Instead, it has been used to offset cuts in education funding so that more money could be put into pork-barrel projects and budget turkeys. Do not let the pork-addicted politicians in Tallahassee suck more money out of the lottery pot with the bogus excuse that a program that is actually working costs too much. The recent decision by the School Board not to permanently close three small elementary schools needs to be re-examined. While I can empathize with the board members, the parents and the community in their desire for neighborhood schools, the financial realities that the school system is facing demand this action. Duval is a large county with declining public school student enrollment.
Funding is based on student enrollment.
Small schools do not have enough students enrolled to fund their schools' operating budgets. They must have additional funding in order to operate the schools. This additional funding must be taken from all school district operations, including other schools. At the same time, the district is building new schools in high-growth areas of the county. The county's population shift to east of the river requires this construction.