Should Lakewood Ranch taxpayers expect higher grades?

Audrey Quale, a third-grade teacher at Braden River Elementary, knows what she’s going to do with her extra 30 minutes in the school

day now that the tax referendum passed March 20.

“There’s too much time spent thinking about what students are learning rather than ways they’re learning,” Quale said. “I want to spend my time on lateral thinking, making kids find ways to think outside the box.”

Quale said that while she doesn’t expect the students to pick up innovative problem solving right away, she believes they will after a few months of consistent practice, which they will have with their 30 additional minutes of instruction.

Although Quale might see gains rather quickly, Manatee County taxpayers might not see the bang for their buck in the short term.

Money generated from the tax, an estimated $33 million, will raise teacher salaries (51% of the $33 million goes toward teacher salaries) and will extend the school day by 30 minutes.

While School District of Manatee County flyers informed taxpayers that the tax will help the district keep its best teachers, Superintendent Diana Greene said a more immediate impact will be seeing the district successfully recruit teachers.

“We want to be competitive with hiring with neighboring counties, which we couldn’t do before,” Greene said. “I don’t know that money is going to be a motivation (for current teachers) to work harder, but it will bring in qualified, certified teachers and keep them here.”

While Greene said teacher recruitment will be apparent immediately, she said overall school grades might not see an immediate impact from the tax.

However, Greene said struggling schools could show a boost in the short run. In East County, Freedom Elementary, Braden River Middle School and William H. Bashaw all had “C” ratings in the most recent evaluation by the state. But those schools won’t get the extended class time until next school year.

Greene agreed with Quale that extra instruction time eventually will make a noticeable difference. 

“The schools will have better grades because teachers will have more time with their students,” Greene said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Brady Chapman is the husband of McNeal teacher Kristen Chapman. He was an advocate on behalf of the tax.

“I think we will see immediate improvements (in the school system),” Chapman said. “I think now that we’re on pretty close to equal footing with Sarasota, we’ll have better luck hiring and retaining. In four years, when the tax is up again, we’ll have real and tangible results.”

At Braden River Elementary, Principal Hayley Rio said that before the school year started, they had three new teachers back out of their positions. She said salaries were the issue.

Once the new teachers learned what they were going to be paid for their first year, they withdrew from consideration. She believes those same teachers would have been more willing to stay under current conditions.

“The staff feels valued by the community,” Rio said. “We’re always trying to support students the best we can, and now we have the means to do it.”

Rio isn’t sure when results might show up for overall school grades.

“Are we going to see it year one? Hopefully, we’ll see some changes,” Rio said. “But I think that the money will have a more long-term benefit.”

Steve Vernon, president of the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club who opposed the tax, said taxpayers don’t want to wait for long-term results.

“The money needs to go to the classroom, and it needs to help kids become better educated,” he said. “That’s the whole objective, as soon as possible.

“I’m disappointed that the tax passed. We still haven’t solved the foundational problem of financial mismanagement.”