We can't keep up. We're four and a half billion dollars short on the construction side. If that's what you have to trade for five more students, then that's maybe what it takes to trade. |
We have tremendous concerns in three areas: transportation, because of rising fuel costs; utilities, because of rising fuel costs; and increases in health care costs. We could have given teachers a 7 percent pay raise instead of taking those things away. We could have hired more of those teachers at a higher salary. |
We met with Senate and House leaders, and they felt they could cure it during the session. I'm very confident [schools] will be able to use co-teaching. |
We think we're going to get it fixed legislatively. It has always been our policy that we'd rather legislate than litigate. |
We would like to see some of that money spent as pay-as-you-go for capital expenditures. We are so far behind both in our growth for capital outlay and meeting class size that we've got to come up with some substantial dollars in this year, and that would be one way to do it. |
We'd rather use that money for teacher salaries and bonuses, but philosophically I know where that's going. |
We'll face a critical shortage in the next couple of years if we don't do anything. We thought housing prices would have cooled by now, but they haven't. And that's bad news. |
When you set that criteria, you will get it. Florida is an attractive state. |
Whether you agree or disagree with his policies, he has provided a lot of emphasis on public schools. Engaging the public in the school debate ... creates a better atmosphere. |
You don't want to be Chicken Little and say, 'The sky is falling,' because right now we're in pretty good shape. |
You either believe in local control or you don't. If someone has a problem with starting dates of school they should go before their local school board and press that. |