What has your public school system cut to save money???

[McKelly]

Bussing, teacher and support staff reductions (larger class sizes), adminstration wage freezes and now since the lovely governor of Wisconsin is proposing even more cuts for education, the possibility of closing an entire school and funneling all of those kids into the others. It's a nightmare. It makes me very angry that this is not more of a priority for government.

 

[disneyandme]

Let's see, my youngest DD's school has decided that it is okay to just let the mold grow because the "independent contractor says the mold is not a problem and within minimum standards." Funny thing is that there are no set standards on levels of mold so my youngest will be homeschooled now. I can no longer risk putting her in a school that makes her so sick that she has to rely on her rescue inhaler and steroids to breathe. I brought it to the attention of the school board and of course they see no issues.

This is a health dept. issue. I would call them and report it. Also, I would take pictures of the mold and send it to the local news. I bet things would be cleaned up really quickly then.

 

[lanasboys]

Thank God we homeschool. The student/teacher ratio is great; the budget cuts are pretty deep (DH's work is kind of slow), but we didn't have much to budget anyway; I hope we don't have mold; and no construction issues since we only have 2 students. I will have to say that free breakfast/lunch program would be nice since DS13 is a bottomless pit and eats 10 times a day.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

this thread really gets me going! I'm a sped teacher. I'm losing a para. I did get a 2% raise this year. Our school district's starting salary is $38K. I have an MS Degree, 10+ yrs. experience and am in the low $40s.

Yes, I get 8 weeks in summer. You know what I've been doing for my first week? Trolling ebay for classroom supplies for next year out of my pocket.

You can't buy groceries (or supplies for your classroom or stuff for your own kids) with summer days. If I could find a job for 8 weeks a year, I would. I tried some home party sales, but it was odd to be selling dips to parents at my school. How sad is that?! The teacher of your kid needs to sell stuff on the side to make ends meet and take her kid on vacation.
I'm up for suggestions at this point...

I work with little kids (who I love! ) w/ Autism, Down Syn., general low cognition. ALL of my students need assistance w/ getting from place to place (a couple are runners), eating, behaviors, and yes, bathroom.

I bet the expectations on me will be the same next year as this one, with one less para and one more kid. How is that possible?? How do I explain to parents that their child won't be included with peers as much because I don't have enough paras?

HOW is it possible that auto industry gets billIONS of $ over and over, but it's ok for schools to make cuts over and over again???

Changing my name to soapboxmomma!

 

[MouseLover]

We are switching to a 4-day school week. This will save money by cutting transportation & cafeterial to 4 days instead of 5. Some programs have been cut or reduced to 1/2. Field trips were cut out 3 years ago for Elementary. Salaries have been frozen and employees' share of insurance cost has increased. Supply budget has not been cut, but that is mandated state-wide, as are class sizes.

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

my sisters job

 

[Liltx]

Taxes are going up again This years budget had a 16% increase over last years reassessment of 50% increase. I feel bad for the senior citizens who live on a fixed income. The schools are cutting nothing here.
I don't even send my kids to the public school as it will not teach my kids the values I want them to have.

In Texas once a person reaches age 65 they are no longer subject to tax increases. They are frozen as long as they don't move to a new home. Still, we always have so many seniors vote against the school taxes. I guess they are just uniformed?

Our district is doing pretty well but we have awesome finance people. Our district has been working with the same state budget for MANY years with no increase. We are also the fifth largest district in Texas and are very diverse both culturally and economically. My classroom did have one assistant teacher position cut so now we have two teachers and one assistant with 21- 3 and 4 year olds. I will say that some of the children have very special needs so it has been a bit difficult but we are coping fine. Nothing else except employee bonuses and field trip funds have been cut. I also doubt there will be any pay increase this year but I think we are all happy to have a job and would rather that than a cut in programs. Texas pay is pretty low though and many single parents struggle to make it as a teacher. I would actually like them to cut my job to a 3/4 job. I don't suggest it only because many of the teachers who do my job depend on the income. It would save the district $50 a day to have my afternoon childcare worker take over the 2 hours the children nap so that I would leave early. Its a small amount but it is something.

Monica

Monica

 

[Liltx]

At my sons school no lab in chemistry and biology, no elementary art, music, and gym, no title one, no speech, no pre-school, back to 1/2 day kindergarten, no field trips, less teachers and larger classrooms.

BUt hey, we still have all sports programs with paid coaches and assistant coaches, transportation to the games, etc.

I'm really wondering how many kids will benefit in 10 years from playing high school basketball vs those children who were in title one, going to college with lab experience in chemistry and biology, speech, or any one of the specials. Since when is sports more important than education?


As for my Daughter's school, they have eliminated pre-school and title one plus made sports as a play/pay program with sponsers. If a child wants to play sports they have to pay to play. If they can't afford to pay, ppl in the community have donated to a sports fund to help those who can't afford the dues so everyone has a chance to play.

Maybe more schools should do this and use the money earmarked for sports to be used for classes and the ppl who feel sports are important donate for those who can't afford it.

Title one is federally funded so I don't really understand that one unless they are dividing the kids among different schools to change the economic status of the schools?

Also speech is also federal law. They have to provide it to children. I would tell parents who's children are eligible to speak with a parent advocate.

 

[fortcampers]

We just lost 65 teacher assistants yesterday. All first year teachers will not be returning, a possible 6-10% pay cut as well and they are not done yet. It was a very sad day yesterday.

 

[AZMermaid]

I teach in Arizona.... well, taught. Because I got married and moved districts last year, I am considered a "first year teacher" so I was laid off. All class sizes will be going up 4-6 kids. My third graders will go from having 24 in their class to 33 for 4th grade. They also cut band and strings for the 4th and 5th graders. Instructional aides were cut in half and I have heard the SPED kids that are in regular ed classes with aides will have to go to the special classes for their disability..... although, I am not sure how that would work legally because it is not the "least restrictive environment." All districts are in the same boat so even though I heard I was a highly requested 3rd grade teacher at my school, I have no job. Oh. And my school won a $100,000 award from Intel last year for being the #1 Elementary school in the US for science.... so a pretty darn good school- or it was!

 

[Leajess99]

This is a health dept. issue. I would call them and report it. Also, I would take pictures of the mold and send it to the local news. I bet things would be cleaned up really quickly then.

All of the above have been done by another parent and I did contact the news station but still waiting for their response. The Superintendent has been made aware but that is also useless. In this district you can live closer to one school (2 miles to one and 12 to another) like my middle school DD and end up at the farther of the 2 schools. For elementary school where my youngest was, we pass by a subdivision that goes to a new school while my dd was going to the old nasty and unhealthy school. The subdivision kids have to ride the bus right past where we live to get to the new school. It makes absolutely zero sense.

As far as bussing goes, they pick kids up 1 block from the elementary schools as well as the older kids' schools. I grew up in Michigan where if you lived within a mile you walked to school unless your parents took you because the bus was not picking you up. I walked to school in a cast on my foot in february in the snow. I do miss my school district back home but cost of living is higher up there.

 

[Leajess99]

this thread really gets me going! I'm a sped teacher. I'm losing a para. I did get a 2% raise this year. Our school district's starting salary is $38K. I have an MS Degree, 10+ yrs. experience and am in the low $40s.

Yes, I get 8 weeks in summer. You know what I've been doing for my first week? Trolling ebay for classroom supplies for next year out of my pocket.

You can't buy groceries (or supplies for your classroom or stuff for your own kids) with summer days. If I could find a job for 8 weeks a year, I would. I tried some home sales, but it was odd to be selling to parents at my school. How sad is that?! The teacher of your kid needs to sell stuff on the side to make ends meet and take her kid on vacation.
I'm up for suggestions at this point...

I work with little kids (who I love! ) w/ Autism, Down Syn., general low cognition. ALL of my students need assistance w/ getting from place to place (a couple are runners), eating, behaviors, and yes, bathroom.

I bet the expectations on me will be the same next year as this one, with one less para and one more kid. How is that possible?? How do I explain to parents that their child won't be included with peers as much because I don't have enough paras?

HOW is it possible that auto industry gets billIONS of $ over and over, but it's ok for schools to make cuts over and over again???

Changing my name to soapboxmomma!

Can you get volunteers in your class to hel[p out?? I know it is not the same as a para but it is some help. I hate how much is getting cut in different areas and many of those areas are the same areas needing the most help.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Question says it all. But I'm just wondering what other school districts are cutting to save money. Ours is just getting crazy I think. DH is ready to look into private, but I'm not sure they are much better???

They have cut ALL enrichment services!
The $$ is from the same pool of $$ needed for "extra" services so unfortunately the kids that excel are at a DISadvantage, SAD and frustrating but I do understand that the kids that NEED help are needing the help MORE than the Gifted (for lack of a better word) kids need "more" challenges.
Either way, I think it STINKS!!

 

[a1tinkfans]

I was told a few days ago I would not be back next year because of budget cuts. I am the school nurse.

 

[Kim68]

so far nothing.Our PTA pays for the theatre arts program and we will be doing more fundraising I am sure.If they want to shorten the school year here in NYC I am all for it. MY child will spend the next 2 weeks playing games

I was thinking the same thing. I am In Rhode Island and my full day Kindergartener has been playing Trouble, Connect 4, Bingo and War for the past couple of weeks. He has another 8 days of school. They should have cut the year short - at least for the Kindergarten students. It is a complete waste of time to have then sitting around playing games.

The city cut 99 teachers last year, but then rehired 50 of them. There is talk about laying off teachers again, cutting out bussing for next year as well as the music programs in the middle school.

On of my big issues is that many of our teachers do not contribute towards their health insurance costs at all. They have been asked to make concessions, but no one does. They just keep raising their salaries and our taxes every year. The teachers all work hard, but in nearly all other professions, there is an employee contribution for health insurance.

It's a very sad situation in all schools that make these cuts. It's the children that suffer.

 

[delmar411]

no programs are being cut as far as I know at my kids schools. They have a lot of extras (I didnt' think of them as extras but I guess they are!) too. Spanish, art, music, sports teams. The 5th grade 2 night trip to the outdoor science center was paid for in full by a grant this year too which was a very welcome surprise. The kids get free tutoring in math and reading after school as well.

The school gets a lot of Title I funds though and they just got Smartboards in every single classroom and laptops for all the kids. It's an extremely poor district too so not sure if that's why so much is being put into the school.

Class sizes are already 30+kids so I'm not sure if they can get much larger and still maintain control of the classrooms.

 

[AZMermaid]

On of my big issues is that many of our teachers do not contribute towards their health insurance costs at all. They have been asked to make concessions, but no one does. They just keep raising their salaries and our taxes every year. The teachers all work hard, but in nearly all other professions, there is an employee contribution for health insurance.

It's a very sad situation in all schools that make these cuts. It's the children that suffer.

My base salary as a 3rd year teacher was about $35,000. My take home was $952 every two weeks after everything that gets taken out, including $200 a check for my pension that I have no say in (but yes, at least I get one, hopefully! It ends up being forced retirement savings I guess) . If I had to pay for my health care, I'd really have no money. Oh wait... that so called "free" health care, the first $1000 in visits/prescriptions I have to pay for myself (except well woman). So, actually, since I am a fairly healthy person, I have never hit the $1000.

But, I agree, I feel very bad for my students that they suffer. My population can afford private school but has chosen the public one because it is equal if not better. I am betting enrollment will go down if the changes stick. Although we had two private schools in the area say "Friday is out last day. We are closing due to low enrollment" midway through the year last year.

But, I will add, I would be willing to give up some vacation days to save money and keep class sizes lower!

 

[MoniqueU]

I am surprised at the level of programs and small class sizes you have had to give up. Here we never had those benefits so we aren't really feeling a cut since we didn't have anything good to start with, just once a week music class for 5th and 6th grade. We were already at 35 students in the 3rd grade and up classes and there is no bussing here except for the special ed students, which i agree with, you should have to transport your own children to school in my mind. We may be cutting some teachers jobs but I have a freind that has been threatened to be let go 2 years in a row then gets called back. I am just glad we live in the district we do, Los Angeles Unified has some pretty high taxes and funding yet only has a 39 percent graduation rate. I do not subscribe to the idea that unlimted funding and higher salaries and so forth equals a better education. I have my son in a reasonably priced private school that gets less for me then the state gets per pupil and he is getting as good if not better of an education then our fancy over funded public high school

 

[vellamint]

At my sons school no lab in chemistry and biology, no elementary art, music, and gym, no title one, no speech, no pre-school, back to 1/2 day kindergarten, no field trips, less teachers and larger classrooms.

BUt hey, we still have all sports programs with paid coaches and assistant coaches, transportation to the games, etc.

I'm really wondering how many kids will benefit in 10 years from playing high school basketball vs those children who were in title one, going to college with lab experience in chemistry and biology, speech, or any one of the specials. Since when is sports more important than education?


As for my Daughter's school, they have eliminated pre-school and title one plus made sports as a play/pay program with sponsers. If a child wants to play sports they have to pay to play. If they can't afford to pay, ppl in the community have donated to a sports fund to help those who can't afford the dues so everyone has a chance to play.

Maybe more schools should do this and use the money earmarked for sports to be used for classes and the ppl who feel sports are important donate for those who can't afford it.

I agree with you 110%. We have cut down on buses , closed the school for "problem kids" , cut out SUMMER SCHOOL, laid off teachers... but we still have a full athletic program....dont even get me started. I say every school should have a pay-to-play policy.

 

[Colleen27]

I agree with you 110%. We have cut down on buses , closed the school for "problem kids" , cut out SUMMER SCHOOL, laid off teachers... but we still have a full athletic program....dont even get me started. I say every school should have a pay-to-play policy.

The problem with pay-to-play is that it generally excludes the kids who would benefit most from extracurriculars. When I was in school, my mom was putting out almost $400 per year in pay-to-play fees, plus extra expenses like uniforms, tournament fees, and travel costs, for me to participate in 3 activities. Many families can't afford that. In districts like mine, where nearly everyone is working class and many are struggling, pay to play would pretty much end the athletic program in all but the biggest sports because so few people could afford it.

I know it isn't a popular point of view, but IMO athletics and other extra curriculars are part of the overall school experience. They shouldn't be untouchable when it comes to making hard budget choices (and I know they are in many areas), but they shouldn't automatically be the first to go either.