It's not a secret that education across the United States is suffering huge budget cuts as the jobless, recoveryless recovery continues. Is this right? Is American education really in such good shape it can stand these cuts and still maintain (or work to achieve) the quality we want for our children? Or will these cuts lower the quality of public schools, further opening the door for charter school advocates like, say, Arne Duncan and Barack Obama? Is this what you expected when a Democrat was elected to the White House and Democratic majorities were sent to the House and the Senate? And what should it be? Cuts in education or cuts in the Forever War?
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/1672709.htmlTOPEKA | Kansas advocates for schools, state employees, the disabled and the elderly announced Friday that they will join forces to fight new state spending cuts.
The coalition, called Kansans for Quality Communities, said lawmakers should focus on finding new tax revenue, either through the elimination of existing tax exemptions and breaks, or through tax increases.
“These cuts have gone too far,” said Mike Hammond, director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, a member of KQC. “We can no longer cut our way out of this crisis.”
Kansas lawmakers start their 2010 session Monday, and already lawmakers and groups such as KQC are staking out their positions on the year’s big topic, a more than $300 million budget deficit. Lawmakers have already cut nearly $1 billion in spending in the face of steep revenue declines.
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http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/GOVS08_20100107-221803/316135/Chesterfield cuts could force closure of governor’s schools
Central Virginia's two full-time governor's schools could face severe changes or even closure if Chesterfield County eliminates its participation in them.
Chesterfield school officials sent a survey to its employees Tuesday asking them to choose ways to cut nearly $40 million from its proposed fiscal 2011 budget.
Among the many options is to stop sending students to Appomattox Regional Governor's School for Arts and Technology in Petersburg and Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in Richmond.
In an impact statement accompanying the survey, Chesterfield acknowledges that if it ends its participation at the governor's schools, a $2 million savings, "this option would likely result in both schools closing."
Chesterfield is the largest school division represented at both schools. This year, the county has 224 students at Maggie Walker and 129 at Appomattox. Overall, that represents about one-third of the total students at each school.
"As the largest contributor of students and funds to these regional schools, we understand that not participating would have deep ramifications," Chesterfield schools spokesman Shawn Smith said yesterday. "It would put a tremendous burden on other school divisions, one that we realize may not be sustainable in these economic times."
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http://www.wtop.com/?nid=600&sid=1858156The recession is moving to the head of the class
January 7, 2010 - 4:25pm
Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The recession is about to hit your child's classroom in Virginia.
Fairfax School Superintendent Jack Dale has unveiled a $2.3 billion budget proposal for the 2011 school year for the region's largest school district that includes $104 million in cuts.
"This is the worst situation we have ever been in" Dale says. "This is about the quality of life and the quality of school system that the community in Fairfax expects. It's not about the tax rate."
Among the things on the chopping block: 594 jobs, including 81 in the central office, elementary school foreign language programs, summer school and all freshman sports.
Class size would increase by one student per class, all salaries would be frozen for the second consecutive year.
The budget assumes there will be no more cuts in state aide which is far from certain, and that the Fairfax Board of Supervisors will approve a $57 million increase in the county's allocation to schools. If that doesn't happen, Dale says there will be more cuts.
Fairfax is the first northern Virginia school district to lay out a draft budget, and Dale predicts his neighbors will have similar cuts.
The school board will be holding public hearings on the budget. Several of them say parents will have to deal with the economic reality.
Board Member Tessie Wilson says it will be really rough for those facing layoffs like custodians because neighboring districts are also making cuts and there will be fewer places for them to get another job.
Board Member Stu Gibson is hoping for some help from Richmond even though the state's nearly $4 billion budget deficit could mean cuts to public education.
"In the state of Thomas Jefferson, how can public education not be a core service?"
Students in Fairfax could be facing higher fees for sports and college oriented tests like Advanced Placement and PSATs.
School Board Budget Chairman Jane Strauss says the superintendent is on the mark when he talks about quality of life.
"The quality of our schools is what attracts business and employment for our citizens."
The Fairfax County School District is the largest in Virginia. It's projected to have 175,333 students by the 2010-2011 school year, an increase of 1,760 over the current school year.
The board is expected to present its approved plan to the Board of Supervisors by Feb. 4. But a final budget could have to wait until after the General Assembly approves a state budget in March.
This type of scenario could be played out in most area school districts as they prepare for 2011.
(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The recession is about to hit your child's classroom in Virginia.
Fairfax School Superintendent Jack Dale has unveiled a $2.3 billion budget proposal for the 2011 school year for the region's largest school district that includes $104 million in cuts.
"This is the worst situation we have ever been in" Dale says. "This is about the quality of life and the quality of school system that the community in Fairfax expects. It's not about the tax rate."
Among the things on the chopping block: 594 jobs, including 81 in the central office, elementary school foreign language programs, summer school and all freshman sports.
Class size would increase by one student per class, all salaries would be frozen for the second consecutive year.
more...
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