What do you think about Bexar ISD? (Houston, San Antonio: lawyers, unemployment rate)

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by meisha210

Here is a Texas report on the optimal size for schools and districts.

Just for clarification the above report by Chris Patterson from the Center for Education Policy Studies is not an official Texas government report.

The Center for Education Policy Studies is part of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a private conservative group, so quite biased.

Texas Public Policy Foundation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brooke Leslie Rollins "served as deputy general counsel, ethics advisor, and policy director" for Governor Rick Perry before becoming president of this private group.

Brooke Rollins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Do we really want to be taking advice from Rick Perry or any of his former advisors when it comes to our schools? We all know how their advice continues to affect our schools.

[cwh]

It would have good and bad effects. It would reduce overhead and increase economies of scale. However it would increase the chance of corruption and increased inflexibility of management.

Would be easier to allow school choice amongst the districts and let then let the districts compete for students and dollars.

[L210]

Originally Posted by Merovee

Just for clarification the above report by Chris Patterson from the Center for Education Policy Studies is not an official Texas government report.

The Center for Education Policy Studies is part of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a private conservative group, so quite biased.

Texas Public Policy Foundation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brooke Leslie Rollins "served as deputy general counsel, ethics advisor, and policy director" for Governor Rick Perry before becoming president of this private group.

Brooke Rollins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Do we really want to be taking advice from Rick Perry or any of his former advisors when it comes to our schools? We all know how their advice continues to affect our schools.

The state representative who is proposing the consolidation of the school districts is a conservative Republican. The conservative Republicans are looking to balance the budget by mostly cutting from education without considering the consequences. So going along with this plan is taking the advice of a conservative Republican.

[cwh]

Originally Posted by meisha210

The state representative who is proposing the consolidation of the school districts is a conservative Republican. The conservative Republicans are looking to balance the budget by mostly cutting from education without considering the consequences. So going along with this plan is taking the advice of a conservative Republican.

So where should the money come from the fulfill the budget holes so that every budget can be fulfilled? Or should we take a hard look at how to determine how to be utilize tax payer dollars?

[L210]

Here is a study by the Center for the Study of Education Policy which is apart of Illinois State University. It is not the same as Center for Education Policy in Texas. It basically says that consolidating small school districts has many benefits such as lowering costs, expanding curriculum, had having more resources for advanced and special needs students. But once the school districts get to a certain size you see higher costs per pupil, a negative effect on achievement of low income students, and lower graduation rates.

http://www.centereducationpolicy.ils...ldistricts.pdf

To answer your question, cwh, making the school districts too large could end up costing more money. The state should only look at consolidating small school districts.

[cwh]

Originally Posted by meisha210

Here is a study by the Center for the Study of Education Policy which is apart of Illinois State University. It is not the same as Center for Education Policy in Texas. It basically says that consolidating small school districts has many benefits such as lowering costs, expanding curriculum, had having more resources for advanced and special needs students. But once the school districts get to a certain size you see higher costs per pupil, a negative effect on achievement of low income students, and lower graduation rates.

http://www.centereducationpolicy.ils...ldistricts.pdf

To answer your question, cwh, making the school districts too large could end up costing more money. The state should only look at consolidating small school districts.

That is probably correct. But I think it is also time for all districts to figure out how to better spend tax dollars.

[L210]

Here is a different proposal for balancing the budget.

About $7 billion in federal government stimulus funds could reduce that budget shortfall to about $20 billion. The state could then use its $9.4 billion "rainy day fund" to lower the budget deficit to about $11 billion. Broadening the sales tax base slightly could eliminate most of that remaining $11 billion shortfall, without any further tax increase. This strategy would maintain the current level of state services.

Democratic Blog of Collin County - News: TX House Budget Proposal Slashes $9.8 Billion From Education

[TexasRedneck]

Sorry....but IMO the budget needs to be balanced, not propped up by creative funding measures (new fees, one-time federal funds, etc). That's part of the problem - we've allowed growth without consideration as to cost down the road. What started out as a lunch program for "underpriveleged" has grown into breakfast - and now many communities are pushing to have schools send food home with the kids for their weekend meals, too.

I'm sorry.....but if you have the kids, it should be your responsibility to raise and feed them - not the taxpayer.

[L210]

Funding should also keep up with growth which is part of the problem. You can't give schools the same budget every year when you have an increasing student population. The taxes would have mostly kept up with growth if the tax swap wasn't done in 2006.

This should be a one-time shortfall that can be remedied with a one-time solution since the issue is the national economy according to Perry. Afterward, economic growth should continue which will boost tax revenue.

Yes; if more people graduated high school, maybe even got some post-secondary education, and Texas had better paying jobs; more people could afford to provide lunch for their children. Considering that the unemployment rate is above normal, many people who were earning a decent amount of money are now out of work; no fault of their own.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by meisha210

The state representative who is proposing the consolidation of the school districts is a conservative Republican. The conservative Republicans are looking to balance the budget by mostly cutting from education without considering the consequences. So going along with this plan is taking the advice of a conservative Republican.

Well most in the legislature are Republicans but they will not agree on every issue. The fight over who would be speaker is a case in point. Most issues coming up are going to have Republicans for and against and taking sides will be a matter between conservative and moderate views.

I would not really consider Fred Brown a conservative in every issue since he can be quite moderate in a few of them.

He is in favor of, "enacting environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law."

While some conservatives wish to deny higher education to some, Brown does not, which is not surprising considering College Station is in his district. Brown's own goals this session in his own words are as follows.

My top priorities during the 81st session is to make higher education accessible and affordable to any one who shows the scholastic ability and the desire to earn a degree. To debate the issue of wasteful spending and to be a watchdog over contracts and overcharges to our state agencies.

The Libertarian candidate who ran against Brown in 2008 could be differentiated from him in a couple of issues.

Darby believes that state welfare programs should be eliminated while Brown supports welfare. Darby believes that most state funded programs should be greatly reduced and most state taxes should be greatly reduced, while Brown supports sustaining state funded programs and maintaining most taxes.

Left of College Station: The Almost Unopposed Republican: Fred Brown

Rep. Brown can be quite the social conservative but in other matters he has warned his fellow legislators that the mandate they received should not be mistaken by some as permission to overreach and push their agenda. Naturally there will also be much agreement between him and some of the newer legislators as well as with Gov. Rick Perry.

To be honest I am unsure where Perry stands on this issue. An interesting note is that Fred Brown was born in Germany and adopted by Texans. He also ran a car dealership and in this issue I trust his sense to deliver more bang for our buck while cutting overhead.