When families have a shortfall, they determine where to cut spending, and likely the first cuts are not on essentials like food and shelter.
The educrats are at it again..............spouting stuff like if the state cuts their funds they will have to lay off teachers. If you are in the business of educating students you will only cut the essentials as a last option. I would think teachers fall into the category of being considered essential! Most ISD's have one non-teacher for every teacher. (That is according to the ISD Snapshots of information provided to the Texas Education Agency by ISD’s.) Some ISD's have expensive aides on the payroll filling the role of coaches (some are unable to attain certification credentials for various reasons, mainly not being able to pass the required certification test). Some individuals are classified as teachers when they are in fact not teachers. These individuals are on emergency certification certificates.
It is time to see how many of these education leaders have chosen the field of education for the love of education or the love of money. A number of Texas ISD Superintendents make more than $250,000 a year, base salary? Why not stipulate that superintendents cannot make more than the Governor.
ISD's need to set spending priorities and not just continue to threaten to cut teachers when they should be dramatically cutting other overhead. ISD's are fat and building athletic facilities, buying land, etc. are part of the fat priority problem. $60 million stadiums have a tendency to put a sour taste in the mouths of those who are required to pay the bills for such extravagance. It is really not about the cost of the actual structure it is about the associated long term costs of maintaining the structure(s). These are costs that taxpayers have to fund each and every year as long as they are still breathing air on the face of this earth. They will foot the bill through property taxes, business taxes, sales taxes, etc.
They sky is not falling!
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The people who run the PISD - the Super and the School Board - have already signalled that they are not competant or thoughtful stewards of the tax monies we have sent them.
They bought the Emmanual Church property, mostly for the gym, and after the architect told them, almost a year ago, that the buildings were not adequate for school rooms. Paid, as I remember, some $700,000, to own a property that they knew would not serve any useful or educational purpose.
As reported in the Gazette, the Super has asked 39 teachers to vote on whether we need new school rooms more than ANOTHER gym, and reportedly, 35 said the gym was more needed. That deal does not
pass, in any way, shape or form, the stink test. Wonder if those four out-of-step teachers will have a job next year. The Super will no doubt dismiss them, and claim that the State is forcing her to cut expenses. The new gym/classrooms are reported to cost almost $1.5 million, added to the cost above, will total about the same money shortfall that is expected from the State.
For the Super to appear in the paper suggesting that taxes need to be raised to cover expected State cuts, is stepping way, way past her paygrade. She has neither the authority to make such statements, nor is it her place to do so. Were I on the School Board, she and I would have serious discussions about tending to her job. She's getting way too big for her britches.
One way, of course, of cutting expenses, would be to whack away at her overbloated salary. Another way would be to see to it that she never again charters busses to drive 75 miles down the road while claiming that PISD-paid drivers are unable to get the football team to Mesquite "safely".
What a crock of ****!
The taxpayers of this school district need to start DEMANDING that the Board and its hired hands become answerable for the silliness that is presently on display.
If they refuse, then they need to go the way that others have recently travelled.
Why do they not remember that they will soon have to meet us at the ballot box?
Excellent blog and right on target. Is anyone on the PISD school board listening?
It Is Time To Downsize Public Schools
More Can Be Done With Less
Technology has made it possible for people who know how to ask questions to learn with minimal help from teachers. A person who knows how to ask questions can learn as much using a smart cell phone or other mobil technology, as they would learn in most public school classes. Text books and other references to most subjects are available on the Internet.
The Teach For America program, described in Time Magazine, indicates that very little formal teacher training is needed to become an effective teacher. Many parents who home school children are very effective teachers. Many children would do better academically in a home school environment.
Most Public school students are required to serve “seat time” so that their school will receive money from their State based on attendance. Much time is wasted in maintaining the programs in most of our public schools. It is time to stop wasting our money and the learning time of students. It is time that existing technology be used more effectively in educating people and lowering the cost of public school education. It is time to down size public schools and to help students become independent learners.
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