Will Lake County School fines of $1.2-million for exceeding class size be waived, or required?

Tavares, FL     Jan. 6, 2015

Note:  See also separate issue below of Lake Schools reinstating courtesy busing

The State of Florida just posted potential fines for all 67 school districts for exceeding class sizes, and Lake County is 2nd highest on the list, with potential fines over $1.2-million.

You can see the list of fined due from each Florida school district HERE on the TampaBay.com website. 

Very specific class size limits exist due to a State Constitutional Amendment passed in 2002.

Thanks go to Stuart Klatte, head of the Lake County teachers union, LCEA, who sent me this list.

So, Lake County, due to class size limit overages, has a fine due over $1.2 million, the second largest in Florida school Districts

Now last year, LCSD had large fines when they were caught manipulating data, but the fines were waived.

Now, this year, they exceeded class size limits based upon Board direction so as not to disrupt kids in the middle of semesters if new kids caused a class size to go over required limits.

But, will the State accept that as an answer and waive the fines?

Will parents support the Board and Superintendent for making the decision to risk fines vs distrupting class assignments?

We don’t know.

Here is the earlier Daily Commercial article when the new class size overage report was received last month. 

I personally think the decision was warranted, putting the risk of fines for exceeding class limits below the ability for kids to stay in their classes without disruption.

 So, we will see if taxpayers vs parents agree… only 41 kids caused all the class size exceptions since they each may have six classes in one session (my understanding).  Read the above article for clarity.

 Any updates will be posted on this page.

Other Lake County School Board news - Board member regrets cutting courtesy busing  

Board member Bill Mathias is saying it was a mistake to cut school busing.   That means he will flip his vote, and with two or more of the new or existing Board members, will reverse their prior budget saving motion to eliminate courtesy busing and implement them again.   I guess the pain and angst of constant harrassment from some vocal parent activists is not worth saving a couple hundred thousand dollars.

Well, how about eliminating lawn mowing at all the schools?   That would save some bucks - they could plant non GMO wheat and allow farmers to harvest it to earn some funds?

Vance Jochim