Education budget cuts

[torinsmom]

I don't know if its the same in other states, but in NC, it seems like anytime there are budget problems, they start cutting education funding. It's like....yeah, we want our schools to be great and achievement to go up, but we need to take all assistants out of the classrooms, cut your technology budget, cut your supply budget, and yada, yada, yada. They cut billions last year and now on top of that, they want to cut more this year. And we wonder why the US is so far from the top of the best educational systems in the world. And yeah, that EDUCATION lottery did a heck of a lot of good, when all you do is cut funding that used to go to education and replace it with the lottery money.

Now I am hearing that our great state is considering taking away incentives to get a Master's degree and National Board certification. This is a state where we have not had any type of pay raise in three years, during which time we also had a furlough forced on us. Teacher pay starts at $32,000/year and even a teacher with 30 years experience makes less than $50,000 unless they have advanced degrees. No unions here folks.

I just finished my Master's in December on $8400 of my own dime and I am working on National Boards right now. I am going to be so mad if they take these incentives away! What I have heard is that even teachers who already have these degrees/certification will have them yanked away from their salary. I think its a shame they want us to do so much with so little

 

[Carly_Roach]

I don't know if its the same in other states, but in NC, it seems like anytime there are budget problems, they start cutting education funding. It's like....yeah, we want our schools to be great and achievement to go up, but we need to take all assistants out of the classrooms, cut your technology budget, cut your supply budget, and yada, yada, yada. They cut billions last year and now on top of that, they want to cut more this year. And we wonder why the US is so far from the top of the best educational systems in the world. And yeah, that EDUCATION lottery did a heck of a lot of good, when all you do is cut funding that used to go to education and replace it with the lottery money.

Now I am hearing that our great state is considering taking away incentives to get a Master's degree and National Board certification. This is a state where we have not had any type of pay raise in three years, during which time we also had a furlough forced on us. Teacher pay starts at $32,000/year and even a teacher with 30 years experience makes less than $50,000 unless they have advanced degrees. No unions here folks.

I just finished my Master's in December on $8400 of my own dime and I am working on National Boards right now. I am going to be so mad if they take these incentives away! What I have heard is that even teachers who already have these degrees/certification will have them yanked away from their salary. I think its a shame they want us to do so much with so little

Welcome to the new day dawning. With so little money coming in from taxes, and more tax cuts coming down the pike, it's going to come down to a choice: Police Department or education? Fire Department or education? Infrastructure or education?

Everything else has been slashed about as deep as possible. The last thing left on the table that's going to have to be carved up are those big, juicy education dollars. State governments are finally having to make the choices individuals have been having to make for over 10 years now: short term needs (food, rent, gas to get to work) or long term needs (health insurance, retirement). We as a country are going to have to pick one and live with the consequences.

Unless and until we can get the middle class back on its feet and back on a paying basis, these are the choices we have, people. Minimum wage and/or service level jobs paying less than $46K per year for the majority of our citizens simply aren't going to bring in the tax revenue required to have everyone's needs and/or desires covered.

Yeah, it sucks. But this is where we are now.

 

[prncess674]

Hope you didn't vote Republican, because these are the ones who want to SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! You want the deficts to come down, well this is where they are slashing! What did you want them to cut?

 

[graciejane]

That stinks! My BIL and SIL are teachers in NC. SIL went back to school for her Masters and Certificate because it would be a boost to their income.

 

[DawnM]

This is one reason I stopped working in NC....almost wasn't worth my bother. I worked in CA for 17 years and then moved here.....pay was less than half, and I can tell you, only housing is cheaper.....cars cost the same, retail costs the same, food was even a bit MORE, daycare was the same cost, and in CA I got full health coverage for the entire family as part of my benefits (NO cost to me OOP!)

NC is not the place to work if you are in education.

I was near the top of the salary scale too.....they gave me 15 years' experience and my MA. I did not have National Boards as they weren't available in my field until recently so I never got them.

Dawn

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Hope you didn't vote Republican, because these are the ones who want to SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! You want the deficts to come down, well this is where they are slashing! What did you want them to cut?

Well you can't spend what you do not have. Borrowing from China and printing money will only work for so long. We are going to have to make some serious changes and it will hurt everyone. I think we are all going to have to stop playing politics and get serious about how to be successful with less money.

 

[Minnie]

Political posts are not allowed on the Dis......

Budget cuts are rough for everyone and the decisions are never easy.

 

[dreamin_disney]

This is one reason I stopped working in NC....almost wasn't worth my bother. I worked in CA for 17 years and then moved here.....pay was less than half, and I can tell you, only housing is cheaper.....cars cost the same, retail costs the same, food was even a bit MORE, daycare was the same cost, and in CA I got full health coverage for the entire family as part of my benefits (NO cost to me OOP!)

NC is not the place to work if you are in education.

I was near the top of the salary scale too.....they gave me 15 years' experience and my MA. I did not have National Boards as they weren't available in my field until recently so I never got them.

Dawn

It's bad here in Cali too! Some district nolonger cover teacher health benefit 100% and some district are trying to get thier teachers to pay outta pocket for health care. Hours have been cut from classified, everyone is on edge from March to June not knowing if they will be laid off.

 

[Acklander]

What did you want them to cut?

I was kind of hoping they would cut the tax breaks for people who ship the jobs overseas, instead of education. Silly me.

 

[comicguy]

Congress should be looking at all of the foreign aid (via the Sate Dept.) that we "taxpayers" shell out to other countries.

Also, it is time to start looking at the social services programs that again taxpayers are funding. The state has some crazy iseas. A good example os my sister, has 3 kids by 3 diff fathers and the county has custody of all 3, yet she gets free medical, food stamps, housing, plus others. She recently assulted someone and was in jail for 3 months!!! The county gave her all of the back money she "earned" why she was in jail. So basically she was paid twice. She was feed, housed, and cared for in jail and then we handed her her missed funds while she was in jail. what does she need that money for??? if her needs were already met. The minute she was released social services was there to pick her up and bring her to her "new" home with the boyfriend she assulted (who also receives social services)!!! Crazy, crazy world!!!

If this is happening in my small county I can only imagine how much it is happening on the national level!!!

 

[Cindy B]

Perhaps the OP should consider moving to another state. In my state, my distric the first year Masters (MA +1) earns 51,555. A first year Bachelors is 48,555

 

[torinsmom]

I wouldn't consider moving to another state. All my family is here and I love NC as far as weather and things to do. I just think there is a reason that we aren't closer to the top in terms of student achievement. Discouraging teachers from pursuing higher education and certification is not going to help us get better teachers who know the latest teaching methods. It's getting to the point that I could make more money at a private school than in the public school system, so I may think of that switch if this goes through.

I was kind of hoping they would cut the tax breaks for people who ship the jobs overseas, instead of education. Silly me.

Yes, that's a very silly idea! Education is not important you know. We managed with the cuts they did for this year, so why not cut more? Of course, we ran out of paper in January and ink for our printers is forecast to run out in March, but kids don't need paper, right? That just means that either parents or teachers have to come up with money to copy and print the work kids need. Parents don't want to do it, b/c they already pay taxes(like I don't). So.....I get to spend my money on yet more classroom necessities with less income.

So, in the business world, if one applicant applied and had only a Bachelor's degree in the field and another applied and had a Master's degree, would they get paid the same thing? I'm talking about a professional field, not a job at Walmart or wherever. Teaching is a professional field, despite what many people might think.

My opinion is that if they are going to stop giving raises for National Board certification and/or Master's degrees, they need to put it in the works to go into effect in several years, so those considering pursuing those have the option of NOT doing it. I don't think it is ethical to lower the salaries of people who have been compensated for their further education already. I could have saved myself $11,000 if this had been decided a few years ago.

I know many come from states that may have "big, juicy education dollars", but NC is certainly not one of those. If they need to cut education, they need to start by looking at the higher-ups, who just like to criticize what teachers do, but haven't been in the classroom for 20 years. If the students are interested in something and you take a few minutes to explore that interest, you are chastised for not sticking to the pacing guide. If a child is falling behind and you pull out a different kind of of material to enhance her understanding of a concept, you are in trouble because that material is not part of the curriculum given to you by the district. The higher ups over our school(a Montessori magnet school) have not even taken the time to read the basics about Montessori education. It's really sad to me.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I was kind of hoping they would cut the tax breaks for people who ship the jobs overseas, instead of education. Silly me.

BTW our school district is have a FY13 Town Hall meeting over our cuts tomorrow. Hurray!!!

"Our District" wants your input to help determine options for the FY13 budget. The district is hosting Town Hall meetings for residents to share their input.

You're invited to attend one of these meetings to share input about options within these three areas: revenue replacement, cost reductions and fund balance reductions.

 

[tar heel]

Yes, in the business world the person with the master's and the person with the bachelor's degree would usually make the same salary. The advanced degree would help obtain the job, but it would not mean a higher salary.

Education is always going to suffer in tough budget years b/c it's the biggest percentage of the budget. Incentives for master's degrees and national board certification have not been taken away, though. They may be ultimately, but the new legislature just convened and hasn't passed anything yet. Contact your legislators. Go to the NC General Assembly website, and you'll have phone numbers and emails for every single one of them. You will also have information on every bill and how each person voted.

 

[J3nn78]

We will pay the price for this in the future. America is going down the toilet. Education is not a place to cut spending. It is crazy how the same people who complain that we are not keeping up with competing countries around the world and we are falling lower and lower on the scale think that taking money away from education is the answer? We should be constantly building the education budget, going to school longer, and moving towards more national standards.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, in the business world the person with the master's and the person with the bachelor's degree would usually make the same salary. The advanced degree would help obtain the job, but it would not mean a higher salary.

Education is always going to suffer in tough budget years b/c it's the biggest percentage of the budget. Incentives for master's degrees and national board certification have not been taken away, though. They may be ultimately, but the new legislature just convened and hasn't passed anything yet. Contact your legislators. Go to the NC General Assembly website, and you'll have phone numbers and emails for every single one of them. You will also have information on every bill and how each person voted.

Good points.

My dd got an award yesterday at the State Capitol from our representative. He was explaining the area he covers and that much of the Missouri Budget is education.

They are in session now here.

 

[okeydokey]

Our new Gov in Fl is proposing more cuts to education in a state that is already at the lowest in funding. He wants to cover the deficit and lower taxes as well even though our tax burden is already extremely low. Then he talks out of the other side of his mouth about improving education in FL?

 

[torinsmom]

Yes, in the business world the person with the master's and the person with the bachelor's degree would usually make the same salary. The advanced degree would help obtain the job, but it would not mean a higher salary.

Education is always going to suffer in tough budget years b/c it's the biggest percentage of the budget. Incentives for master's degrees and national board certification have not been taken away, though. They may be ultimately, but the new legislature just convened and hasn't passed anything yet. Contact your legislators. Go to the NC General Assembly website, and you'll have phone numbers and emails for every single one of them. You will also have information on every bill and how each person voted.

I know they didn't take them away....yet, but I don't trust the state on education. I voted for Perdue and she talked the talk about being an education governor, then turned around and furloughed all state employees, many of which were teachers.

I am definitely going to contact my legislators. If other states still pay more for these degrees/certifications then taking that away will be an incentive for more educated and experienced teachers to leave our state and NC will be left with new teachers and teachers who noone else will hire.

 

[golfgal]

Perhaps the OP should consider moving to another state. In my state, my distric the first year Masters (MA +1) earns 51,555. A first year Bachelors is 48,555

But the cost of living in your town might be triple what it is in the OP's town and then she would be making even LESS money, net.

We are lucky that our district was in pretty good shape before all of this started. Our state requires districts to hold 5% of their operating costs in reserve, we hold 10%. That extra money can now be used to make up about 2 years worth of cuts from the state. There is also federal money for teachers and with that money available they were able to offer early retirement to about 70 teachers in our district. They will then be able to hire 70 new teachers at half the cost, giving us another couple years worth of cushion. Many districts around us are not as lucky and are having major cuts, closing schools, hiking up activity fees to over $500/sport/activity, cutting programs, etc. I can also see an influx of families open enrolling into our district from surrounding districts that have had such huge cuts-which also helps our bottom line (we have statewide open enrollment free to families but their tax dollars follow them).

 

[LuvOrlando]

I am so sorry to hear this is spilling over into the state employees now. To my mind this was inevitable, if anything I'm surprised they were able to push things out this far. If private sector folks don't have jobs they can't pay taxes on income or property, if no-one is paying taxes then governments that collect taxes don't have an income stream which means they can't pay anything and that's why the deficit keeps growing & growing. I've been watching the budgets and shaking my head wondering what nit-wits were drawing up these financial disasters. Budgets are based upon past trends but when it hit the fan over 2 years ago everything kept on like there wasn't going to be fall out... what on earth were the administrators thinking?

I don't think anyone did us any favors trying to smoke the hive All I can say is I hope people see the writing on the wall and start preparing themselves.