑ Palm Beach Post, "Boca Raton school to get $840,000 driveway", May 29, 2008


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