Neighborhood schools, year-round schools and reassignment took up a good chunk of the discussion at Monday's forum in Cary.
As noted in today's article, critics pressed the two speakers for their positions on the contentious issues in the district. They were willing to oblige, but with some trepidation.
Amy Holcombe, executive director for talent development for Guiford County Schools, told the crowd that her palms were sweating as she was about to give her "politically incorrect answer."
"You can either put your money into buses, transportation and fuel," Holcombe said. "Or you can put your money into your people. We chose to put the money into our people so our children could go to their neighborhood school."
Holcombe hailed the benefits of Mission Possible, a Guilford program in which teachers can get $15,000 a year in extra pay and bonsues to work at 30 high-poverty schools. Like Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Guilford has largely gone to neighborhood schools and decided to invest more money into high-poverty schools.
Holcombe said the students at the Mission Possible schools now have higher Algebra I end-of-course test scores than district schools not in the program.
She also credited Mission Possible with reducing teacher turnover and allowing those schools to have certified teachers. Before, she said some schools didn't have any certified teachers in positions such as math and would go a whole year with subs teaching classes.
Holcombe said the program has been so successful that they've recruited teachers from Wake.
"Are you going to let us steal your teachers or are you going to start something similar to promote student success?" Holcombe said.
School board member Lori Millberg challenged Holcombe head on, saying Wake's policies have prevented schools from having poverty levels that are so high that teachers don't want to work in some schools. She said the challenge for Wake would be to find the additional money to start a similar program.
"It’s not spending the same money differently," Millberg said. "It’s spending more money.”
Holcombe also drew applause for her support of neighborhood schools.
"I believe so strongly in neighborhood schools and building up community," Holcombe said. "I'll get emotional about it. I’ve worked in schools that are so overwhelmingly affected by poverty.
If my parents couldn’t walk to school and be a part of their children’s lives it would have been a very difficult educational experience for those students. I believe the school and community must be one for children to learn to their potential.”
Similar views were echoed by the other guest speaker, Elanine McEwan, author of "Ten Traits of Highly Successful Schools."
"If you’re looking at riding on the bus, I just have a real personal preference for a kid to be in the school in the same mengiborhood where their parents can get to them quickly.” McEwan said.
After the meeting, Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the board, and board member Patti Head said Holcombe and McEwan were talking from their personal opinions and not with any research.
Head said that if people want to debate neighborhood schools then both sides should bring in their experts with research to back up their positions.
UPDATE
Based on the comments, I figured I'd throw in some more info on Mission Possible. Click here for a link on the district web site.
During the presentation, Holcombe said that 42 percent of the budget was from federal dollars, 42 percent from local and 16 percent from private foundations. She said they got the local dollars by reallocating money they already have.
A big question is whether they can keep up the program during this recession. Holcombe said they're applying for new federal grants to keep it running. While she expects to get the money, she said that if necesssary the school board might reallocate additional local money to make up the shortfall, such as reducing the salary supplements for some teachers to give it to other teachers. That might get opposition.
Comments
Thanks klanders65 - it does
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 21:36 — momiamThanks klanders65 - it does indeed seem very murky. It was my understanding that there are no title 1 children- just title 1 schools and that the fuding is for the school and not the child. I did not think the funds would follow the child. Has that changed recently?
From WRAL "Nancy's Blog"
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 22:21 — momiamFrom WRAL "Nancy's Blog" 5-13-2009:
"More than $31 million in federal stimulus money is expected to help boost services for Wake County’s low-income, preschool and special education students and save some jobs that could be lost from state and local budget cuts.
Administrators told board members today they plan to use the money to hire math coaches at high-poverty schools and to expand pre-kindergarten classes.
They will also use the money in the special education program for items such as new technology and instructional materials and additional teacher assistants.
Administrators estimate the stimulus money will save or create at least 97 jobs.
"The exciting thing is that we’re seeing some of the stimulus money come to Wake County," said school board member Beverley Clark. "We plan to spend the money. It will save some of the jobs in Wake County and expand services."
The stimulus package proposed by President Barack Obama and approved by Congress this year includes a sizable amount of money for education. But much of the money can only be used for specific areas, specifically high-poverty schools and special education services.
A big chunk of the stimulus money, $16.5 million, will go to schools in Wake’s Title I program. Title I is a federal program designed to provide additional resources for schools with large numbers of students receiving federally subsidized lunches.
Wake’s Title I schools will hire a match coach— a teacher to help the other teachers. The school district is using a new math textbook and curriculum this upcoming school year....."
This is SOOO wrong! There has got to be a lawsuit in this. The low performing children are being shipped away from the title 1 schools and can't use the services the feds are funding! Then the teachers at the non-title 1 schools are expected to deal with the underperforming children on top of the overly large class sizes without any math coaches etc.
The title 1 money should go with each underperforming child (so many $ per child) NOT with the entire school. What a scam. Either NO BUSSING and give it to the school or bussing and have the money go with the child.
Legally money cannot follow the child...But Wow !
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 22:52 — Voice_of_Reason_It is one of the biggest problems of NCLB and it is made worse by the "economic diversity" policy of WCPSS.
That's part of the reason why busing is voluntary if the Title I school is failing. Busing is designed to help the school system look better, not students....Read their lips...It's about "healthy" schools.
So for from what I read, it sounds like Title I teachers cannot do math and need help. I guess that all non-Title I teachers must be smarter. Wow! Now we will have an ability gap among teachers.
the gap
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 18:41 — klanders65A lot of elementary school teachers can't do math. In the past (and present to a large extent) the Title 1 funds have been spent on very remedial curriculum then Title 1 teachers whose specialty is working with really low kids are hired. It is the wrong skill set for teaching challenging stuff, like real math.
There is something new about how Title 1 funds can be spent now. It used to be they could only be spent on low income kids, unless the school was "school-wide Title 1." The "school-wide Title 1" schools could use their funds for any kid in the school. In other schools, Title 1 funds could be used for low income kids only. It is different now. No one can legally know who the low income kids are. That is kind of new, I think. Now, what I've heard about Title 1 doesn't make sense to me and everyone I ask seems confused also. Now I'm told the funds can be used only for kids who are below grade level, and they don't have to be poor. Also, before you could only spend the funds on remedial stuff. Now, you can spend them on whatever the poor kids need. That doesn't make sense because you aren't supposed to serve poor kids now, you're supposed to serve below grade level kids now. Title 1 never makes sense. It sure is a lot of money, though.
...
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 18:14 — Voice_of_Reason_..
Good analysis .. so they are
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 18:17 — user1234Good analysis .. so they are playing the "game" as written but not as intended ... my point was could we unhook WCPSS from the federal system, increase taxes to compensate, budget neutral and do what is best for individual kids. The feds can only take away their $700/student right? They have not power over local schools beyond withholding funding right?
Title 1 changes
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 18:47 — klanders65I think Title 1 laws about how you can use the funds are changed this year. I think you can use them for what you need instead of for buying remedial stuff for poor kids. From what I am told (and I ask, and keep asking until someone can make sense but I'm not there yet), I think the funds are given out 2 ways: 1. some large percent of F&R kids in the school, then the school is a Title 1 school and gets a chunk of funds that they can use on anything for the school as a whole. There are no rules about who can benefit. 2. Other elem schools get funds for the number of F&R kids. Now, they can use those funds to benefit any kid who is below grade level. It used to be they could use those funds to benefit any F&R kid. Two things have changed. No one can legally know who the F&R kids are, so they can't say you can only use the funds for them. And, now for some reason even though they say to spend the funds on kids who are below grade, now they say you can buy whatever they need whether it is enrichment for bright kids or remedial.
I think it is important to find out what the Title 1 fund use rules are. Someone must know.
"No Power"
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 08:50 — Bob_SconceIn theory, you are absolutely correct -- the idea behind NCLB is, basically, "do this or we take the money away." Constitutionally, Congress generally can't just take control of the apparatus of state government and force states to do things. Their control is basically through bribery.
That said, the federal government is constantly trying to expand its reach. The latest example is the hijacking of the Chrysler bankruptcy by the Obama administration. ("We know that the bankruptcy laws say that group A gets paid before group B. But, we're the government. And we want group B to get paid before group A. And, if you don't go along with that, you will regret it.") If states start shaking off the shakles of federal education money, the feds will certainly try to find more direct control.
Why not take the federal money?
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 20:55 — Voice_of_Reason_I like the way it holds WCPSS's feet to the fire (in theory). That was the whole idea behind NCLB. WCPSS's response....CHEAT! What a message for our children.
Why -
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 22:04 — Falcbecause they don't want "their feet held to the fire." They do not want Title I schools.
AGREE- it is not about
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 13:54 — momiamAGREE- it is not about "diversity" really. It is about getting and keeping title 1 funds. It is NOT about helping the low performing students. Nodes are scrutinized and students are bused out of low performing schools to the extent that the school can receive title 1 funds- but not lose the funds because it is performing too low. The students that are bused out lose the ability to benefit from the title 1 support that the school close to their home receives. They are just plunked down into a school where many of the students greatly outperform them. They sit on a bus for long periods of time that could be spent more productively just to be shipped to a school where they perform just as badly (as shown by the scores). Additionally, they aren't able to participate in extracurricular after school activities/ sports since they live so far away and need to be on the bus. The children that live near the school go home and hang out together or participate in extracurricular activites near their homw or at school together. Then they say they are doing it for "diversity" ( a word with more magic than the words- we want more money but can't help your children) so that the parents will agree to all this craziness and maybe they won't notice that their children are doing just as poorly in the new location. Hey- their "school" is not failing after all. There is a significant amount of federal money at stake here and the purpose is to use the money so that the students who need the help can get it (I'd think without all the time consuming travel that prevents school participation). It's not intended to be a shell game.
title 1 funds
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 18:54 — klanders65Title 1 funds do go with the kid when he is bused out. There are Title 1 funds associated with every poor kid and go where the kid goes. When there are some threshold of poor kids, the whole school is declared Title 1 and they get a huge chunk of funds.
Title 1 has been the enemy. Because it is so much money and in the past could only be spent on remedial resources for poor kids, the schools filled up with remedial resources and remedial teachers, etc. Those things are all in place in the Title 1 schools whether they are needed or not.
I think that now Title 1 funds can be used for what ever resources the schools need, but I dont' think anyone knows that. It has been like a huge monster and from what I can tell people don't know it is changing.
Title 1 funds do not follow
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 22:51 — momiamTitle 1 funds do not follow the child who transfers to a different school. The funds stay with the title 1 school and the schools with bussed children just deal or not (please pipe up if anyone knows if this has recently changed):
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/pas/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=96764
http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.9123e83a1f6786440ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=547e5aa265b32010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/NCLB/pdfs/FAQchoiceML.pdf
http://www.sbac.edu/~seccurr/title1/titlI.htm
etc...
hmm .. so how much would it
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 15:16 — user1234hmm .. so how much would it take in taxes to replace the Title I funding so there would be no reason to depend on that money?
What does it matter if the
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 15:36 — loriacWhat does it matter if the Title 1 funding is just being used to bus the kids around? Facetious question, but yours made me laugh.... gotta keep that funding, even though it's not helping anyone!
Under the NCLB Act the rules are:
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 11:41 — Voice_of_Reason_20% (I think this is the max) of the total money for the district is on holdback to pay for voluntary busing AND tutoring for those schools that are failing the AYP criterea. I believe it would be a big stretch to use it on the economic diversity policy busing. First, those schools would have to be failing and second the choice MUST be voluntary.
VOR ... Are you are saying
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 12:51 — user1234VOR ... Are you are saying a quest for Title I funds is NOT driving diversity? That the BOE is not stirring the pot to make schools Title I but not failng giving them the maximum funds by riding the "edge"?
I always thought that course of action was too complicated for the BOE be involved in.
Not Exactly
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 18:13 — Voice_of_Reason_What WCPSS does is target low performing nodes that are in the base area of Title I schools for mandatory busing. This gives them breathing room in Title I schools to avoid having to use their hold-back money for voluntary busing or tutoring. That is, in theory, to keep the schools "healthy". So these children get bused to non-Title I schools and lose the benefits of Title I programs and protections. In addition, they have a demonstrated drag on the performance of the schools they were bused into. As long as those school don't go into Title I status by increasing the F&R% too much, WCPSS could care less if those schools fail AYP because they carry no penalty from the NCLB Act. Just look at Wakefield ES for proof. BL- Move the problem and avoid penalties. You may agree with this user1234 on a cost saving basis. But is this in the interest of the children bused? Is this what the NCLB Act intended? Is WCPSS really attacking the problem? ... I think the results speak for themselves. IMHO, I think it is sick and the ones doing this should be ashamed.
title 1benefits
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 19:03 — klanders65The title 1 programs usually don't benefit children. They pull kids who do not need remedial services from core instruction. This creates poor performance. It is good to get the kids away from it. It is a huge monster that started in the 60s when they thought poor kids need remedial services. Kids who are at the top level, but poor get pulled out to get remedial services so that the schools can use the money. It pays for salaries, programs, etc. Horrible programs are sold to schools--remedial programs. The tutoring is expensive and terrible, for not making AYP. All the poor kids get tutored with remedial work, at huge expense. It is low quality bad tutoring. People are making a fortune off of it.
I love to see kids escape from the title 1 monster.
Not all poor kids need special services. Lots of poor kids are fine. What makes them disproportionately low achieving is being pulled out of core instruction for the remedial Title 1 services.
Don't think poor kids need remedial services. They need the same challenging quality instruction as other kids. They have to get away from title 1 services to get that.
who really benefits?
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 21:57 — loriacI agree this is sick... but who benefits from this? Is someone getting a big bonus because we are getting 'free' federal dollars that we don't have to answer for? Why are the idealogues who profess to care so much about children playing this shell game? There's something else here.... still can't figure it out.
I don't agree
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 07:53 — Voice_of_Reason_Sure the less, the better since the money is the same 1 or 100 Title I schools. The use of that money for bonuses keep the teachers happy (even though I don't think that's what that money was for).
As long as they can play and win the smoke and mirrors game by busing the "bad apple" nodes out, I don't see WCPSS recommending any policy changes. Of course this year we have a least one Title I school having to offer tax payer funded PRIVATE tutoring services out of Title I money because of poor performance penalties. And those penalties can get worse, to include a mandatory management change outside of the WCPSS bureaucracy.
The something else is easy
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 07:25 — Voice_of_Reason_It's the Magnet Program -
The county and federal expensive subsidized program that primarily benefits the non-Low Income ITB crowd. They want to perserve this at all costs, never mind the drain from everyone else's resources. It keep the power broker's in Raleigh happy, real estate value high, and give WCPSS something to crow about. Don't worry if you don't benefit, you help by paying taxes to subsidize wealthier children's "private" schools. Yes I know, there are exceptions to give the program a bit of cover.
The sad thing is if we would pull the rug out from under it, children's education would be hurt. Never mind the majority's children are already hurt and most don't know it.
It's all about money, influence, and power; not about helping low income kids break the circle of poverty.
"It's all about money,
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 07:49 — user1234"It's all about money, influence, and power; "
And that is a surprise?
Higher ideals
Fri, 05/15/2009 - 00:44 — SDR256Look at Chuck Dulaney's career. Then hear him say it is for higher ideals. He is in total control of the reassignment implementation (as long as the BoE are his puppets). When he explains the reasoning its so confusing it sounds like 1984 doublespeak. He says nothing about children or their welfare or their education. Dunno. My instincts say that Chuck's political aspirations have a lot to do with where we are.
You are not paying
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 17:33 — user1234You are not paying attention are you?
If the "game" to funds schools involves getting the right mix than those are federal rules ...
Now if those funds pay 20%?? teacher salaries WCPSS could forgo the money if it could be replaced .. if not, the teachers would need to go ...
Then we are in deeper than I
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 10:42 — loriacThen we are in deeper than I thought - using state funds to bus kids all over the place, gaming the system to get Title I funding that's not used for its correct purpose, but rather for operational expenses. Not having enough money otherwise, even with the lottery - what a game. Where's our education CEO's position on all these shenanigans?
always wondered
Sat, 05/16/2009 - 19:08 — klanders65I've always wondered... remember when the transportation dept had that little problem with funds being misappropriated? One way to hide the fact that you are stealing millions would be to make things so confusing and messed up that no one can tell what is going on. And, you'd have to make decisions based on part on how best to hide what you are doing. Has anyone looked to make sure that some of the busing stuff and transportation issues are not carry-overs from that mess?
We wouldn't have a country
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 16:26 — shearertwWe wouldn't have a country at all. Can you say Germamerica? or perhaps West Great Britain?
United
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 23:24 — SDR256United we stand, divided we fall.
I guess that may be a good reminder - YA'LL!
So, come to one of our WSCA chapter coffees so we can talk about it, yeah?
user1234--Nobody is
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 16:10 — jenmanuser1234--Nobody is suggesting 'slash and burn'. We are not interested in blowing up the entire school system and starting over. You yourself have admitted that there are problems that need to be corrected. Magnets that are not in low income areas, some of the busing distances are too far, etc. How do you propose that these things get fixed?
Parents have been asking, begging, pleading for YEARS to the BOE and to WCPSS to fix things. They are very reluctant to do so. We are absolutely doing the right thing in finding school board candidates who are interested in improving WCPSS. I am fully aware that my kids won't benefit from many of the changes that will happen. But good grief, if nobody fought for what they thought was right even if it wouldn't bring personal gain, our country would be in sad shape.
Jenman
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 17:19 — user1234I agree and think reasonable people can figure these things out. Before we talk about magnets and low income the first thing that needs to be established are the goals.
For me, I want to see an above average education offered at all schools. I live in a mixed income area and my kids get slighted by the lack of advanced courses normally offered at the “good” schools and I resent that. And the way it is done is so benign. Since our school has a higher F&R base, we have less “interest” so the advanced courses are not offered. I don’t believe you should have to live in an expensive neighborhood to get your kids a good education and have advanced classes. If you are going to stick me with all the F&Rs than I want my kid to have her advanced classes even if she is the only one in the class. And no I don't want an express bus to a "good" school to compensate.
Second, do we care about F&Rs who can not pass the EOC/EOGs. Pretty much across the state it looks like only 30% of the F&Rs pass so no one has the magic bullet. Let do something or forget about them and move them directly to jail. KIPP or one of those other programs seems like a good candidate. I don’t understand what is stopping the BOE from doing a few of these innovative programs but I would not be surprised to discover is had to do with some messed up state or federal law that prohibits moving funds. I am guessing funding will dry up once things get tough anyway.
Third, is calendar …. I could care less … it is all about education for me... so I don’t care how long my summer is … sorry... I think all the moaning about snow days and Saturday school, etc. shows people’s lack of commitment to education …
Fourth magnets... I thought magnets were to promote special education to a few and fill up under utilized schools by getting parents to provide their own transportation to places they normally would not travel … if magnets have gotten screwed up, I am sorry … maybe they are trying to accomplish too much with them … I am very proud of schools like Enloe which took some of the best students we know and challenged them in their area of interest …
Fifth … growth … I resent that developers pop in houses and our kids get push back and forth as new school open for these new developments. I resent that funds go to build new schools while older schools wait on renovations. I say, go to the back of the line …. If we can not deal with the developers than we should accept the higher cost of filling a school “naturally” over time (e.g. HS – start with only 9th grade).
Sixth … Vocational training … I want a VOC magnet … I think having an auto repair elective in all the school to give college bound kids a chance to fill out some time don’t prepare true VE kids for employment. I want to see kids who don’t want to / can not afford to go to college be fully employable in a craft (plumber, electrician, construction, accounting, medical records, auto repair, etc.) the day after they graduate with all the certificates they need day one.
Finally, I don’t think people “own” a school by virtue that they were able to abut their property next to the school. Since there should be little difference between schools that all employ state employees to teach, and use the same book and curricula people should be indifferent between attending any nearby school. When you have a situation where like at Lacy where people perceive such a vast difference to another school 2 miles away something is wrong.
Welcome user1234
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 23:16 — SDR256Welcome to WSCA. I think you're coming around through the backdoor, but I think you're saying things that could be incorporated into what some of our members have said. This is what this movement is about - - what do we agree on
Above average education for all students.
Creative solutions for children who are challenged (like KIPP - WSCA was the first to say it)
Calendar - let's talk about it.
Magnets - let's talk about it.
Growth - needs some analysis. Certainly schools need to have some factor on the radar of development plans. Until now they have been separate.
Special services - one size does not fit all. Yes!
No applications based on community - true. Anyone who wants to move into that neighborhood should definitely have the opportunity to move into that neighborhood. We should be able to discuss as parents WITH the BoE what solutions will go forward. This is all WSCA wants.
A BoE which will listen and find a BALANCE TO THE SOLUTION.
not a one dimensional solution - like busing.
Hopefully, ideally, a many faceted solution like: high academics, diversity, stability and efficiency. How about that for a vision?
I am listening .. but my
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 08:19 — user1234I am listening .. but my interests are not the same as many here who just want to go to their neighborhood school on a traditional calendar. Since I use to live in a "golden node" I know the disparity between the schools first hand and want it corrected. People with older schools want them to be a priority too. Those are some of the "big tent" issues WCSA will need to consider to draw more voters.
Strongly disagree
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 21:48 — SDR256There are many in WSCA who are on year round and like it. The issue is choice. Darryl Allison from the Parents for Educational Freedom wrote an article recently for the Winston Salem Journal about how school choice can be a tool for social justice. Choice is advantageous for everyone. Second, don't look down your nose at neighborhood schools until you look and see what Geoffrey Canada has done in Harlem fully exploiting the neighborhood school characteristics which are the ones that seem attractive to WSCA: promotion of community; family connections; strong social networks. Notice that the article written about him in the NYT was "It takes a 'hood"
KIPP are also neighborhood schools. It is the characteristics stated above and the stability that we believe can benefit all children and ESPECIALLY at-risk children. Certainly busing has not done anything. Reassignment hasn't done anything. Oh, sorry, it has taught a lot of failure and disconnectedness to a whole generation of children.
These positive neighborhood/community school characteristics, in the end, may be achieved through a cluster model, a community model, a neighborhood model - WHATEVER you want to call it. The point is that WSCA wants BoE members who won't be afraid to explore what the neighborhood/community model can offer ALL students just because a few of you have closed minds the minute you hear the term.
Can we just get over ourselves here and stop labelling? I'm not in WSCA for my own children. We already have that solved for ourselves. I'm in WSCA for the future education of my community's children!
And the least supported are the ones who are getting the shortest end of the stick with this busing model, no matter how much lipstick you put on that pig.
I am also in WSCA because I
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 23:09 — CaryCurmudgeonI am also in WSCA because I believe our schools are failing many children in Wake County. My kids will be done in wcpss in two years, and there is nothing a new board will do to help my family. So all of your "you don't want F&R kids in your schools" statements you make are ill-informed and inaccurate.
It may be hard for you to believe that people would make the sacrifices to work on a cause like this without personal gain, but that is the case here. You should have more faith in your fellow man (or woman), not everyone is as selfish as you think they are.
Traditional vs YR
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 11:12 — MissVWith the parents I've talked with, I think the matter is more about being allowed to have all of their children on the same schedule. And an honest appeals process.
MissV ... also I think the
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 15:12 — user1234MissV ... also I think the VYR vs. MYR comes down to daycare too ... appears many people are strapped and can better afford child care in the summer.
$$
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:35 — RiversideRealistOf course it's about money. Title 1 schools get federal funds that non-title one schools don't get. I suspect WCPSS "creates" as many Title 1 schools as it can to get federal monies, and then "shuffles the deck" so as to not have to USE that money as instructed by NCLB for T1 schools that fail 2 years in a row. If you shuffle the kids around, you move the "failures" and can keep the money without having to spend it the way the feds ASSUME you'll spend it.
(I am not arguing the MERITS (or lack thereof) of NCLB... just pointing out the game being played for federal $$).
I'm thinking it's more than
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:42 — loriacI'm thinking it's more than just federal funds to schools.... who personally benefits and is greasing palms to keep these folks elected.
*Ms Greasy Palms* herself
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:22 — Big_Picture*Ms Greasy Palms* herself will lose the power to inflict pain and suffering on District 7 in 5 short months. Where will her 5 supporters find themselves then? Alone and powerless again. Anyone claiming to support the current BoE's course of action needs a dose of truth serum and a kick into reality.
Big … this how this is
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:37 — user1234Big … this how this is going to play out … family friendly will come to power … they will discover the same problems that have been there for 20 years … they may let some vocal and connected people have a neighborhood school which will make that myopic group go back underground …. they will keep saying we are new guys but be defending the status quo and struggling with funding and keeping teachers … OTB and ITB will duke it out for resources … newbies will discover the state runs things and they only get the complaints … they will get screwed by the mayors who will approve development with no schools causing spot overcrowding …..the apathetic public won’t cough up anymore money because of the hatchet job done on the public schools which will linger for years … schools will continue to be over crowded, kids will continue to live in trailers and most will score poorly … everyone will blame the “newbie” for promising the moon but leaving the system in the same condition they found it …. They will be booted out after one term...
No, THIS is how it's going to go!
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:39 — g88ky073 out of 4, if not all 4, candidates are going to be replaced in October. Candidates like D. Prickett are going to be elected and are going to look at the mess people like Patti and Lori have left behind and will immediately move forward to right the wrongs! FYR will be removed from MOST schools, MASS reassignments will end, teachers will be asked what THEY want and need, parents will be given more then 3 minutes to remove the knives from their backs and too will be asked what do YOU need. Ron will be elected to sit in the throne and oversee the rebuilding of an education system that once was. Developers, realtors, WEP supporters and the Stan Norwalk's will all be told to take a hike and keep walking! Children will be able to discontinue therapy from having their lives disrupted over & over & over and teachers will once again line up to get into a Wake County school. THEN they will come ask us for bond support. It will be at that time that WE, the voters/parents, will decide if this has been handled properly. If it has, they MIGHT get one passed by a narrow margin. If it has not it will be defeated by an 84% vote against!
Wow
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 16:05 — supportwcpssCome back to the real world. You sound like Obama before he got elected. We'll see how that goes.
And won't we all enjoy the 100% tax increase to realize your fairy tale.
Enjoy what you like
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 18:03 — g88ky07but trust me, NO ONE will enjoy seeing your twins Patti and Lori get hit by the door on their way out MORE than I!
What is sad is that your
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:19 — user1234What is sad is that your kids will never get what you want in their time remaining time in public school ... some have said they understand that and are fighting for the next generation.... good for you ... these problems are so big and complex that "slash and burn" will only reset things and we start over and over ... for such smart people I am always surprised how naive you are ... that a few low paid board members can solve world hunger...
It will take time for much
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:56 — shearertwIt will take time for much damage has been done. That's no reason to NOT make the change ASAP. The improvements to our communities, families and children's stability will come first and the improvements in educational quality will follow. BOE members cannot solve these problems, only prevent communities from solving them. Once we have a BOE that supports families and communities, the problems will begin to solve themselves.
Well, the fact is, those
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:36 — designmanWell, the fact is, those low paid board members are in a position to enact positive change and they are not doing ther jobs. They are not even earning their paltry salaries. It is naive of you to think we should not expect some measure of performance from them.
Frankly, the solutions do not take great genius to identify and implement. It just takes people with the guts to lead and take action.
...
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:22 — SideburnsHey Mudge,
Will you accept World Hunger or are you dead-set on Armageddon?
Tarot cards... palm reading... and now, WCPSS!
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:02 — Dadof3Do you do phrenology, too? It's remarkable how clairvoyant some contributors are here.
you left out the part about
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:59 — CaryCurmudgeonyou left out the part about armageddon and nuclear winter.