TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The number of employees in Florida's public schools has declined.
    
The state Department of Education reports there were about 318,000 full-time employees at the start of the current school year. That's a nearly two percent decline compared to the previous year.
    
Instructional staff, including teachers, counselors and librarians, accounted for 60 percent of all employees. The number of teachers declined by about 1,400.
    
Support staff saw the largest drop. The number of aides, secretaries and other support employees declined by more than 4,000.
    
Schools across the state and nation have trimmed their payrolls in light of continuing budget cuts in recent years.

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