Obviously, things have not improved with the budget. In fact, the issue seems to be how much we are going to be reduced in the existing environment – with the only “promise” being something in November? If you run the math on November it is
long after anybody can do much for 2011-12 – and there are questions that if it were to survive a November election – how long would it take to actually get the money? To give you a quick idea of the negatives here they go (our comparable base is $5,200 per student):
- An “as is” budget with “no cuts” …we lose $19 per student and have increased operational costs (e.g., salary schedules, utilities, etc.)
- Prop 98 loss …-$350 per student (which also includes the -$19 above) …based on natural drop with no tax extension …this is the existing law
- A Democratic proposal to make all this work …for a total of -$835 per student (with all the above included)
- The LAO (Legislative Analyst Office) projection to right-size the budget …$760 per student …in addition to the $350 per student based on the Prop 98 drop …for a total of -$1,100 per student
To try and translate this back into
a reduced school year …as we have tried about all the other alternatives we can think up, it might look something like this. When I went to the calendar on our website, I find our projected start date for students is Monday,
August 29th. To accommodate at an $835 hit, theoretically the start of school should be moved back to
Friday, October 7th. To further move the date back to accommodate an $1,100 hit we would need to start on
Thursday, October 20th in time for the approaching Halloween weekend. I wonder if this will impact the learning of our students and the long-term economy and productivity of our state?
To his credit,
Senator Bill Emmerson, one of our local Senators will be in town along with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI),
Tom Torlakson, to provide an insider’s view of what is going on in Sacramento and why we don’t have a budget. Senator Emmerson has attempted to bridge the partisan divide and be a
statesman in this issue, but for whatever reason it hasn’t appeared to work. He along with the SPI will be at RCC today.
Welcome!
Reading this makes me sick! Not because I'm a teacher and the lose of pay, but for my students and my daughter who is suppose to start Kinder. I am going to have to rethink where I am going to educate her. It is not fair to her and my students to be handed this disadvantage!
ReplyDeleteIf this is the case, why not offer a golden handshake to those employees who are nearing retirement and receiving the highest salaries?
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to cut from the budget and protect teachers and salaries including a golden handshake offer. We could realistically cut from several top jobs, let teachers work in the classroom for two years without taking additional classes, teachers willing to collaborate on their own time and help each other, and stop paying retired RUSD employees on stipends to continue as consultants. Please, of all waste, this has to be at the top.
ReplyDeleteMickey
I understand that it is tempting to start vying for position in difficult times, such as the above comments illustrate regarding eliminating higher-salaried teachers, however this is not the way to weather this crisis. Besides, experienced teachers are who we need in difficult times, as they have the experience and long-standing proven skills in teaching and leadership needed in times like these. They have EARNED the right to continue giving their matured expertise on several levels. They deserve our respect. Less experienced teachers may wish to consider that one day, in the perhaps not-so-distant future, they may also be in the position of less-experienced teachers wanting their jobs! What goes around... Perhaps you can think of a better solution like "furlough" days to benefit everyone...
ReplyDeleteAre the expectations going to change along with all the other changes? It seems that education keeps getting less money and less staffing which is understandable with the state budget where it is, however the expectations do not change. You really can't get blood out of a turnip.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable and sickening. I have no other words to describe what is going on.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if our congressmen, senators and legislators (who make too much money for not accomplishing much) were paid a teachers salary they would be more sincere in their efforts to cut the excess spending and see the importance of educating our future leaders. Has the budget for their salaries been reduced and included furlough days?
ReplyDeleteJust keep making it real to those it will affect, like Dr. Miller does. Scenarios like shorter school year gets attention. Until parents feel the burden of watching their kids longer than a normal summer AND getting them back earlier than before will make then mad. Until parents are mad, we as teachers and all others in education will keep taking pay cuts and doing more work, accepting less quality work from other areas that were cut, all with a smile when we see a parent. They come into the office and are greeted and helped with no trouble or idea. They do not know the person helping them got their retirement cut, are working less hours and days and still doing the same amount of work. Parents do not actually feel the pain we feel. Until they know how it FEELS when schools lose money, they will not care. We need to threaten to cut every: sport,bus,and school days so they can see that we no longer have the ability to cut things on our end. They have no need to feel sympathy for us when we still keep doing our job as though it is business as usual-WHEN IT IS NOT.
ReplyDelete