Posted on 01/11/2011 11:03:52 AM PST by SueRae
In the past year, 46 states grappled with budget deficits of more than $130 billion. This year could be worse as federal recovery dollars dry up. And yet, for education reform, 2011 could be the best of times.
California, to name one example, bridged its $25.4 billion budget gap by cutting billions from public education. It is now forced to cut another $18 billion to fill its current deficit. State executives and legislatures face severe choices and disappointments that could undo political careers and derail progress.
On the bright side, public support is building for a frontal attack on the educational status quo. And policy makers are rising to the challenge, not only because their budgets are tighter than ever, but also because they see an opportunity to reverse the current trend of discouraging academic results for our children.
Three weeks ago, I founded StudentsFirst, a national organization to defend and promote the interests of children in public education and to pursue an aggressive reform agenda to make American schools the best in the world. In the first 48 hours, 100,000 Americans signed up as members, contributing $1 million in small online donations.
This was a sign that we had tapped into a vein of both concern and hope. There were others: Several governors, in states such as Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico and Nevada have been interested in how we might join forces. Mayors in big cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Newark want to push the envelope, too.
This week StudentsFirst is introducing its legislative agenda, "A Challenge to States and Districts: Policies that Put Students First." It is a comprehensive set of policies and legislation that we believe must be adopted to create the right environment at local and state levels, ...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
One thing she can check is how many employees does a school have compared to students. I know one High School in Oregon, that had one employee for every seven students. How many employees does it take to run a High School?
Glad you like the “energy.” She’s involved in sleaze up to her elbows through her “connection” with Kevin Johnson, late of the Gerald Walpin fiasco. The Media have buried the story.
Perhaps they should take a look at the private church schools and compare pay rates, retirement rates, and grades received by the students in state exams.
I must live in a bubble sometimes. I admit I’ve not heard of those two before. Can you please provide some detail? Thanks!
Teacher pay and benefits must be reduced. I probably wouldn’t say that if I was a teacher but unless the taxpayer wants to ante up, well, what can be done? OH! I just had an idea; how about trashing the public school system and issuing vouchers!!!!!? Let private enterprise solve this problem.
Here in San Deigo there is a school system employee for every 7-8 kids. Half the employees are non-teachers. I don’t know whether that includes the contractors..like buses and others. Probably not.
The only way to balance the books here in CA is to get rid of the expenses of illegals. There will never be enough tax dollars to support all the govt employees and the illegals.
It is TIME! Time to DownSize DC!
Beginning with CLOSING the U.S. Department of Education.
I don’t agree with the concept of public education. I can’t control the quality of the education. I have to pay to teach anti-Christian doctrines to other people’s children as well as my own.
Constitutionally, I don’t think the federal government belongs in the education business. I can see an argument that they need a literate populace for national defense. So I’d advocate “free” (tax payer funded) reading classes in libraries; and “free” (tax payer funded) basic math classes, as well. These classes should be open to anyone who wants to take them, from young children to adults, provided they are citizens.
As far as I am concerned, that’s it.
Just use a search engine and put in Rhee and Johnson and then Walpin and Johnson.
articles have been posted on FR too.
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