Fort Bend ISD in shambles (Houston, Sugar Land: houses, unemployment rate, go bankrupt)

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by Topaz

Maybe if the FBISD Superintendent didn't have several assistants with thin resumes and fat paychecks, we could save a couple of teachers from layoffs. Ridiculous for an assistant without a college degree to earn $80K+.

I agree with you, but this is true for a lot of corporations also.

Some on this thread were suggesting capitalistic models for education, which is why I'm pointing this out (not because you said you feel this way, Topaz).

Not sure if I pulled an Archie Bunker with "capitalistic". Maybe I should stifle myself on this subject.

[ftjoe12]

Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv

ftjoe, IF THEY ARE SO WONDERFUL, WHY THE HUGE DEFICIT? And who are you to tell me to move? At least when I argue with people on here, I don't make up a new screenname and rep myself over and over again.

200-300 = -100. Get it? Deficit. It's a free country and public forum. I merely am suggesting that other (failed) states do things exactly how you think we should do them here.

Have a mod check the IP's on the reps. You are once AGAIN mistaken.

[LizzySWW]

Every ISD in Texas will have less to operate on next year. This isn't just a FBISD thing, as others have already mentioned. The state has to balance 10 billion dollars in 2 years.

Agree with Topaz on cutting dead weight. My superintendent makes 250k a year. Currently, Robinhood takes most of my tax money and gives it to poor areas. Now, who honestly believes that some of these high earning superintendents will "Robinhood" a chunk their salaries back to the classroom during this time of sacrifice.

[EasilyAmused]

So, are public classrooms going to get larger with all of this? Aren't some of them tipping at 30 to 1 already?

Most Texas lower schools have cut all specials (ie PE,Art, Music) down to 7 days rotations. I bet those teachers will be some of the first to go.

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

So, are public classrooms going to get larger with all of this? Aren't some of them tipping at 30 to 1 already?

Most Texas lower schools have cut all specials (ie PE,Art, Music) down to 7 days rotations. I bet those teachers will be some of the first to go.

I can only speak to the ratios for schools south of I-10. Elementary schools aren't 30:1. My kiddo's have 20 & 21 kids in their classes.

We haven't had a cut in specials either. My kids have had the same specials & same amount of time per week since they entered in Kindergarten. I guess anything is possible in the future.


Edit: EA, yes class sizes will increase next year. Our district is going to allow for up to 24 kids in a classroom.

[Sampaguita]

Even though we haven't seen the lay-offs with the teachers (which is just going to be terrible on many levels), we're already experiencing its trickle-down effect.

DH was just laid-off on Monday from his job - the company he works for largely caters to Houston's ISDs. With all the budget cuts, projects that DH is involved with have been put on indefinite hold with HISD and FBISD. He is 1 of 3 to have been laid off this week with more to follow.

[houstonfan]

^^ So sorry Sampaguita. That is horrible. Hope he'll find a better job soon.

[crone]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

Even though we haven't seen the lay-offs with the teachers (which is just going to be terrible on many levels), we're already experiencing its trickle-down effect.

DH was just laid-off on Monday from his job - the company he works for largely caters to Houston's ISDs. With all the budget cuts, projects that DH is involved with have been put on indefinite hold with HISD and FBISD. He is 1 of 3 to have been laid off this week with more to follow.

Sorry this has happened to you.
I'm thinking much of this is to scare folks into raising taxes. As smart as everybody thinks they are, it amazes me that the best the can do in a budget crunch is to lay off teachers and police. It is counter intuitive. I can think of a lot of things to cut before laying off teachers and cops. The lege and governors office should be embarrassed to show the world how dumb they are.

[ftjoe12]

This is just a delayed reaction to the recession. Businesses reacted with the markets. They layed peopled off and cut payrolls. Meanwhile HISD was still giving COLA raises to it's teachers. Never mind the fact it looked like the next great depression was setting in. They were spending as if it was business as usual. An educated monkey could have noticed that tax revenue would be going down in a hurry.

[jasltx]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

Every ISD in Texas will have less to operate on next year. This isn't just a FBISD thing, as others have already mentioned. The state has to balance 10 billion dollars in 2 years.

That is true, but the ineptitude of the current FBISD Board means that the impact of the cuts here might be even greater.