Proposed Schedule Would Cut 29 Teaching Positions

Facing a budget crunch, the Highlands County School District is considering a seven-period schedule for secondary schools that would increase teacher workload and eliminate 29 teaching positions.

Under the current schedule, a teacher's planning period occurs during one of the seven class periods.

The proposed schedule calls for a 45-minute planning period for all teachers prior to the first class period. Teachers would then be available to teach in all seven class periods.

By cutting 17 high school and 12 middle school positions, the district would save $1.67 million.

Teacher Tim Murphy, along with about 14 fellow Sebring High teachers and educators from other schools, attended a recent budget workshop on the proposed schedule.

"Everybody is concerned about their paychecks obviously and jobs," Murphy said Monday.

Murphy is a Sebring High School representative for the teacher's union.

The teachers who have a contract with the district (or those who probably are not going to lose their jobs) are more concerned about a 2 percent or 5 percent pay cut than teaching seven periods, Murphy said.

Once teachers figure out they would have more students each day under the proposed seven-period day, they will probably be a little upset about that, he said.

"On top of teachers losing their jobs, it would also increase everybody's workload," Murphy said. A regular-education teacher currently teaches about 130 students a day. The proposed schedule would add another 25 to 30 students.

The outcome of next month's special Legislative session will affect what the district can do, he noted. If there's a huge funding cut, there may be no alternative but to take drastic measures.

School Board Chairman Andy Tuck said he hasn't received any negative comments about the proposal.

"Everybody that I've talked to seems to be cautiously optimistic," he said.

School Board Member Wally Randall said the district is seeking feedback from the schools on the proposal.

What looks good on paper may not actually be a good idea in practice, he said. The board and the superintendent encourages each school to have three or four representatives attend every budget workshop so they can keep their school informed.

"Because we want this to be a group decision, not just something that filters from the top on down because it looked like a good idea," Randall said.

The high schools currently operate on a seven-period day, but some classes are taught over two consecutive periods in a modified block schedule.

There has been talk about a six-period day, but a seven-period day offers the following benefits, according to the district:

• Students have sufficient opportunity to meet graduation requirements.

• Students have time in their schedule for a variety of course offerings like the International Baccalaureate program, music, art and advanced placement.

• Students have sufficient periods in the schedule to include remediation or recovery courses.

• Decreases the need for summer school or extra a.m. or p.m. courses.