Manatee Superintendent keeps parents informed of budget message

In another nod to transparency, Manatee County Superintendent Rick Mills sent the district’s financial recovery plans to principals with instructions on how to make the information available to parents.

The plans were announced to the school board at a May 20 budget workshop.

The recovery plan highlights four budget priorities for the 2013-14 school year:
1. Balance the budget and meet the state-required fund balance of $10.3 million.
2. Reinvest financially in employees by distributing teacher pay increases ordered by the state and by providing pay increases for other district staff.
3. Realign the allocation of district resources to improve student performance.
4. Repay schools a portion of school internal funds contributed to the district this school year.

Mills also said principals can use one of the following five options to make the information available to parents:
1. Post the information on the school district website at manateeschools.net and send a note home to parents informing them of where to find it.
2. Send a note home to parents saying that the information is posted on the district website under “HOT TOPICS.” There, parents can watch a video of the workshop.
3. Send parents a Connect-Ed message about the information and direct them to the school or district website to view it.
4. Distribute information through SAC, PTO or other school groups.
5. Keep a copy of the letter in the school office for parents to read if asked

The financial plans come after Mills announced the elimination of more than 250 jobs next year as part of a plan to save $20.6 million.