When the teachers at Herbert A. Ammons Middle School needed supplies, the parents delivered.

Cameras for the art department.

Books for the library.

Flamenco dresses for the Spanish club.

The parents bought thousands of dollars worth of classroom goodies for the southwest Miami-Dade school.

``In this economy, you don't want to ask parents for money,'' outgoing PTA President Liz Smith said. ``But that's what we've had to do.''

As budget cuts hammer South Florida schools, more and more parents are pitching in for classroom expenses. Some are spending the summer organizing fundraisers. Others are cutting the checks themselves.

``The PTAs are doing whatever they can to help their schools,'' said Maria Kramer, who serves on the Miami-Dade County Council of PTA/PTSAs. ``As parents, we don't want the educational experience to be impacted by the budget.''

CONCERNS

Some experts, however, worry the practice will widen the gap between schools in affluent neighborhoods and those in impoverished neighborhoods.

``This will exacerbate the differences in the education that children receive,'' said Julian Weissglass, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a national expert on equity in education.

``Affluent families will be able to subsidize their schools. The less affluent families won't.''

Cuts from Tallahassee -- and tumbling tax rolls -- have left local school districts in an unprecedented budget crunch.

The Miami-Dade district recently cut about $166 million from its budget. Broward had a $158 million shortfall.

While the districts have labored to keep the cuts from hurting classrooms, both have trimmed school supplies, programs and personnel.

Parents at Coral Gables Elementary were especially concerned by cuts to the school's budget for teachers' aides.

This summer, they formed a group called ACT -- Assistance for Classroom Teachers. The organization has already raised more than $11,000 to pay for part-time teachers' aides, member Laura Horton said.

Teachers' aides are paid between $8 and $25 an hour.

``It would be nice if we didn't have to do this, but we're doing whatever we can,'' Horton said.

NATIONWIDE EFFORT

PTAs across the country have stepped up their fundraising efforts, national PTA President Charles Saylors said.

This past year, the nation's 25,000 chapters raised millions of dollars to help financially struggling schools.

Saylors, however, is wary of the efforts. ``I'm glad that the PTA is there to help out,'' he said. ``But I would hope that the states understand; they can't continue to ask parents to cover these needs.''

Saylors is also warning parents against chipping in for personnel expenses. That, he said, is the responsibility of state government and local school districts.

Mindy Gould, who heads the Miami-Dade County Council of PTA/PTSAs, said parents should focus their efforts on contacting lawmakers.

``We can't subsidize our schools' budgets,'' Gould said. ``Parents have to hold the legislators responsible for not funding education.''

Still, South Florida parents have been eager to pitch in.

In West Kendall, members of the John A. Ferguson Senior High PTA are planning fundraisers for the schools clubs and music programs.

``Any time we have the opportunity to sell food at a school event, we do it,'' President Liz Schlotzhauer said. ``We really want to help out with the shortfall.''

In Broward County, Pines Middle School PTA President Cherry Mason is asking parents to pick up some extra supplies when they take their kids back-to-school shopping.

``Hopefully, if parents send a little bit of extras to the school, we'll be able to get supplies up,'' Mason said.

GEARING UP

At Ammons Middle, the parents are already gearing up for a busy fundraising season.

Last year, they raised about $30,000 through catalog sales, said Smith, the PTA president.

This year, they hope to raise more.

``We will do whatever is necessary to help our students,'' Smith said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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