Effort Index Grants

Hillsborough County School officials are fuming the district was not awarded one penny of an extra 400-million dollars set aside by the state for school construction needs. District officials say the county more than qualifies. But the man in charge of disbursing the money says it doesn't.

In Assignment: Education.. Bill Ratliff takes a look at the fight over what is called Effort Index Grants.. and why Hillsborough was left with nothing to put into the bank.

Coleman Elementary in Tampa. It's being completely remodeled - part of a plan to spend 300-million dollars on school construction in Hillsborough County. The money is coming state and local funding sources. But last year the legislature told school districts, if they built frugally.. and used all the local money available.. they might be eligible for more state money.. in the form of "Effort Index Grants." District officials felt sure Hillsborough qualified for at least 38-million dollars. But when the awards went out.. Hillsborough received a big fat goose egg. Of the 400-million dollars available.. Dade County was tentatively awarded 375-million dollars. Clay, Hendry and Madison counties would share the remaining 25-million. Hillsborough school officials were stunned.

--((Hills. Sch. Bd. Chairperson, Candy Olson says:)) "I was appalled. It's very clear that our legislators said we know there is more need. If counties put the effort in and build functional, frugal schools, then we will give them some money to make up that need."--

To add to the mystery.. the man in charge of Hillsborough's school construction says the state reviewed the grant application and said it looked good. Then came the bad news letter.

--((Hills. Ass't. Supt. of Operations, Jim Hamilton says:)) "There were two critiques.. One was that we're replacing too many portables and the portables we had, we should be able to continue to be used.. were useable, were satisfactory. And the second critique was that we had too much of our money being spent on renovation of schools."--

But Hillsborough is one of two counties in the state that is required by law to spend at least 25-percent of its state construction money on renovations, and some of its portables don't meet state standards. So what went wrong?

--((Bill Ratliff on camera:)) We contacted the man in charge of overseeing the effort index grants, but he said he didn't want to comment, but he did say the legislature needs to address the issue.--

--((St. Sen. Tom Lee says:)) "I don't know what went wrong."--

Hillsborough State Senator Tom Lee says whatever happened the appropriation has been stopped and another bill will be introduce to make sure qualified school districts get their fair share.

--((Sen Lee says:)) "If the net result of the Effort Index was to send 375-million dollars to Miami something needs to be changed. We'd still be negotiating now, if the legislature had known that money was going to Miami."--

And what does 38-to-40 million dollars mean to Hillsborough school construction plans? Well, that's about what it cost to build a new high school. Bill Ratliff, Newschannel 8.

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