At a time where enrollment is declining and costs are on the rise, Sarasota County schools is reducing their staff—leading to over 100 cut teaching positions.
In a March workshop session with the Sarasota County school board, superintendent Terry Connor first introduced the financial constraints and subsequent cuts regarding the county’s budget.
136 to 180 teachers have received notice that their positions have been surplused, meaning that a permanent staff member’s position has been eliminated. These teachers are selected based on seniority, with new teachers more likely to be surplused, and they will either be relocated or face unemployment.
As such, Sarasota County School’s official website has reported a seven percent decline in classroom teachers within the district next year.
The temporary COVID relief funds that Sarasota County Schools was provided with paid for 182 staff positions. Those funds expired in 2024, and local funds are not able to cover the costs.
The primary driver of the budget cuts, however, were statewide school vouchers. These vouchers were passed in 2023 in House Bill 1 and established universal school choice.
“The one [reason] that I think is a little bit more complicated and extremely impactful is the universal voucher program that started in 2023,” Liz Barker, a current school board member, said. “Any family is now eligible to collect somewhere between $8,000 and $10,000 per student to send them to a private school or to homeschool them.”
The vast majority of families using the voucher scholarship, which are public education funds, had never attended public school. Barker estimates the cost of educating both public and non-public school students has cost the state of Florida just under $5 billion.
“I believe every family has the right to choose whatever school is best for their children,” Barker said. “At the same time, as taxpayers, we deserve to know where that money is going and whether or not we’re getting a return on our investment.”
Multiple Pine View teachers with at-risk positions were contacted by The Torch to comment on their experience. None wished for coverage.
Angeles Pineda Villafana, a fifth grade teacher at Alta Vista Elementary, was informed she would be surplused when the budget cuts were first announced.
“I love teaching. Since elementary school, I’ve wanted to be a teacher,” Pineda Villafana said. “It’s hard to find a place where you belong. There will be students [I will be] missing.”
Pineda Villafana’s contract ends June 30th, and she has yet to find a position for the upcoming school year.
“None of us are aware enough,” she said. “We need public schools, and we need to take a deeper look at the areas and the people that are funding the public education system. This affects everyone.”
Jessica Thomason, a surplused teacher at Booker High, has shared similar sentiments on social media.
“Defund public education, label it as failing, and then offer an escape … At some point, we have to be honest about what we are asking public schools to do- and what we are actually giving them to do it,” Thomason wrote. “Because if the system only works for the families who know how to use it, then it is not a public system at all.”
Barker added that in a recent November audit in the state of Florida, $270 million dollars of voucher money was spent, yet there were no records of the money’s distribution.
“If we as the public are funding an educational opportunity for a student, we need to understand whether that’s working,” Barker said. “When a student is homeschooled or attends a private school, there’s no requirement for any form of accountability … There are reasons why that might be right for a family, but when we’re using public dollars, there needs to be public accountability.”
A consequence of reducing educators is that classroom sizes will inevitably become larger to accommodate the change.
“As a teacher, you’re always looking to accommodate the kids, whether that be a 504 or IEP,” Pineda Villafana said. “Now there will be larger class sizes, which affects the time given for education, as well as the quality of the education.”
While Sarasota County schools are considered high-performing within the state and are expected to adhere to the 25-student classroom maximum, the average teacher-student ratio is still predicted to increase from 1:15.7 to 1:16.
“We are trying to meet every need, solve every problem, and ensure every student succeeds- without the staffing, structure, or resources to do it well,” Thomason wrote. “We eliminate support positions due to budget cuts, increase expectations, and then act surprised when classrooms become overwhelmed … That’s not fair to them [students]. And it’s not fair to the teachers trying to hold it all together.”
Although the situation seems bleak for the many surplused staff members, teachers, as well as the wider Sarasota community, are working to remain hopeful. Thomason has shared online that she will continue teaching at a new school in the upcoming year.
“I know things will work out, even if change is slow … I know the district is working to make protective measures that are in our best interests,” Pineda Villafana said. “I can only hope that the decisions are made in the best interests of students, teachers, and the community.”
As stated by Rex Ingerick, president of the Sarasota Classified Teachers Association, the school board continues to work to get as many teachers placed as possible. It is “unrealistic” that all will be placed, but consultations have been held with unassigned teachers, and it is “hoped” that appropriate openings will appear for the vacancies.
“The only way we can get through this is together as a community. We all value each other so much … I value our school professionals,” Barker said. “It is so important that in our advocacy work, and as we are using our voices to help people understand what we need to maintain a good education system, that we also share why we value it so much, why public education is so important to us, and why it is an important part of our community.”