ericadawn16 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ericadawn16) wrote2011-03-05 11:30 pm
ericadawn16) wrote2011-03-05 11:30 pm
Keep an Eye on Your Local School District
This is most important for parents and guardians, but the plain truth is the kids being educated today are going to be the ones treating our medical emergencies, responding to our 911 calls and handling our money tomorrow.
So, how educated do you want that kid to be?
My county's school district had a 44 million dollar deficit, then Rick Scott decided education needed to be cut across the board. Now, it's a 54 million dollar deficit. It's an impossible amount to be reached by a combination of some or all of the below:
Furlough (one day for all employees, two days for year-round employees): $2.1 million
Eliminate paid dental insurance: $900,000
Eliminate middle school athletics: $430,000
Eliminate drivers education program: $430,000
Savings from early retirement incentive: $4 million
Eliminate IB busing: $90,000
Eliminate career academy busing: $700,000
Use instructional materials funds: $1.5 million
Plus, eliminating busing period, eliminating arts, eliminating music, moving to a four day week, firing all administration or eliminating the planning period for teachers.
If you think it can't happen to you, my county is not a failure of over-spending. They spend just 3% on administrative costs. The problem is that my county is POOR and getting poorer. Of the 66,000 students in Pasco county, 2100 students are homeless and around 33,000 are eligible for free or reduced school lunch because the unemployment rate is 14% and the underemployment rate is even worse. The current school system is based on the school district providing the majority of their own money through local taxes and such. When everyone is poor, there is no money to spend and our future is shortchanged. This is something everyone needs to watch and if you can, do something about it.
I hear a lot of people say they don't want to pay for other people's children. I will never understand this. You don't live in a bubble. Those other children WILL grow up! Now, do you want them to grow up to be productive citizens or do you want them to be dependent on others because they can't even read?
So, how educated do you want that kid to be?
My county's school district had a 44 million dollar deficit, then Rick Scott decided education needed to be cut across the board. Now, it's a 54 million dollar deficit. It's an impossible amount to be reached by a combination of some or all of the below:
Furlough (one day for all employees, two days for year-round employees): $2.1 million
Eliminate paid dental insurance: $900,000
Eliminate middle school athletics: $430,000
Eliminate drivers education program: $430,000
Savings from early retirement incentive: $4 million
Eliminate IB busing: $90,000
Eliminate career academy busing: $700,000
Use instructional materials funds: $1.5 million
Plus, eliminating busing period, eliminating arts, eliminating music, moving to a four day week, firing all administration or eliminating the planning period for teachers.
If you think it can't happen to you, my county is not a failure of over-spending. They spend just 3% on administrative costs. The problem is that my county is POOR and getting poorer. Of the 66,000 students in Pasco county, 2100 students are homeless and around 33,000 are eligible for free or reduced school lunch because the unemployment rate is 14% and the underemployment rate is even worse. The current school system is based on the school district providing the majority of their own money through local taxes and such. When everyone is poor, there is no money to spend and our future is shortchanged. This is something everyone needs to watch and if you can, do something about it.
I hear a lot of people say they don't want to pay for other people's children. I will never understand this. You don't live in a bubble. Those other children WILL grow up! Now, do you want them to grow up to be productive citizens or do you want them to be dependent on others because they can't even read?
no subject
I suppose they could up the dollar amount slightly, maybe a couple dollars, but anything more than that, and I would start worrying about bills to pay, etc.
I suck at politics and things like this and I know unemployment is terrible lately, but those working are trying to survive with with the job they were able to get.
It's like a Catch-22, is what I'm trying to get at. They want to help, but are worried it might cause a negative outcome for them in the now.
no subject