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Teachers, advocates press board on cuts and Legacy Scholars transition; district pledges support for affected students
Summary
Public commenters urged the school board to prioritize classroom staff and questioned potential cuts; representatives of Legacy Scholars Academy said its likely closure would retraumatize students, and district staff described steps to transition and support affected students.
Multiple speakers used the April 22 public‑comment period to press the Volusia County School Board for transparency about budget cuts and to plead for preservation of classroom and ESE positions.
Laura Bouchard, a teacher and union steward at Taylor Middle‑High School, told the board she was "concerned that once again, the district is talking about budget shortfalls" and that instructional and support positions were vulnerable. "It seems anytime there is a budget shortfall, teachers are always the first to go, which hurts the students," Bouchard said.
Retiree and former administrator Mary Tilford recounted a long career in Volusia schools and said that while the district had been described as "pretty good" in February, by April it was publishing a $25.8 million shortfall. "So are we good or bad?" she asked. "Please remember, students should always come first. They are human beings, not human capital."
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