City of Pittsburgh Schools showing its unsustainability (Wilkinsburg, Penn: credit, homes)

[gg]

As costs rise with high teacher pay and lots of overhead, the children will now suffer the consequences. Sad, but this will happen quite a bit in our region, except in the wealthiest of districts.

City schools eye more layoffs, fewer sports programs - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

[I_Like_Spam]

The city schools really started going downhill in the 1970's, I attribute a lot of it to the switch to an elected school board by districts.

When they started having local yokels from different neighborhoods each only concerned about their own little fiefdoms, they lost track of the whole picture.

They decided to have a nationwide search to hire Dr. Thompson as superintendent because of his educational expertise- and then proceeded to micromanage every move he made. Same with when they hired Mr. Roosevelt. School board members just were unwilling to accept their ideas.

[BrianTH]

Of course the biggest single issue was the massive contraction in the number of enrolled students, which inevitably meant they would need to engage in several phases of cost-saving contractions.

Conversely, I don't see anything particularly unsustainable about the district in the long run. Property values and personal incomes are increasing in the City, and new young people are starting to move in, and I think it is a good bet that will translate into more young families (arguably you can already see that coming in the kindergarten enrollment numbers). Some of the lower-grade schools are already experiencing significant improvements, and I think that will filter into upper grades as well.

Of course school funding is a huge mess in Pennsylvania, with the state playing an inadequate role, and in this region in particular we have WAY too many districts. So I think there are lots of districts which may well not be sustainable, but I don't think the City district is likely to be one of them.

[gg]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Of course school funding is a huge mess in Pennsylvania, with the state playing an inadequate role, and in this region in particular we have WAY too many districts. So I think there are lots of districts which may well not be sustainable, but I don't think the City district is likely to be one of them.

School funding is a mess for SOME districts. Not all.
Glad we agree that lots of districts are not sustainable. The City Schools are in trouble with that huge deficit and massive exodus of kids. One has to wonder why the school keeps contracting? What is the root of the problem? Wealthier people moving into the city using private schools? I know I wouldn't use public school if I lived in the city limits. I know you don't use public school in Wilkinsburg Brian. Why would you? Seems private schools are thriving. Maybe privatization of schools in the city is an answer? You can pay teachers 1/3 the salary or even less, if they were private.

[BrianTH]

The main cause of ongoing enrollment decreases was simply the declining number of school-aged children in the district's footprint, which was a predictable ongoing effect of the steel bust diaspora (which disproportionately affected young adult populations, and thus future school-aged children populations as well). Conversely, we have now entered a period of young adult population increases in the district's footprint, which will likely (at a similar lag) lead to an increasing number of school-aged children in the district's footprint.

Private schools of course divert some students, but they always have, and I don't think there has been a huge increase in private school capacity. Maybe a few more are diverting to home-schooling and cyber-schooling and such, and there has definitely been an increase in charter schools (which are public, but not part of the district), but far and away the main issue was just that overall population dynamic.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

They decided to have a nationwide search to hire Dr. Thompson as superintendent because of his educational expertise- and then proceeded to micromanage every move he made. Same with when they hired Mr. Roosevelt. School board members just were unwilling to accept their ideas.

Thompson later came to Atlanta, Clayton County specifically, and was a disaster.

Ex-Pittsburgh superintendent fired by Georgia school district

The county schools actually lost accreditation under him. That doesn't happen very often.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The main cause of ongoing enrollment decreases was simply the declining number of school-aged children in the district's footprint, which was a predictable ongoing effect of the steel bust diaspora (which disproportionately affected young adult populations, and thus future school-aged children populations as well). Conversely, we have now entered a period of young adult population increases in the district's footprint, which will likely (at a similar lag) lead to an increasing number of school-aged children in the district's footprint.

School districts probably should be consolidated regardless. My old neighborhood elementary school has been closed and recently razed. Back then when I was a kid, a wave of new housing was built in that area (suburbanization), young families moved in, their kids went through the system. Afterwards, many parents stayed in their homes and obviously didn't have more kids, so the elementary school was depleted of kids and had to close. It might have had to close regardless but this sort of trend in a small school district would be difficult as it would have to weather population cycles in its district. A larger school district, and better zoning of housing to keep kids in the pipeline is the solution.

Private schools of course divert some students, but they always have, and I don't think there has been a huge increase in private school capacity. Maybe a few more are diverting to home-schooling and cyber-schooling and such, and there has definitely been an increase in charter schools (which are public, but not part of the district), but far and away the main issue was just that overall population dynamic.

Just like bookstores and libraries, I wonder how the information age will affect the idea of schooling? Although schooling does have an important socialization function (but even that can and often does go seriously awry).

[gg]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The main cause of ongoing enrollment decreases was simply the declining number of school-aged children in the district's footprint, which was a predictable ongoing effect of the steel bust diaspora (which disproportionately affected young adult populations, and thus future school-aged children populations as well). Conversely, we have now entered a period of young adult population increases in the district's footprint, which will likely (at a similar lag) lead to an increasing number of school-aged children in the district's footprint.

Private schools of course divert some students, but they always have, and I don't think there has been a huge increase in private school capacity. Maybe a few more are diverting to home-schooling and cyber-schooling and such, and there has definitely been an increase in charter schools (which are public, but not part of the district), but far and away the main issue was just that overall population dynamic.

Generally areas go through peaks and valleys, but in the city the peak will not happen again. It is much better to live in a suburb and have your kids go to schools without metal detectors and armed security. Who needs that? Maybe the city should cut ALL school tax and privatize. Think of the influx of people flocking to the city! Home values would skyrocket and people would be thrilled! No more school tax. The city would go crazy with people moving in. Ah, it is fun to dream. I would move into the city in a heartbeat! Who wouldn't, unless you have kids, but the tax you save would very much help pay for private school. It would be amazing!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Just like bookstores and libraries, I wonder how the information age will affect the idea of schooling?

I think the most likely scenario is it will flip what is considered class work and home work. Home will be for lectures and stuff, and class will be for guided and/or group work on problem sets and such.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

TI don't think there has been a huge increase in private school capacity.

Good point.