Articles from Leaders

Superintendent Dan Boyd Guest Article in Gainesville Sun, Time to speak up for our children (10/26/08): Here

Chairman Mark McGriff Guest Article in Gainesville Sun, Local Schools Need Your Help (10/19/08): Here

Vice-Chairman Mike Griffis Guest Article in High Springs Herald, Learning, Winning, and Having Fun with School Taxes and Budgets (10/17/08): Here

New Articles

Jennifer Taylor, Elementary School Counselor, National Board Certified Teacher, Letter to Editor, Gainesville Sun (10/11/08): Here

Actual Good News

With all of the doom and gloom, there is still some good news from our schools.

Alachua County's school system has earned an 'A' grade from the state of Florida for the past three years. The district has many other accomplishments that are making news in our community. For a few examples, check out the links below:

  • Alachua County awarded an A for education: Here
  • County SAT scores best in Florida: Here
  • Alachua County boasts record number of National Merit semifinalists: Here

School Tax Primer

A School Tax Primer provides useful insight into the maze of how schools get their funding. This was written by Keith Birkett, who is assistant superintendent for planning and budget for Alachua County Public Schools. Go Here.

Alachua County Public Schools Budget

To check out the budget for the Alachua County Public Schools, go Here.

Links to Important Editorials

Florida's school funding crisis is also generating a lot of attention--and strong words--from the editorial boards of newspapers statewide. Below are samples of editorials from around the state.

Going Missing, The Gainesville Sun, 9/18/08: Here.

Education's priority losing ground, St. Augustine Record, 9/7/08: Here.

Study contradicts notion of an overtaxed Florida, Palm Beach Post, 9/7/08: Here.

A silver lining for schools? Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 8/25/08: Here.

Bulk savings concept works better for schools than thrift-store fix, Orlando Sentinel, 8/24/08: Here.

Cuts keep coming, Gainesville Sun, 6/27/08: Here.

Florida Back to the Future: Build Prisons, Cut Schools, Tampa Tribune, 5/6/08: Here.

Latest Articles

TV Commercial to promote ballot initiative, WRUF AM 850, 9/24: Here.

One mill for schools, Gainesville Sun, 9/23: Here.

School tax, WRUF AM 850, 9/23: Here.

Meeting organizes support for county school tax hike, Gainesville Sun, 9/23: Here.

PTA meeting to support school tax proposal, Gainesville Sun, 9/22: Here.

Ron Cunningham's "We're #47", Gainesville Sun Editorial, 9/22: Here.