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School supt.: charter school funding "unfair" to taxpayers
Sumter County taxpayers are funding charter schools predominently attended by out-of-county students while the parents of these kids, mostly employed in The Villages, do not pay property taxes here.
During a recent discussion with a four-member delegation of state lawmakers at The Villages Sumter County Service Center, Superintendent of Schools Rick Shirley argued that a quirky state formula for funding the county's charter schools in The Villages is unfair to the county's property owners.
Shirley said the charter schools are "premier schools" that should be better funded by the state, as they are in surrounding counties.
While 75 percent of the students attending The Villages charter schools are from Hernando, Lake, Citrus and Marion counties, Sumter County property owners pay 90 percent of the $5,000,000 cost for operating the schools. About 1,500 of the estimated 2,100 students who attend the charter schools are from out of county districts, according to Shirley.
Shirley said that years ago state legislators declared Sumter County one of only seven "revenue rich" districts in the state in order to justify the unusual funding ratio that has the state on the hook for a meager 10 percent of the charter schools' costs. Parents of the out-of-county kids have no tax investment in the charter schools even though most are employed in The Villages and surrounding area.
Lawmakers are considering Shirley's contentions but were non-committal in offering relief to Sumter taxpayers. Shirley estimated that tax rates would fall about 1 mil if the state funded Sumter's charter schools the way it does most charter schools.
Is it fair that Sumter County taxpayers must pay 90 percent of the bill for educating approximately 1,500 students who live outside of the county, or should the parents of these students share the cost of educating their children in Sumter County's school district? Do you agree with the state that Sumter County is a "revenue rich" school district?
The legislators attending the meeting were state Senator Paula Dockery, Rep. Marlene O'Toole, Rep. Robert Scheck and Rep. Allan Hays
I have no doubts that the administration will find an equitable way to fund these schools. You make a good point here. Actually this is one of the reasons why I preferred to get my physical therapy degree online, I don't have to worry about this stuff anymore.
http://www.sumter.k12.fl.us/PDF/Required_Local_Millage_White_Paper.pdf
Read this White Paper on the tax increase each of us is paying for this Charter School that is being used by out of county students. While the other schools in the county are outdated, take a ride by Webster Elem., then ride up to the Villages Charter School, the newest and best school in the county. We are not taking care of our students and insuring that they are getting the best education possible for our tax dollars. Workers from surrounding counties are getting free education for their children and they are not paying into our tax base. I hate paying the higher school taxes when I know that I am paying them for children in other counties to get a better education that our local children. Call your school board and your state representatives. I think I will write to Gov. Rick Scott. Maybe this will be a good opportunity for him to show the waste in our State.
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I can see now the unfair situation. I hope the county administration will be able to find an equitable solution. I would go for the best interest of the school because that's how the students get the maximum benefits. As I have my masters degree organizational leadership it's even more obvious to me now what needs to be done.