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I doubt that less per student is given now than back when the schools were known for quality.
The reason you spend something like 46/50 is that you've found so much other things to spend taxpayer money on -- but spending for schools isn't down. California spends more than enough per student.
Adjusted for inflation so that we can accurately compare spending in different years, yes, over all education spending has been going down for decades. Hell, when my parents were in school in the 50's and 60's California schools offered just about everything either free or heavily subsidized by the state from Kindergarden through post graduate degree work at a state university. It was all included as part of the taxes you paid. Both of my parents got degrees at state universities which essentially cost them nothing since subsidies and state cash grants paid for virtually everything including cost of books and general living expenses.
Even 11 years ago when I graduated from a UC school tuition was only about $4000 per year and grant covered much of it if not most. Now it is going to cost around $13k-15k per year for tuition and don't bother looking for a CalGrant since they've been slashed in the budget. Cutting education spending is often the path of least resistance so it is often the first place politicians cut even though educations spending pays for itself in the long run since graduates earn more and thus pay more in taxes during the 40-50 years of their working life.
Assuming, in this economy, one can find a job. And assuming if somewhere is hiring, they'll pick a student with a degree in progress and a class schedule to work around over a person with a degree and nothing limiting their availability.
Two of the physicians I work with both have kids that volunteered for military service... they have no experience... one was trying to get on in law enforcement and has had a hard time since all the local departments are laying off seasoned officers...
The military guaranteed he will be joining the military police once finished with boot camp...
So yes... even in the economy... people with little to no experience can get a job with benefits... or might even say a career.
One of are nurses received her training through the military and she enjoyed the rank of Officer...
Options exist.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 05-15-2011 at 08:58 PM..
If you already made it in...obviously your initial statement has no relevance and hence is really superfluous.
You are missing the point that wages have not increased to match the increase of tuition. Thus, even working full time won't cover the rise in tuition.
What if you want to become a teacher, a social worker, or a nurse (yes, some nurses even have master degrees). So we should negate those people since there are "multiple paths"? Increasingly, higher education is that path. Not to mention you still have to pay tuition for technical trades (which have skyrocketed in tuition as well).
The man who graduated from UC Berkeley and worked for 50 years probably has no clue about the current state today. A lot has changed in even the past 15 years in tuition.
Clearly you seem out of touch.
In the trenches everyday...
No one has said the cost of Higher Education has not increased in California... so has just about everything else.
Again, desire is important... the competition to get into nursing school is extreme and desire alone is not enough.
As I pointed out... I work with medical professionals that received their training through the military... are you aware there are three paths to becoming a Registered Nurse in California?
Community College and University Degree Programs
Diploma Programs where you learn on the job and out of favor today
Being a military medic and challenging the State Board... this is a special provision in California. I work with an excellent military trained RN and know several others.
Before prop 13 California spent the most on education but now we spend something like 46/50 while our state's schools went from the best to one of the worst (on average though there are still some districts which are great). Conservatives love to say "throwing money at a problem won't solve it", which is fair enough, but we know not spending money pretty much assures failure. Double the number of students in each class hasn't helped, eliminating most electives hasn't helped, decreasing the number of school days per year to save money hasn't helped, getting rid of tutoring hasn't helped. You can go on and on with a million examples but our schools started their slide almost exactly when they started cutting the funding.
I live in a city with top public schools and many bottom of the list public schools.
My city, Oakland CA, spends nearly $16,000 per student per year... hardly sounds like a lack of money.
The interesting thing is charter schools on average has much better results without additional money...
A large number of catholic school students also excel at a cost per pupil anywhere from 20 to 40% less than public schools.
Clearly, money is not the answer. If it was, Oakland Students would be near the top in the State in academics.
Adjusted for inflation so that we can accurately compare spending in different years, yes, over all education spending has been going down for decades. Hell, when my parents were in school in the 50's and 60's California schools offered just about everything either free or heavily subsidized by the state from Kindergarden through post graduate degree work at a state university. It was all included as part of the taxes you paid. Both of my parents got degrees at state universities which essentially cost them nothing since subsidies and state cash grants paid for virtually everything including cost of books and general living expenses.
Even 11 years ago when I graduated from a UC school tuition was only about $4000 per year and grant covered much of it if not most. Now it is going to cost around $13k-15k per year for tuition and don't bother looking for a CalGrant since they've been slashed in the budget. Cutting education spending is often the path of least resistance so it is often the first place politicians cut even though educations spending pays for itself in the long run since graduates earn more and thus pay more in taxes during the 40-50 years of their working life.
When I went to public school... there was no free lunch... today, the same school furnishes free lunch and a heavily subsidized after school program... something else I did not have.
Lots of Students still receive PEL grants... just another option.
Two of the physicians I work with both have kids that volunteered for military service... they have no experience... one was trying to get on in law enforcement and has had a hard time since all the local departments are laying off seasoned officers...
The military guaranteed he will be joining the military police once finished with boot camp...
So yes... even in the economy... people with little to no experience can get a job with benefits... or might even say a career.
One of are nurses received her training through the military and she enjoyed the rank of Officer...
Options exist.
So what about those of us who aren't qualified for military service?
So what about those of us who aren't qualified for military service?
Some people are just out of luck... there are many things I am simply not qualified for and I accept that.
The most common reasons for military disqualification are Drugs and Criminal Record... not sure giving a free ride to Addicts and Criminals is a wise use of Taxpayer Funds in most cases.
Heck, a person does not even have to be a US Citizen to serve and serving honorably is a path to citizenship too
So what about those of us who aren't qualified for military service?
My sister got a 2 year CC degree with loans. Then got a job in a hospital and finished her 4 year degree with tuition reimbursement from the hospital.
Took her a bit longer but she was able to work, pay off her CC loan and got the rest of her education done at the expense of the hospital.
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