Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Schools cutting transportation

I agree that academics come first, but then I think that any link between the schools and athletic programs should be severed. It seems wrong to me to partially fund school sports, but then charge an additional fee that creates a barrier for some students. It seems like a slippery slope to me and not really in keeping with the spirit of free public education.

*somehow* our county's budget is not too horrific this time around, but long distance express buses to specialty schools are cut, so kids depending on that to get to a language or math focused program are out of luck. Ds has applied to one such program, but we are not depending on the bus, thankfully (I just drive hours a day, woohoo!)

That would basically cover from 12-3pm. The AM Kindergarten is from 9:25-11:55 am. Great deal huh??

I would like to also point out that savings from busing cuts is 0.5% of the total school district budget. So it makes me think they are trying to strong arm the next levy through. 86% is teacher salaries, and they are scheduled to get a raise the next two years per their contract. Average teacher salary in our midwest district is 72k, which I think is fair for a Master's educated teacher, but since so many other industries have placed salary freezes, teachers should not be immune to it. Other proposed cuts: gifted classes.

We will have play to pay in high school and middle school. This year we paid about $25 per activity, and the most expensive (football) would be $125 next year. Cheap compared to dance classes and flute lessons we pay privately.

That seems quite high for a 180 day school year. $25/day per kid assuming a 180-day year (as I'm sure you've already realized). I'd probably want to get a group of 4 bright kids together and pay a skilled mom with older kids (who are in school until 3 and can make it home on their own) to teach them a language or art or an instrument or a sport or do math supplementation. For $500/week tax free you could EASILY find someone quite skilled to work with 4 kindergarteners for 3 hours/day.

Maybe you could organize a coop and not pay anything? Could you get one afternoon off per week to teach something you are really good at? And find 4 other moms willing to do that same? That might be quite rewarding. I mean, $8.33/hour PER CHILD for what's probably playgroup with teacher's aids seems like a bad value.

If they have staff ration of 10:1 they are basically charging over $80.00/hour for each staff member (I'm assuming staffing is the main cost and other expenses are pretty incidental)

Seriously, is my math wrong? This seems like a no-brainer to me.

In my area they are talking about cutting transportation to our Gifted and Talented programs. The programs would still run, but if you wanted your child to go to a center based G/T program, parents would have to arrange transportation. This would be for upper elementary, middle and high school programs.

We will have a board meeting Monday and I think the whole city will be there. Our preschool is rallying to keep the after school program going, which requires transportation. The district published in our local newspaper how they have record enrollment in the all day kindergarten this year. What they did not mention is that kindergarten enrollment overall is down 30%. So working parents found all day kindergarten options elsewhere as well as were forced to pay 4.5k tuition in the public school once the private schools filled up. I am not sure what we will do yet, but a decision has to be made after the meeting I'm sure.