Meeting:
Regular School Board Meeting
Meeting Time:
September 15, 2026 at 8:45am EDT
Note: The online Request to Speak window has expired.
The online Comment window has expired
My name is Dr. Trudy Jermanovich. I normally would be delivering my comment in person, but Influenza B has sidelined me.
In answering the question, “Why is the Referendum needed when SBBC collects so much in property taxes?” I put together a quick primer.
Here’s how it works - The district collects taxes from property taxes and is required by law to send all of the money back up to the State. The State has a formula where they send each district back some of the tax money, but in the case of Broward they don’t send the entire amount back. Broward is considered a “donor” district because our tax money is then distributed to smaller counties and even some larger counties. Broward, in fact, does not even get as much funding in the formula as Palm Beach or Miami-Dade County. Some of money which is sent back to Broward, by state statute, must be given to Charter Schools and Private Schools through Vouchers. AND, even if a student comes back into the real Public School System, if it’s after a certain date, the Charter School or Private School does not return the money to the Public School system. In other words, if a child is disruptive or doesn’t appear able to do well on testing, the Charter or Private School simply tells the parent that it’s “not a good fit” and the child is sent back to the real Public School System who must, by law, educate every child.
The State of Florida has been systematically redirecting money away from the real Public School system and into Charter Schools and Private Schools through vouchers.
In addition, the money sent from the State down to districts for teacher pay is wholly inadequate. In fact, teacher pay in Florida is 50th in the nation.
Because the state has been siphoning off money for many years, many real public school districts have had to go to the voters to get locally guaranteed money to give teachers and other staff closer to a living wage.
Unfortunately, over 30 public school districts around Florida have had to go to voters and ask for a living wage for their employees through a Referendum. It is for the good of everyone when public school students succeed. It is also good for our society.