[Cincinatus' Wife]

They have a lot of money but don't spend it like they're on a budget or with an eye for wasteful spending.

Below is a school district in Texas that got it right and their success put them under the court gun.
When the court threatened to block student transfers, teachers began working to help families set up homeschooling.

Two school districts embroiled in racial tug of war (this one has it all: choice, naacp, money tug) ***...[LINK in Post #1] ***....Bienski doesn't deny that Mumford relies on the state aid it receives for the transfers, but he insists that has not been the secret to the school district's recent success. Mumford has been successful, Bienski says, because it does more with less.

There is some evidence of that.

Bienski serves not only as the school district superintendent, but also as the principal of all three campuses. When the district began its aggressive building campaign in 1997, Bienski served as the general contractor, saving the district millions of dollars. The district owns all three campuses outright.

The school district stocked its computer labs by taking advantage of grant programs. When it launched its high school a few years ago, it focused on academics and avoided costly athletic programs such as football. ....***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It looks like NCLB's exposer of public education rot is helping to fuel a tax revolt.

[Iwo Jima]

We need less government schools, not more. And the government schools need to spend less, not more.

I've voted "no" on every bond proposal for years. And now others are starting to vote "no," too.

[Born Conservative]

[endthematrix]

"$385 million bond proposal that included eight new schools, a competition swim center and a laptop computer for every high school student."

Looks cheap. And with the explosive growth in Chicago suburbia, I can't imagine what it is down there! My beef is with the over-the-top extravagance of the buildings. Inlaid oak flooring and brass hardware, etc. Spending thousands on what should cost hundreds. Ever wonder why districts complain they have no money for teacher salaries?

[endthematrix]

"it focused on academics and avoided costly athletic programs such as football"

I could imagine the uproar from "parents" about that! Any disruption of athletic schedule is a sin. Loss of music or foreign language...not a peep.

[MinuteGal]

A chicken in every pot, a car in every garage, a lap-top computer for every high school student.....the New Deal lives on.

I don't see one word about kids of immigrants overwhelming the school districts in this border state, so I guess it's not a problem. The problem seems to lie with those uncaring, heartless, mindless, childless, rich suburban folk in their $400,000 homes who vote "no" on the bond issues.

Leni

[Mark was here]

Wayne Oquin, president of the Galena Park school board, said he's confident voters will see the need Oct. 1 to borrow $85 million for new schools, a health clinic and computers.

What kind of idiots would elect a school board that would even propose this kind of garbage?

Only the insane would take out a 30 year loan on something that will last only 2 or 3 years. I'm referring to the computers.

If the voters are not held responsible for the decisions of the school boards, then why even vote?

[DH]

"We have school buildings that are in dire need of work," Roy said.

Well?  Private individuals and businesses MAINTAIN their buildings and BUDGET and PLAN for maintenance costs as part of the life cycle costs of owning the buildings.

Have you ever noticed all government officials start harping on the need to repair government buildings and the requirement for more money  so that they can do so?  Why didn't they maintain them in the first place?  I particularly love the statement we hear time and time again that the school buildings are OUTDATED.  What's that mean other than that they want more money?  Ever notice that in Europe, England and places in the US like Harvard and Princeton, they have buildings hundreds of years old and they are still in good shape but a public school (or any government building for that matter) becomes a dangerous and unmentionable monster after 50 years of occupation and must be torn down and rebuilt?

Another thing, when it comes to schools, why is it that all new schools have to be works of art and have huge buildings and areas dedicated to sports?

[festus]

Gov. Rick Perry ordered them to begin spending 65 percent of their money on "direct classroom instruction,"

Such an ogre he is I guess......

But that still leaves 35% for "beer money" and condoms for all.

[elbucko]

"The average voter thinks they [schools] don't need any more money," she said.

Biased guess, but no cigar.

...." because taxpayers aren't getting their money's worth."

The real reason that bonds don't float by voters anymore. My own city school district has floated two bond issues in the past 5 years. One failed, the other did not. Now, the local newspaper is running a story about the city government doing a creative financing deal with the school district because the district is short of funds. I believe that when "Eve" took a bite of the "Forbidden Fruit", it had a National Education Association sticker on it.

[goldstategop]

They always come back asking for more money. These tricks have been employed not just in Texas but across the country. The theme is the same: convincing stupid voters the schools aren't funded enough - its all for the children. So far its worked. Are people finally beginning to see through the ploy?

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)