Stimulus funding could prevent education layoffs
Jay Hare /
Terry Williamson and Anthony Hollier (from left) unload saw horses at the site of the new Hillcrest Elementary School Monday afternoon. The two men were installing marker boards in the new school for Lockers Bleachers and Cabinets Inc.
Alabama will receive about $1 billion in education funding from the federal stimulus bill, which will help the state stave off the worst effects of proration.
About $600 million, the bulk of the federal government’s education stimulus funding for Alabama, will come in the form of a state fiscal stabilization fund. This money will be awarded to local school districts and public colleges and universities.
Jim Wrye, a spokesman for the Alabama Education Association, said this money will help school systems avoid draconian layoffs they had been anticipating in May as a result of across-the-board cuts in state education funding announced by Gov. Bob Riley in December.
However, cuts made by local school systems will likely remain in place, and the implementation of some state education programs will be delayed. Wrye said the state will have to scale back its plans to introduce the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative into every school in Alabama. Also, Riley’s plans to offer universal pre-kindergarten programs will also be put on the back burner.
And the state must also eventually repay the $218 million it has borrowed from rainy day funds to offset proration cuts.
“If it helps us get over the worst of this year and next, fine,” Wrye said. “But there’s no guarantee the economy will rebound enough for us to pay
back the money we’ve borrowed.”
One key item that was cut from the original stimulus bill approved by the House was a large appropriation for school construction and modernization. Some money from the state stabilization fund can be used for capital projects, however.
Despite the elimination of construction funds from the stimulus package, local school superintendents are breathing a sigh of relief because their systems will now only suffer budgetary cuts and lacerations instead of the amputations they were facing prior to the bill’s passage.
“I’m real optimistic about what we’re going to be able to do,” Dothan City School Superintendent Sam Nichols said. “We’re going to be able to prevent major layoffs.”
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Reader Reactions
Childrenfirst: I agree with you on the diversity of students in public schools. That will be the future failure of public education.Its impossible to educate many individuals at the same speed and to the same level. Teachers therefore have to teach to the masses.It restricts some kids education and certainly does not benefit the others education. I also agree that some kids are better at certain subjects than others.But answer this for me , does the more intelligent kids based on a percentage continuous score higher than the slower kids in all subjects?
I dont agree with no child left behind , as i said earlier its intention was great , but applying is another story.As for as a child learning in interact with other students. I believe birds of a feather flock together in life . For the most part the kids in the two groups we’re discussing will socialize with the class of people they fit in with later in life.For example , you can shut a horse and cow up in a paddock but thurn them back in the pasture and the horse hangs with the horses and the cow hangs with the cows.Darwin called it natural selection.
I also realize its impossible to teach to every childs ability of learning but the diversity in public schools is such now that its depriving some kids. I really dont know the solution. Maybe they need to take the 7k a yr they say is spend per student and issue it in the form of a voucher to the school of choice by the parents and the child. Thats really the only fair way to best assure any given child gets the best education they are capable of receiving.As i stated in one of my earlier post , the schools are basically becoming segregated anyway. Look at some schools in a county and they have great scores . Look at others in the same county and their scores are pitiful. You mentioned the scoring system possibly not being fair. I totally disagree with you on that. If it’s fair at one school then tell me why it cant be fair at another school? Are you saying that the teachers at those low score schools are inefficient or are you saying the kids are not as intelligent?
I personally would be willing to bet that you could swap teachers from one school to the other and the scores would change very little.I do see it from a teachers viewpoint too. If a teacher teaches at a low score school and that cuts back some of their funding then it’s possible that may be layed off. I’m a firm believer in a person getting paid for the amount of work they produce out here in the real world. I believe that applies in school too. If the smarter student puts forth more effort then they need additional funding to futher their educations. If the slower kids cant learn the curriculum then they need less funding . (with the education of children with true learning disabilities).They need additional funding to overcome their handicap.Sounds like i’m singleing out a class of people dont it? I still say the best way to education kids is by segregating them by IQ.
Honestly, most of us are forced to teach the same curriculum to all the children. Many of them already have leveled work for 3 types of children. A lot of it is really good and they seem to like it ok. However, i feel that if we were not so micromanaged we could do so much more. Lately there has been a big concentration on the average and below average child and some gifted children are being dis-serviced.
I don’t beleive in segregation of any kind Mr. Hunter. Rarely do you find a child who is ‘bright’ at everything. Even those who are labeled gifted often lack social skills that are so important. Some kids are good at math and some at reading, others like social studies or science. So you see, it’s not about making our jobs easier. Off course it would be less work for the teacher but that’s not what I’m here for. I’m here for the child. And every single one of these children will one day leave school and become part of a society that is not at all segreagated. Because no matter how smart or rich you are, you will always need to deal with the person who works at the fast food place, or does your laundry, etc.
THAT is a powerfull lesson that you can never learn from a book. Learning that it’s ok to be different. Learning that some of us will be leaders and followers at one point in our lives. Isn’t that the military’s motto? “Train as you fight”. If you segregate these children now, when they leave school; half of them will be smart robots and crapy leaders with low people skills and no compasion for others and the other half…well if they make it out, might figure out that we gave up on them a long time ago for not being ‘smart enough’.
It is because of the children being different that we ask so much of our leaders to let us do our job.
I know that there are some bad apples that don’t deserve it. I know its not perfect and it never will be. But the act of labeling a teacher a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ teacher should NEVER be based on the testing of these students. Nor should it reflect how much money that school receives.
Imagine a healthy smart child you know (God I pray not) had a car accident and was partially impared. Because our brain is so complex, that child might still be really good at math but now can’t recognize letters; where do you place him/her?
What about a child who is now legally blind?
What do you do if you have a student from another country who is extremely smart but, can’t speak english?
The scenarios are endless and I could go on for days about children who dont fit the A, B, C levels. No ones says it’s easy to teach a diverse group of students. But that’s our job, what we were trained to do, and for us to figure it out.
To Childrenfirst: I assume you’re a teacher. May i ask you some questions?
Do you teach the same curriculum to all the students in the class?
If you do , has the slower students ever bogged you down to the point that if held back the faster kids?
Do you feel the brighter kids could have advanced further in the subject had it not been for the slower ones?
If the school has 2 classes with the same scenario as you described then would it be better to group the 20 brighter kids together and the 16 slower kids together?
Would that grouping benefit the 20 more in your opinion?
Whats would be the problem with segregating the kids by their abilities and create a curriculum according to those abilities?
To all,
I must first let you know that I have not read all of your comments. I do however have some questions for you.
How many of you are teachers?
If you are not, how much time have you spent in the classroom in the past year? How many of you have children in the public system? How many of you have children in a private school?
It seems to me that you are all a very smart group of people, however, most of you (from what I read 123book is the closest with a parent’s point of view) have no idea of what the classroom is all about or the definition of learning. I do agree that money is the issue at hand. This is probably the problem and the cause of the failures in every school system and not just the public schools.
I am not anyone with power, money, or public relations who may be able to speak to the ‘right’ people. If you are then perhaps it may be helpful to read on.
The true measurement of a childs learning can never be assessed with a test. It comes from the observation of a good teacher who understands each child as an individual. In a classroom of 20 students, for example, 10 receive high scores, 8 receive scores good enough for the next grade and 2 don’t pass it. Regardless of race, economic status or religion, do you know what I see? I see 10 students who were really smart and would of pass the test with the same score even with the worst teacher, I see 8 students who really struggled the entire year and barely made it because I pushed them through (but might not be that lucky next year), then I see 2 children that even if they did not passed the test, have learned more than we could ever hope for. A child who is cognitive impared and is now socializing, smiling, coloring, talking, and being completely independent. I see another child who might never pass the high school exam, but has a gift of drawing that will bring tears to your eyes. Above all, I see a group of 20 students and one teacher who learned that we are not all meant to be the six figure success story. We learned that being different is ok, that reading is fun and you don’t have to read at 300 words per minute in order to be good at it.
There is not a test in the world that can tell you that. When teachers tell you that they are not happy with their jobs it has nothing to do with the children. It is about the policies that have been put in place by those of you who have never been inside the classroom.
The money should not be the issue. The desicions should be based on the interest of the children and what is best for them. Let us find the things that motivate each children to learn and they will WANT to come to school. Even if it is sports, a good teacher can use it to teach you every single subject.
To those who will listen: If you want to fix the economy, ask the economists; if you want to fix the school system, ask your teachers!
You know, this sadly boils down to one issue and that is : money. So many factors are driven by it. Higher scores, more funding…private education..more choices…etc.
Why can’t we return to basics? Why must there always be a demand for more? As I read about all the greed on Wall Street and our banking institutions, this makes me realize how unfortunate our society has “progressed”. Look what America is turning in to.
As strange as it sounds i never dreaded test. Not to say i made 100 on everyone because i didnt . I have stayed on point. Segregate kids in schools by their abilities. Thats the same point i have made from the beginning. That and of course do away with public funding in schools and make all parents pay tutuion . Stop taxing people that dont even have kids in school.
mrhunter,
I don’t dispute intelligence as your rants have gone from point A to B and back to C. Stay on topic. If you have an argument, then stick to what you are disputing.
I simply said that God needed to be in the schools. In addition, I attended a parochial school. But the pressure wasn’t in the schools like it is today. This is my argument along with the absence of the acknowledgment of God.
That pressure is needless in some instances. Especially if it causes stress and anxiety. Therefore blocking the interest and will to want to learn. This should not be the practice, even if you have a very high ability to grasp concepts (IQ). Show me where pushing the students over the edge makes them a more productive citizen.
The kids don’t care about the tests. The people who do are the boring adults cracking the whip everyday. GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO CARE ABOUT and those scores will shoot up. THIS IS MY POINT! My God, don’t you remember being a kid? Were you sitting there with huge smiles waiting for the next test to hit your desk? THINK!!!
123, i’m happy that your daughter is doing well with home schooling. I never said private schools were perfect, i said they have a better scholastic record than do public schools.The college graduate i referred to was Michael in that post.
Surely you dont dispute that we are all born with different capabilities and cognitive ability? Since we are all born with those differences in traits then segregation by those very traits is conducive to different curriculums
mrhunter,
You clearly have a lot to learn. Homeschooling is by far the best option for us. Its a tailor-made education without restrictions. As far as her reading goes, she can now read wonderful if not better than most highschoolers. We use an advanced curriculum.
There are mistakes in those private schools too. I will tell you that from experience. As far as me being a college graduate, it is LIFE that has taught me the real things that need to be taught. Perhaps we should make a class called LIFE 101. ANd I will personally enroll you myself.
Sorry Michael , my last post was meant for 123,just typed the wrong name.
Oh yea concerning your daughter and her school. Please dont be offended but thats a perfect example of the point i been making .They were pushing your daughter to do more than she was capable of doing.Obviously all the other students werent having the same problems, or the teacher would have lowered what she demanded of her class. Kids need teaching at different speeds and levels , therefore segregation by abilities is the only way to maximise an individials potential.(or group of individuals)as would be the case in a classroom environment.Heres a good example for you. You can probably teach a bulldog to point birds with enough patience but wouldnt it make more sense to start with a golder retreiver? Point being not all people are created equal in abilites just as the dogs are born with different natural abilities.
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