What should be cut first?

[Tinijocaro]

With all the talk about school districts cutting teachers, my thoughts turn to what absolutely is so important that it should not be cut, and what is "extra"?

I think the fat should be cut in administration, huge amounts of funding for sports should also be cut, even though my own children love and benefit from these sports. Even courses like home ec could be done away with if needed.

Any thoughts?

 

[sunnyday123]

I don't know if I agree sports should be cut. Honestly, I think it helps kids stay out of trouble if they are playing a sport. Maybe salaries of the administration?

I don't think classes like home ec, wood working or welding ( we had those in junior high ) are pertinent to a childs education, unless it's some sort of technical high school.

 

[Disneyrsh]

Nothing sh

 

[taylor3297]

Nothing should be cut. Find some other area of government to trim.

Why is the future of our country always at the top of the list for "cuts"?

How about guaranteed pensions for all members of congress, even if they only serve 1 year? Let's get rid of that nice little benefit, instead.

The Superintendent of schools for Dekalb County, in metro Atlanta, made $250,000 last year. 75% of the schools in Dekalb County failed to make adequate yearly progress.

I know where I would start cutting.

Remember AYP is not a great way to judge a school. For example, a school may have 28 sub categories, if the school makes AYP in 27 of the categories, and misses just the 1, then that school is considered a failing school.

 

[NotAmused]

I agree that some money should be cut from sports and those sort of after school extra activities. I don't think they should completely do away with sports.I've noticed around here, I almost never see students doing fundraising activities like car washes, talent shows, or selling things. When I was in school, we always had some sort of fundraising event going on for our sports and chorus programs. Let the students earn that money and bond with the team. We used to love doing carwashes and putting on shows.

Also, some salary cuts are needed for some of the higher up people in the school board.

Completely agree with the previous post about how other areas of the government should cut back, too!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

There are plenty of other government agencies that could use some trimming before the schools but if I had to cut something from the schools I would likely start with the uppers and work my way down. Start at administrations and the board of education

 

[j's m]

I would cut all the inservice days for the teachers that require them to leave the classroom for the day. The students watch movies, waste time and it really wastes money to pay for the sub. Then they load them up with homework to make up the work. This happened to several classes this week, teachers out for 2 days.

 

[C.Ann]

I agree that some money should be cut from sports and those sort of after school extra activities. I don't think they should completely do away with sports.I've noticed around here, I almost never see students doing fundraising activities like car washes, talent shows, or selling things. When I was in school, we always had some sort of fundraising event going on for our sports and chorus programs. Let the students earn that money and bond with the team. We used to love doing carwashes and putting on shows.

Also, some salary cuts are needed for some of the higher up people in the school board.

Completely agree with the previous post about how other areas of the government should cut back, too!

I agree..

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I can't believe how much administrators make in our district. We had a Director who was in charge of afterschool care, the state-funded preschool and the childcare/preschool for 3-5 year olds. It wasn't a huge job and the woman who did it barely worked full time. She was making $191,000! When she left the position, they didn't fill it and spread her duties among other adminstrators. I know there are several other jobs like this at the district level that could be consolidated. It just amazes me that these people make so much money and then the district wants to cut our $17.00/hour librarians and close the libraries to our kids!

 

[graygables]

Our former school district made some huge fiscal mistakes, then wanted more funding, but the taxpayers weren't having it. First, they threatened and then followed through to cut busing to state minimums. No outcry. Voted down. Next, they threatened and then followed through to cut sports/extracurriculars. No outcry. Voted down. The district proved that none of what was deemed "necessary" really was. Folks whose kids were involved with sports/extras simply created their own booster club and paid their own way (as it should me, IMO).

My concern with cutting "life skills" classes (i.e. home ec) is that many kids will not get that kind of education anywhere else and will be useless when they get out on their own. I think life skills classes (cooking, cleaning, basic clothing care/repair, consumer math, etc) should be required in order to prepare students for real life. Learning how to bubble in an answer doesn't work.

 

[bicker]

Clearly, instruction should be cut least and last.

If there was "fat" in administration, it should have been cut before it was introduced. If you make it suck to be an administrator, then you'll only have sucky administrators, and that'll end up costing even more money in the long-run.

Physical education shouldn't be cut, but competitive sports should be cut, as should any other activities that students have to qualify (try-out, audition, whatever) to participate in. If money is tight, money should be spent exclusively on things that benefit all students without reservation, or things that benefit students who have special needs. We shouldn't be spending on money on things that are only for students with special talents. Let their parents try to raise the money to pay for those passions, given that they're not required for all students.

Our budget here goes about 90% to the schools. There is nothing else in the budget to cut that will make much of a difference. Maybe they could turn off the electricity to the traffic lights?

 

[golfgal]

I don't know if I agree sports should be cut. Honestly, I think it helps kids stay out of trouble if they are playing a sport. Maybe salaries of the administration?

I don't think classes like home ec, wood working or welding ( we had those in junior high ) are pertinent to a childs education, unless it's some sort of technical high school.

What about the kids that only stay in high school because they can take auto shop and other classes like that? Not every child is 4 year college material?

With all the talk about school districts cutting teachers, my thoughts turn to what absolutely is so important that it should not be cut, and what is "extra"?

I think the fat should be cut in administration, huge amounts of funding for sports should also be cut, even though my own children love and benefit from these sports. Even courses like home ec could be done away with if needed.

Any thoughts?

Do you really want your schools run by the lowest bidder for the job, someone that can't get a job somewhere else? You do realize that most school superintendents have more responsibility and and have more staff under them then most CEO's AND they have doctorate degrees? Our superintendent makes $190,000/year, has 29,000 students and something like 6000 students. That is as large as most major corporations yet CEO's of those corporations make millions each year.

I have to agree with others-schools should be the LAST thing that gets cut. Look at all the threads on here about how awful schools are around the country-you really have to wonder why when they get ZERO support from anyone. That is what I LOVE about our district--they have NEVER failed to pass a bond referendum because people here value a good education and we get results because of that.

 

[M5ward]

Do away with the massive pay-outs for unused sick and vacation time that so many administrators seem to get. Why does there need to be a superintendent, two assistants superintendents, a principal in every building with at least one assistant principal (often two?) If a married couple teach in the same district, only one should be eligible for benefits (family plan) and the other should NOT receive financial remuneration for the benefits. Part time workers (cafeteria workers, etc.) should not be eligible for benefits or be eligible for pensions. I live in NJ, and the benefits in our educational system are often abused..a local superintendent retired last year and got close to $200,000 in sick and vacation day pay, and this was NOT the highest pay-out of its kind in our state. The spouse of a fellow teacher gets $$$ for not taking benefits even though their husband/wife is in the same system and a family plan covers the family.

 

[golfgal]

Also, do people realize what a very small percentage of a school budget after school sports make up? In our district it is less then 5% of the budget. If you really want to look at money hog programs, start examining your district's special education budget then figure out how many students that dollar amount supports.

With Bicker's thinking, all special ed programs should be cut too.

If you cut sports, watch graduation rates plummet in already troubled schools .

 

[tasha99]

Also, do people realize what a very small percentage of a school budget after school sports make up? In our district it is less then 5% of the budget. If you really want to look at money hog programs, start examining your district's special education budget then figure out how many students that dollar amount supports.

With Bicker's thinking, all special ed programs should be cut too.

If you cut sports, watch graduation rates plummet in already troubled schools .

If you cut special education, you are cutting someone's chance to meet their full potential, and maybe even their chance to live independently as an adult. I would not cut that because it probably wouldn't save any money. Most likely, it would only increase and delay the expense for later, while at the same time giving a worse outcome to the child with special needs.

 

[golfgal]

If you cut special education, you are cutting someone's chance to meet their full potential, and maybe even their chance to live independently as an adult. I would not cut that because it probably wouldn't save any money. Most likely, it would only increase and delay the expense for later, while at the same time giving a worse outcome to the child with special needs.

The same can be said for every other child in the school but again, examine your school budget and see how much go towards special ed.

 

[bicker]

... money should be spent exclusively on things that benefit all students without reservation, or things that benefit students who have special needs.

With Bicker's thinking, all special ed programs should be cut too.

Clearly, you're not reading the messages you're replying to.

Get a grip.

 

[locolala]

There is talk here about cutting the gifted and talented program, which I think is a HUGE mistake. I know that before I was tested into the program, I was bored out of my mind in mainstream classes. It got to the point that they tested me for ADHD because I was a little disruptive and very inattentive in class, turns out I don't have ADHD but I was way up there in intelligence. Once put into a GT school, I made a complete turn around and was suddenly interested in going to school.

I honestly don't know what can be done to help schools out these days. We already cut down to bare bones, with 30+ kids in some classes, gym programs cut down to almost nothing, and teachers barely making ends meet.

 

[Sparx]

Also, do people realize what a very small percentage of a school budget after school sports make up? In our district it is less then 5% of the budget. If you really want to look at money hog programs, start examining your district's special education budget then figure out how many students that dollar amount supports.

With Bicker's thinking, all special ed programs should be cut too.

If you cut sports, watch graduation rates plummet in already troubled schools .

The supreme court disagrees with you.

 

[Sparx]

Today, under P.L.102-119, all schools must offer special educational services to eligible 3-21 year old individuals with disabilities.

If the school system doesn't offer a quality education, not only do they have to send the child to a qualified school, they have to foot the bill.

I honestly cannot fathom that anyone believes that cutting special ed is the way to trim fat out of a budget. That is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard on this forum.