Revamped district office to lead Manatee Schools overhaul

Manatee County Schools Superintendent Rick Mills responded to 150-page recovery plan reported by education leaders from throughout the state by unveiling a reorganized district office staff to lead a transformation.

The changes, inspired by a report from 12 education consultants who visited the district in April, includes 96 cuts to district office staff and the addition of five new positions, including a director of budget and a Chief Information Officer to run the technology department.

The revamped district staff saves $4.7 million as part of $21.9 million savings plan, which also included the 182 teachers layoffs made last month, property sales, the closing of the old MTI campus and other measures.

In all, district leader say the plan will provide health reserves by the end of 2014, allowing it to recover the $10.3 million fund balance.

The district also announced a 2% raise for all employees except senior staff and the reimbursement of 33 percent of funds taken from internal accounts earlier this spring to boost district reserves. The 2% raise does not include raises allocated by the state this year.

Read a more in-depth story on the school district’s transformation in this week’s East County Observer.