Financial Emergency for Glades Schools

SCREENING REGISTRATION. THE GLADES COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ONE OF 2 IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA PLACED IN A STATE OF FINANCIAL EMERGENCY. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE STATE'S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE DECLARATION CAME IN MARCH AFTER THE DISTRICT'S GENERAL FUND BALANCE DROPPED BELOW THE MANDATORY 2% THRESHOLD. THE DECLARATION MEANS THAT ALL MATTERS HAVING TO DO WITH FINANCES MUST BE CLEAR THROUGH A STATE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE UNTIL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ABLE TO REPLENISH THAT MONEY INTO ITS RESERVE BALANCE. WGCU REPORTER EILEEN KELLEY JOINS US NOW. EILEEN, WELCOME. >> I THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. JENNIFER. >> EILEEN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US HOW THE FINANCIAL ISSUES HAVE THE GLADES COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL NOW BE IN THE HANDS OF THE VOTERS. >> WELL, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, OFFICIALS IN GLADES COUNTY HAVE AGREED TO PUT 2 BALLOT MEASURES BEFORE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER. THAT COULD GIVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AN INFLUX OF CASH EFFECTIVELY HELPING THE DISTRICT GET OUT FROM UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE STATE. THE FIRST ONE THAT NEEDS VOTER APPROVAL WILL ALLOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SHIFT FUNDS FROM ITS CAPITAL ACCOUNT TO ITS OPERATING ACCOUNT. NOW BY LAW, THESE ACCOUNTS ARE TO REMAIN SEPARATED UNLESS THE TRANSFER IS APPROVED BY VOTERS. VOTERS HAVE APPROVED THIS IN GLADES FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS RUNNING UNTIL THE MATTER SUNSET AT ABOUT ONE AND A HALF TO 2 YEARS AGO. I RECALL FROM YOUR EARLIER REPORTING. >> THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME WHEN GLADES STARTED TO RUN INTO SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. CORRECT? THAT'S EXACTLY CORRECT. >> THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WENT FROM HAVING A RESERVE BALANCE OF ABOUT 20% DOWN TO POINT HALF OF ONE PERCENT DUE PRIMARILY TO TEACHER RAISES. NOW, STATE LAW REQUIRES A FUND BALANCE OF A MINIMUM OF 3% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET. THIS VOTER APPROVED MEASURE LAPSED WITHOUT IT BEING BROUGHT BACK UNTIL NOW. AND IT WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. >> SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REFERENDUMS THAT IF PASSED, COULD HELP THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SO HOW ABOUT THE SECOND REFERENDUM THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT? IT? >> WELL, I WAS REALLY I WAS ALL PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S CALLED THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX TO HELP BUILD UP THE CAPITAL ACCOUNT, WHICH IS WHAT THE DISTRICT WOULD LIKE TO FIRE FRONT. BUT THINGS HAVE JUST CHANGED. I SPOKE WITH SUPERINTENDENT BETH BARFIELD WHO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN NO LONGER ASK VOTERS THIS NOVEMBER TO APPROVE AN INCREASE IN SALES TAX TO ADD THE MUCH NEEDED FUNDS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE BALLOT MEASURE HAD TO BE PULLED. AND I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT WAS BECAUSE OF A TECHNICALITY, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TECHNICALITY. YOU SEE IN FLORIDA, THE LEGISLATURE HAS CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE TO RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT SPENDING EFFICIENCY. SO BEFORE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN ASK THE VOTERS TO INCREASE THE SALES TAX, THE DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO WHILE SPECIFIC REPORTS WITH THE STATES AND GLADES TO NOT DO THIS REPORT SEEKING TO PUT THE MATTER ON THE REFERENDUM THIS NOVEMBER. AND SO THEY HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF. NOW. >> SO HOW IS SUPERINTENDENT BARFIELD TAKING ALL OF THIS IN IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS CASH TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THE STATE. >> I CAN TELL YOU GRADES COUNTY IS. ESPECIALLY RESILIENT. IT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND FOR 2 YEARS NOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EARNED A RATING BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, PROVING THAT POVERTY DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN POOR GRADES. NOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT NOT THAT LONG AGO THE DISTRICT IS CONSIDERED TO FEELING SCHOOL DISTRICT ACADEMICALLY. AND NOW IT HAS TOP TIER RANKING. >> IT'S NOT JUST CHANGING THOSE STUDENTS LAUGHS. IT'S CHANGING OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS IN FLORIDA, YOU SEE THAT IN A GLADES COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATINGS. WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATINGS. WELL, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT THAT STOPS A. >> HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MY CONVERSATION WITH DR BARFIELD WHEN I ASKED HER WHAT SHE WANTS VOTERS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BALLOT MEASURE THAT GIVES THE DISTRICT THE AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER FUNDS WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE VERY BEST WE CAN WITH VERY LIMITED RESOURCES AND MISSIONS GIVES THE FLEXIBILITY IN OUR SPENDING AND THAT WOULD HELP OF 2 EAT A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE. AND WHO BETTER MAKE HIM. THANK YOU FOR STAYING ON TOP OF THIS. A REALLY IMPORTANT STORY, ALI. >> SO YOU'RE OF THE REST WILL COME THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.