School board asks for more tax control

Despite the gloomy economic picture, Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa said the school system manages to graduate 88 percent of students, one of the highest rates in the state.

“Despite the political rhetoric, Palm Beach County is not a failure factory,” Avossa said. “We know economic development in this community is really tied to public education. … Early intervention winds up paying off.”

Seven of 13 members of the delegation attended the meeting, along with all seven members of the School Board.

Delegation members asked questions but did not commit to bringing any legislation to the next session, which starts Jan. 9.

State Sen. Bobby Powell asked about improving the wages of the district’s lower-paid employees.

Avossa said the district raised its minimum wage from $8.50 to $10.50 and has made a long-term commitment to raise its minimum to $15 an hour.

Legislators also expressed concern about charter schools, which are publicly financed but privately run, that close, leaving the school district to foot the bill.

When Charter School of Boynton Beach was shuttered in 2014, Palm Beach County taxpayers lost more than $400,000 because a state rule designed to hold charters accountable for the money is not enforced, chief financial officer Mike Burke said.

The School Board filed a lawsuit in September challenging the constitutionality of a bill passed by the Legislature last year that requires school districts to share their local tax dollars with charter schools.

Board member Debra Robinson asked the legislators to consider bills that would extend statefunded pre-school to a full day program and pay for social workers at schools.