Information

[Art_Teacher]

It's the same here in Ohio, Stacie! The state currently funds schools based on their number of students enrolled...something like $5000 per student. Our little school has to accept open enrollment kids because some students leave to go to the Technical Center or to do the Post-Secondary Option (where they go to college and our school has to pay for it!...don't get me started on how stupid a move that was by the government). When those students leave, the money we would get for them does, too, but we still have to teach the subjects, even if the class size gets smaller, so we allow open enrollment to make up the difference. Then, when they cut budgets and cut teachers, we have huge classes! It's the state's fault for the stupid way they fund schools...and it was ruled unconstitutional in court over 13 years ago, but they haven't done anything to fix it!

Schools can't function without teachers - good teachers. Why is it that when money is tight, the first thing to go is teachers? Why not sports? Why not extra curriculars? Why not support staff? Why not cut out extras, if applicable, such as laptops for students, etc.? I know how important extra curriculars and sports are to some students futures, but the main point of the education system is to educate. I just don't get it.

Amen, Laura! The reason the first thing to go is teachers is because the largest part of the budget goes to pay teachers...as it should be, since we are the ones who are educating the students! 50 to 1 is impossible to teach...even a study hall that size is hard to manage. I am so unhappy with the way public education is going in Ohio that the election for governor can't come soon enough. You would not believe some of the moronic decisions about education that have been made with Gov. Strickland and just when I thought it couldn't get worse than Gov. Taft, it did. Believe me, the problems come from the top, and schools are just trying to stay afloat with all the extra testing mandates (which the schools pay for), and all the requirements for graduation that are so far off-base as to what students really need to learn. It is sickening. Personally, I think we need to go back to local control of school districts, because then the communities would actually have a say in what they wanted their district to be like.



I could debate these issues all day, but I gotta go to work!

[sherry]

I live in Southern Ohio, hadn't hearda that about Cleveland schools but it cannot be a step in the right direction. I totally agree- cut other things! Sports, cheerleading, drama club, music-- I totally think those are ALL GOOD THINGS and great to be available for the kids, but hey, parents could pick up part of that cost. If it comes down to 50 kids to a classroom or football, I'd go with cutting football. The point of school is education and they will not be educated in a classroom of 50 kids, that's just crowd control. Teachers put is so much extra time they are unpaid for, I think most give their all.

Having said that, I did homeschool my kids up to grade 6, then they went into private schools and have been there ever since. I count myself very blessed that this option was doable for us. I have nothing against public schools, other than this: TOO MANY KIDS TO A TEACHER. When I had reading class with my 2 daughters, they read a whole book out loud to me. In school, they would've gotten to read a sentence. I sent them to school in grade 6 because I did not feel qualified to teach them the math classes, such as algebra & pre-calc etc., and I am NOT qualified. Or I would've homeschooled them all the way through. We took it serious, we turned our basement into a classroom and had school til 2pm or so everyday. It was a wonderful time with them.


I give teachers respect and wish more could be done. Our school district also is belly-aching, but they have the money for signs to post in everyone's yards about their kid being a graduate that year, or their kid being on the football team- come on, give me a break! Cut out the extra stuff and pay the teachers and hire more!

[Art_Teacher]

Problem is, in a large district like Cleveland, cutting sports wouldn't save enough money, because it isn't a large enough part of the budget. In my little school, cutting sports or extracurriculars would be a significant savings, but in a big school, you still only have one football team, one basketball team, etc. so the amount of money saved doesn't add up to enough to make up a large deficit. Plus, in Ohio, with most districts having open enrollment, kids will leave to go elsewhere to get their sports, and you will end up losing as much as you save. For example, our district crunched the numbers. By eliminating sports, they would save 100, 000 dollars. If 20 kids left to go somewhere else open enrollment, at $5,000 per student from the state, it would negate all the savings....I tell you, the state and federal governments have caused most of the problems!

[ajkulig]

They accept the out of district kids for the money it pulls in. Admittedly, because our school is large they are able to offer a lot of classes that smaller schools cannot. They have not only French and Spanish as foreign languages, but German and Latin. They have a wide variety of literature classes, put on amazing plays every fall and wonderful musicals each spring. But I would gladly give up some of those things to have smaller classrooms, and a school where my daughter has room and TIME to eat her lunch. They have now capped the open enrollment in the high school to existing students only, but the elementary and middle school levels are still open. THere are almost 1900 students in our high school!

What money? Do the kids have to pay to attend an out of district school there?

I don't know the answer for sure, but in Nebraska your state aid is based on the students you have enrolled and not based on tax rolls.


On a side note - our district is begging for students - want to move to Nebraska??

My oldest has 14 in her class and my youngest has the largest class in over 20 years at 24. Her class has a full time aide.

I already lived in Nebraska, I have a friend who teaches pre-k and she hates it lol

[AmyTeets]

I'm actually really glad I went to school in NE. We really do have great school systems there Our district here in MO is looking at a million $ deficit next year.