Budget Proposals- Education (elementary schools, tax, transportation)

[jaynarie]

I am sure many of you have heard about the state budget deficit. At this point, it is supposedly around $4 billion dollars.
What I am not sure of is how many of you are aware of the cuts they are proposing for public schools. They are proposing to cut over $1 billion from the public schools.
As parents, grandparents or just citizens, I hope this concerns you as it can only negatively affect the quality of education children in this state will receive.


Here is a statement from NCAE that is about 2 weeks old- the proposed cuts have gotten worse since then: Budget Proposal (http://www.ncae.org/Images/Users/6/Off%20Site/House%20Appropriations%20Committee%20Budget%200509 .pdf - broken link). At that point, they were talking about cutting 6,000 teaching positions. Now, that estimate is up to 12,000 according to one article on NCAE!

My county released a break down a week ago that broke down exactly how the proposal would affect our county of approximately 20,000 students. Here are some highlights:
When they were figuring 7,000 teachers, that would mean a cut of 84 teachers.
This was last week- now that would be about 150 teachers from about 35 schools.

They would change the way they calculate the number of teacher assistants- basing it off of K-2 students instead of K-3, which would eliminate 75 T.A.s in the elementary schools- in my county, that would be about 4 per school.

"Improving Student Accountability funds have been removed from all budget scenarios presented to date. This eliminates the grade 3-5 reading assistant positions that are assigned to each elementary school."

The technology budget would be slashed by more than 70%, leaving about $2 per student. Not a typo- two dollars!

Huge cuts in textbook funds, transportation funds, and supply money are also being considered.


NCAE posts updates on their website.



I can't think of anyone who would want their child in a K-3 classroom of 30 students or a 4-5 classroom of 40 or more students (we were informed there will be NO cap on the numbers in 4-5 classrooms- in my county at least). I am an elementary teacher and do not know exactly what that would mean for middle and secondary schools, but it would be huge classes and likely the cuts of many elective classes and programs.


I have provided a link to the appropriate e-mail addresses, as well as a link to Governor Purdue's suggestion box if you would like to voice your opinion to them.

Appropriations Subcommittee on Education

Governor Purdue's Suggestion Box

[LLN]

I think you and I are POWERLESS to stop whatever happens. We don't have a big lobby, we don't have deep pockets, we don't have "backroom" influence.

I think the best that can come of this will be to UNIONIZE, in the labor union sense. Maybe this will push teachers over the top, and with what I hope will be union friendly legislation from the Obama administration.

Teachers are abuse routinely, cause we do not have a union. At our school, we were looking at a 37% increase in before/after bell duties next year. And that is before loosing teachers.

You just need to do the best you can. Don't look for help from anybody, cause it is not gonna come.

lln

[mm34b]

With state & local government tax revenues in a free-fall due to the economic recession, big budget cuts will have to come from somewhere. If public education funding is off-limits, then where does the additional 4.6 billion come from? In 2008, NC had the 20th highest state & local tax burden in the nation. I don't have an answer, and apparently no one else does either other than cut spending.