How much $$? (rant) Pardon me...

[I talk to the trees]

...but what in blazes are they DOING with all that money?

 

Okay, so we got a lovely little brochure in the mail today from the local superintendent of schools reminding everyone to go vote "yes" for the increases in next year's school budget. Among the items the district so desperately needs are $300,000 in new lighting equipment for the middle school's athletic facility- not the school building, mind you, but the athletic facility. And they want to establish a reserve fund (no more than $7 million, they say:glare:) for "additions throughout the district." I tell ya' what! Let the middle school athletes compete during the DAYLIGHT hours, (or perhaps focus on academics for a change) and take the $300,000 and put it in a reserve fund for a start. And there is a bunch of other vague begging in the rest of the propositions.....blah, blah, blah....

 

So my blood pressure was rising already, when I read the last page of the brochure, which stated that our county was soooooo far behind because we spend only $8798 per student rather than the state's average of $9485 per student annually. :glare: :001_huh: So....Where's that money going, and why are you asking me to vote myself higher taxes?

 

Oh, the things I could do with a budget of $8700! Heck! I'd be tickled pink if we had a yearly educational budget of $870! And I would have, if it weren't for the blasted school taxes! And they have the nerve to use MY tax dollars to print and mail brochures to ME asking ME to vote for higher school taxes so THEY can have a BIGGER per child budget? I'd like to find someone in charge of this grand scheme and beat them over the head with this brochure!:smash:

 

Okee-dokee :rant: I'm done. Thanks for letting me vent!

 

 

-Robin

[dirty ethel rackham]

This sounds like the beginnings of a letter to the editor of your local paper!

[Rhonda in TX]

but do they really spend that much per kid, or are they including all the associated costs (salaries, building expenses, etc.)? Also, that average includes all the special ed kids. Some of those kids have some pretty pricey accommodations.

 

Now, don't get me wrong. We vote against every single tax increase we come across, and I have serious problems with how the local school district chooses to spend its money. I just can't really compare my expenses to theirs.

[kokotg]

but do they really spend that much per kid, or are they including all the associated costs (salaries, building expenses, etc.)?

 

A big chunk of it is teacher salaries...although it sounds like this particular district might be a little too fixated on lighting :). That's the reason you'll see per student costs so much lower in other countries--and why the arguments claiming they do more with less money require an asterisk--teacher salaries and benefits are usually lower in other countries because the government provides more of the services that employers cover here. So, anyway, first you'd need to pay yourself a salary and cover your health insurance and retirement fund out of that $8700.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

In Hawaii it is about 12,000 per student. The magazine Honolulu just published their annual education issue. I particularly like the editorial in the back comparing Hawaii with Maryland on things like per pupil spendng and non-native English speakers, showing that Hawaii and Maryland were quite similar in many respects, except student outcomes, where Hawaii is much lower.

 

There was another commentary piece about how they couldn't do a school ranking this year because HDOE had changed or eliminated so many questions in their school survey.

 

Probably the most revealing article I ever read about Hawaii schools was the article in 2007 that quoted a couple trade union officials complaining that high school graduates weren't even qualifying to start the courses that would qualify them to start apprenticeships. They were having to give remedial training in order to bring them up to a level where they could even begin learnng a trade like masonry or carpentry or plumbing.

[Stacie]

Write a letter back to him and explain how you'd like to help increase the per child allocation. You'll be available to put on several seminars to the parents explaining the benefits of homeschooling, and your children will be joining you as examples. If more parents choose to withdraw their kids from his schools, his per student budget should grow (smaller denominator) and he doesn't need the tax increase. ;)

 

You may want to copy the newspaper, the mayor, and your local state representatives too. Let them know there are alternatives to higher taxes if they just step out of the box! :)

[I talk to the trees]

. So, anyway, first you'd need to pay yourself a salary and cover your health insurance and retirement fund out of that $8700.

 

With an average of 30 students per classroom, hmmm.....Yeah, I think I could survive on $261,000 per year. And this is the expenditure for "normal" students. The brochure lists the annual cost for special ed. as $15,484.

 

I am so sick of this stupid state and its stupid cost of living and its stupid taxes! :cursing: And I am SICK of hearing public school officials complain about how little money they have! It's called a BUDGET! You don't just get to tax the dickens out of people just because you think you should have another idiot administrator....GRRRR..... Okay. Time to chill and remember that I homeschool to get my child out of this absolutely INSANE system.

[joannqn]

My husband and I totally agree with the per student spending. It is completely out of control.

 

What really gets to me, though, is the teacher's union strikes we have every year. This year, it was in a upscale neighborhood school district where the average teacher salary is $85,000 a year, not including benefits. They needed more money and better medical benefits, in addition to other benefits. Meanwhile, the beginning of school was delayed a couple of weeks.

[newlifemom]

Write a letter back to him and explain how you'd like to help increase the per child allocation. You'll be available to put on several seminars to the parents explaining the benefits of homeschooling, and your children will be joining you as examples. If more parents choose to withdraw their kids from his schools, his per student budget should grow (smaller denominator) and he doesn't need the tax increase. ;)

 

You may want to copy the newspaper, the mayor, and your local state representatives too. Let them know there are alternatives to higher taxes if they just step out of the box! :)

 

 

I like your thinking.

[hsmamainva]

Our county's public school budget is over $33 million...and there are only 3800 students in the school system!!

 

That works out to nearly $8700 per student!

[Carrie12345]

$14,500 here.

Yup. :glare:

[Laura R (FL)]

Well they would be very unhappy with our local budget. They just fought to get it up to $6872 per student. Plus we have one of the largest school districts in the country. But, it's all perspective because FL has a lower cost of living than NY. Then again, we also have one of the worst ranked school systems, lol! Now, that's not money related. :D

 

They are always going through all sorts of experiments to save money...year round schooling, switching around start times, etc. Now they announced that the district is going to cut the number of middle school athletics meets, except for football <big eye roll>.

[Nestof3]

Perhaps a teacher's salary is somewhat low, but one has to add in the value of the health insurance, paid vacation, etc. not to mention retirement. My husband makes more than a teacher in salary being self-employed, but he gets no vacation, cannot call in sick, can take no personal days, pays his own health insurance and any retirement he will have will be because he has invested anything that's leftover.

 

IMO there are entirely too many paid gov't holidays as it is. Right after our city declared itself lacking in funds, the mayor announced all city employees would get another paid vacation day. ?????

 

DH does get a winter break -- but no pay. The money stops when he stops working.

 

Now, on topic:

 

I just assume a big business like that will mismanage money. It's much harder to scrutinize what's going on when a company gets big. Instead of aiming on scrutinizing how the current money is being used, they just ask for more money.

Edited May 8, 2009 by nestof3

[FO4UR]

This is why I want a parent's choice -voucher type system for ps.

 

I think a flat amount of taxes should go to keeping public school buildings maintained - and then all schools, public, private and other have to compete for students who come with a *per kid* amount of $ to offset (not pay completely;)) the cost of curricula and supplies and teacher's salaries.

 

Parents will have a lot more say in the quality of their children's education - and schools will work harder at excelling in the areas important to parents (hopefully math and reading will top the list...)

[PineFarmMom]

Write a letter back to him and explain how you'd like to help increase the per child allocation. You'll be available to put on several seminars to the parents explaining the benefits of homeschooling, and your children will be joining you as examples. If more parents choose to withdraw their kids from his schools, his per student budget should grow (smaller denominator) and he doesn't need the tax increase. ;)

 

You may want to copy the newspaper, the mayor, and your local state representatives too. Let them know there are alternatives to higher taxes if they just step out of the box! :)

 

Hee hee!! That'd be so funny!!

 

Yowza on the spending...I'll have to try not to dwell on that today. It's the kind of thing that really ticks me off!

[skaterbabs]

This is why I want a parent's choice -voucher type system for ps.

 

I think a flat amount of taxes should go to keeping public school buildings maintained - and then all schools, public, private and other have to compete for students who come with a *per kid* amount of $ to offset (not pay completely;)) the cost of curricula and supplies and teacher's salaries.

 

Parents will have a lot more say in the quality of their children's education - and schools will work harder at excelling in the areas important to parents (hopefully math and reading will top the list...)

 

 

:iagree:

 

The "free and appropriate" education to which my children are by law entitled, is neither free nor appropriate. It's exceedingly expensive and not appropriate by any stretch of the imagination. What our county spends on ONE student I could use for all three of mine and have some left over.

[LibraryLover]

Well... in New England, private school, not religious ones-- but the preppy private ones-- start at 19k per kid. That's for a day school. I have no idea how public schools can do it for 6k or 8k.

[joannqn]

Wow, what school district would that be? I have a friend near there that makes barely half of that teaching.

 

 

Shoot, I transposed the numbers. It's $58,000 a year, without benefits, and $80,000 a year with benefits. (I went back to an old post I wrote about it during the strike to verify the numbers as that's when I researched them and can't find those articles again.) The union was originally asking for a 11% pay increase. They settled the strike with a 5% pay increase over 3 years and an increase in benefits. I found an article from last month that the school district is looking to cut teachers next year to help pay for the increased costs.

[joannqn]

I found this...a list of teacher salaries...in our state. Some are low but I'm finding some in excess of $70,000. I found one teacher over $80,000. I've seen a couple of principals and superintendents making over $100,000, one was at $123,000. That's just in the first couple of pages.

 

A large majority of teachers in this state make more than my husband has ever made working in the IT field. Sometimes I think I should have finished school and gone into the teaching profession.

[Ali in OR]

In Oregon, I believe 86% of the budget goes to salaries--not materials, textbooks, etc. It is not a fair comparison to think about how well you could home school with $8500 because you are not paying any salaries or benefits.

 

I have lived the life of a teacher (4 years in a well-funded public school) and I have worked in industry (engineer for 3 years). As a general rule, teachers are way underpaid for what they do. My highest teaching salary was 2/3 of my industry salary. You have the same education level as other professionals at a much lower salary. Often your health benefits are a little better and you do have summers off. But I worked much longer hours during the school year as a teacher than I did as an engineer (you are either grading or prepping every night). And in industry, you are given all of the tools that will help you do your job. You are given a computer, have access to a printer, and never have to spend your own money for photo copies. Around here teachers rely on parents for their copy paper supply (a ream of paper per kid is on the supply list for most classes).

 

What's wrong with a teacher with 25 years of experience earning $80k??? That should be our expectation. Compare to other professional careers and teachers max out a lot lower. Of course with engineering going overseas and companies giving everyone pay cuts, that could be changing...

[fshinkevich]

In Oregon, I believe 86% of the budget goes to salaries--not materials, textbooks, etc. It is not a fair comparison to think about how well you could home school with $8500 because you are not paying any salaries or benefits.

 

I have lived the life of a teacher (4 years in a well-funded public school) and I have worked in industry (engineer for 3 years). As a general rule, teachers are way underpaid for what they do. My highest teaching salary was 2/3 of my industry salary. You have the same education level as other professionals at a much lower salary. Often your health benefits are a little better and you do have summers off. But I worked much longer hours during the school year as a teacher than I did as an engineer (you are either grading or prepping every night). And in industry, you are given all of the tools that will help you do your job. You are given a computer, have access to a printer, and never have to spend your own money for photo copies. Around here teachers rely on parents for their copy paper supply (a ream of paper per kid is on the supply list for most classes).

 

What's wrong with a teacher with 25 years of experience earning $80k??? That should be our expectation. Compare to other professional careers and teachers max out a lot lower. Of course with engineering going overseas and companies giving everyone pay cuts, that could be changing...

 

I agree the teachers (some of them anyway) deserve at least that amount of pay, I do have huge problems with how they budget their money otherwise. For example they spent a few thousand around here planting yellow flowers around the schools - they were dead in a week (who'd have thought!), and I constantly see upgrades to sports facilities, and not other areas. My kids middle school (my two oldest are in PS) got a brand new flooring in the gym, but kids have to take turns with the text books. And if we were not in a wealthy area with a very active PTA we would not have drama, art, band, or choir - every year there are talks of getting rid of these programs.

[Impish]

Personally, I think homeschoolers should either be able to opt out of having to pay school taxes, or receive back through taxes every cent they spend on homeschooling their children the way they would if they were running a home business, OR receive the same amount of funding that is allocated to a ps child per year. I think its ridiculous that homeschoolers have to pay taxes for public schools AND pay for all their childrens needs, without receiving any sort of breaks.

[MomLovesClassics]

Ok I would not be thrilled to see that in my mailbox either. I would suggest publically the athletic department do a fundraiser. This way they would not have to raise taxes. Let the athletic department wash cars. I would ride right by in my dirty car, smile and wave without stopping. :auto:

[MomLovesClassics]

Sorry! I just don't think everyone should suffer with a tax increase. It they have lights that work they should change the bulbs!

[mama2cntrykids]

This month our local district is voting to up the levy. They sent everyone a letter saying if we don't vote yes, many, many things will be cut (they included a list and how much will be cut).

 

I'm not for the referendum at all, but I'm not sure if I will vote or not. It's still up in the air right now.

[joannqn]

Personally, I think homeschoolers should either be able to opt out of having to pay school taxes, or receive back through taxes every cent they spend on homeschooling their children the way they would if they were running a home business, OR receive the same amount of funding that is allocated to a ps child per year. I think its ridiculous that homeschoolers have to pay taxes for public schools AND pay for all their childrens needs, without receiving any sort of breaks.

 

We have a way of doing this in WA. We have a couple of virtual academies here and one of them is quite homeschooler friendly. I get a student fund of up to $1200 per student that can be spent on curriculum, supplies, field trips, and classes in the community. I get to choose my own curriculum, teach using whatever method I want, pick my own hours, and call just about anything "school". There are some reporting requirements but they are easy and the school works to stay as hands off as possible.

 

This month our local district is voting to up the levy. They sent everyone a letter saying if we don't vote yes, many, many things will be cut (they included a list and how much will be cut).

 

That's how these things get passed, with fear tactics. It gets the parents thinking, "Oh, no! Johnny is in that program and loves it."

 

Sometimes I wonder if all the personnel that they have to hire and pay are actually necessary. I know my high school had a principal, four vice principals, 6 guidance counselors, a full time school nurse, 4-5 office staff, 2-3 attendance office staff, 3 full time security guards (they were responsible for stopping fights and keeping students from leaving campus), etc. One of my teachers (art teacher) appeared to always be drunk. He taught maybe 6 days per semester. He'd show us the project and leave us on our own to work on it, chat in class, and do whatever we wanted. I completed the 6 projects in the first two weeks of class and slept the rest of the semester. For that, I received an A. Does the school really need to pay teachers like this? Apparently, yes, because the unions won't let the school fire incompetent teachers.

 

John Stossel's "Stupid in America" is really eye opening. Here's an article about some of the things they found including New York school district paying a teacher who had sent sexual messages to a 16 year old. They couldn't put him in the classroom but they still had to pay him his salary per union contract...to the tune of $300,000 before they could finally get him off the books. (OP, I just noticed....there's your school district's money for their lights!) New York school chancellor says that he employs dozens of "teachers" that he's afraid to let near the kids but he cannot fire due to union contracts. He said that year he'd spend $20 million dollars to house these "teachers" in what he calls "rubber rooms". The new contract would make it easier to fire sex offenders but it is still almost impossible to fire incompetent teachers; only 2 teachers in 80,000 have been fired due to incompetence. I'm sure more than that would qualify as "incompetent."

[my4boysmom]

I would love that budget per child also and I have special education kids that someone mentioned. The PS thought buying Wilson Reading for 5th graders was smarter than buying it for a 1st grader. They were testing it out. I had a 3rd grader with Dyslexia and they didn't think testing on him was good. I asked them what they would be using and couldn't get answer. I couldn't even get an answer on what they were using. It wouldn't cost that much if they simply used the right programs to begin with. I got further with him then they did and give him the same amount of time. What you do has everything to do with their success. They never clicked with him in three years. I did it in one year with limited knowledge and money. The cost for our journey in finding the right one was $400. The programs are reusable and the one we are using will last him through all of his reading.

 

I don't think they spend their money wisely to begin with. They don't get rid of ineffective staff (principals, admin and teachers) and this is one thing broken big time. I vote these things down big time. The superintendents are horrible where we are. They don't return phones calls nor do they hear problems. I should not have to go to a board meeting to solve simple things.

 

 

I have one in PS and I can't even get them to do the non costing things related to his IEP. He is in HS so the Sped depart doesn't have to do much but oversee which they don't do well at so when the HS asks for more money it makes me mad. The teachers run the asylum (I am referring to our school) and yes I mean that because I think it's crazy to ask a teacher a question and get an answer of "What do you mean?" I will have to go to a board meeting to get anywhere. It's insane because one shouldn't have to do that to get a simple thing resolved. The simple thing turned into a wild crazy thing.

 

Schools need to fix what they have and clean house.

[my4boysmom]

:iagree:

 

The "free and appropriate" education to which my children are by law entitled, is neither free nor appropriate. It's exceedingly expensive and not appropriate by any stretch of the imagination. What our county spends on ONE student I could use for all three of mine and have some left over.

 

So true.... we could use that money for extras and things that deal with higher learning. I would love that budget. I couldn't get the teachers to even like my ADHD child because it required real work to teach him.

[my4boysmom]

Well... in New England, private school, not religious ones-- but the preppy private ones-- start at 19k per kid. That's for a day school. I have no idea how public schools can do it for 6k or 8k.

 

They don't do it. They cram bunches of kids in the class. They answer to no one when the private schools have to answer to someone.

[Stacie]

Personally, I think homeschoolers should either be able to opt out of having to pay school taxes, or receive back through taxes every cent they spend on homeschooling their children the way they would if they were running a home business, OR receive the same amount of funding that is allocated to a ps child per year. I think its ridiculous that homeschoolers have to pay taxes for public schools AND pay for all their childrens needs, without receiving any sort of breaks.

 

 

In theory, this sounds equitable. However, I can see a very slippery slope here. Parents without a true conviction to homeschool may look at this as an opportunity to receive a tax break. Without the true desire to provide a quality, rigorous education the children will suffer, and so will the homeschooling reputation. We've all seen examples of that in the news.

 

I want my child's education to be superior, but if 90% of homeschool students are truants playing at the mall while parents are claiming tax credit for "educating" them without proper oversight, my child's education is not as valuable in the eyes of society.

 

School taxes, as long as they are not out of control and are used for truly educational purposes, help the entire community. We live in an excellent school district and our property values are consistently higher than similar properties in surrounding districts with lower rankings. There are lower crime rates, fewer discipline problems at our schools, and a much higher university enrollment due in part to the more rigorous local educational system. We don't use it at all but we do appreciate the efforts of the teachers and other personnel, and are okay with paying a reasonable tax for the overall benefit.

Edited May 9, 2009 by Stacie

[Kathy in MD]

With an average of 30 students per classroom, hmmm.....Yeah, I think I could survive on $261,000 per year. And this is the expenditure for "normal" students. The brochure lists the annual cost for special ed. as $15,484.

 

I am so sick of this stupid state and its stupid cost of living and its stupid taxes! :cursing: And I am SICK of hearing public school officials complain about how little money they have! It's called a BUDGET! You don't just get to tax the dickens out of people just because you think you should have another idiot administrator....GRRRR..... Okay. Time to chill and remember that I homeschool to get my child out of this absolutely INSANE system.

 

Taxes and constant cries for more do get irratating. In fact, it can be a lot more than irratating. Especially in this economy.

 

However that $261,000 per year you dream of wouldn't go only to you, the teacher. In your household budget, the purchase of the car, insurance, maintenance, chauffer and most of the gas would not be applied against the education budget.

 

If you need to re-roof your house, the cost of the contractor, the costs to prepare the specifications, the costs to bid the work, the legal review, AND the supervision of that work woudn't go against your education budget. Remember also the individual preparing the plans and specification and supervising the work would also need a vehicle and gas to do his work. For a school system, this all goes against the education budget.

 

Heating and cooling is not an education expense in a home, but it is in a school system, along with its maintenance, repairs and the staff to do the work. These people need to be on call 24 hours/day plus generally need to be licenced to deal with boilers. BTW, steamfitters aren't in the safest profession. You have a short? The school system has to use a licenced electrician to repair it. At home, a handy homeowner could do the job.

 

Do you want to repaint a room? Once again, it doesn't go against your education budget but it does in a school system.

 

I've worked for a school system, not in the education arena, but in the construction and maintaince area. We also shared space with the school security (police) command center. I've just barely touched on the extra expenses a school system has. It's easy to forget the extra costs that go into that $6-8000/ student.

 

I understand that the constant cries for more get more and more irritating. I also know that the schools need to tighten their belts more. But there are a lot more costs that go into that school budget than most people think about.

 

BTW, why does the school system need the improved lighting systems? Are they going to open the facilities to kids to get them off the streets? Rent the facilities out? Or just give more oportunities for all the students to participate in athletic events? Of course, they may only want to have fancier stuff :tongue_smilie:

[scrapbookbuzz]

Here in AZ, we have several professional athletes paid millions of dollars per year. My question is WHY?? And WHY can we not decrease THEIR salary and give some of it to our grossly underpaid teachers? Now, granted, I'm a big proponent of homeschooling but I know that's not always a possibility. We will always have public schools so why not pay teachers and social workers MORE and the athletes a little LESS?

[cin]

[quote name=flutistmom;937955

So my blood pressure was rising already' date=' when I read the last page of the brochure, which stated that our county was soooooo far behind because we spend only $8798 per student rather than the state's average of $9485 per student annually.

Okee-dokee :rant: I'm done. Thanks for letting me vent!

 

-Robin

 

 

For less than that I could send my child to a decent private Christian School in our area. It's actually around $7k. I keep reminding my husband of that when I need to spend $100 on curriculum :tongue_smilie:

 

I, personally, really appreciate my tax dollars going to educate these children, and STILL paying to educate my own. :rant: But I won't get started on that. Geez, they get 8K to educate my child, who isn't even there. (I really really really hope that this is wrong, but I have a funny feeling that I'm right.).

[kalanamak]

I found this...a list of teacher salaries...in our state. Some are low but I'm finding some in excess of $70,000. I found one teacher over $80,000. I've seen a couple of principals and superintendents making over $100,000, one was at $123,000. That's just in the first couple of pages.

 

 

To say nothing of the ridiculous superintendents who float from program to program getting their bonus as they float on. I quit reading the newspaper I was getting so redfaced about the one in your town.

[cathmom]

$24,000 a year to maintain our house, cover my benefits, and buy curriculum? OK.

 

(basing that on having 3 school age children)

[Impish]

In theory, this sounds equitable. However, I can see a very slippery slope here. Parents without a true conviction to homeschool may look at this as an opportunity to receive a tax break. Without the true desire to provide a quality, rigorous education the children will suffer, and so will the homeschooling reputation. We've all seen examples of that in the news.

 

I want my child's education to be superior, but if 90% of homeschool students are truants playing at the mall while parents are claiming tax credit for "educating" them without proper oversight, my child's education is not as valuable in the eyes of society.

 

 

I understand what you're saying. However, I know here in Alberta, and many other areas do have some sort of standards that have to be met and are checked on. For example, I meet twice a year with an adviser who goes through our folders, discusses our goals, where we're at, etc. So there is a standard to be met. Its not without some sort of structure. I sincerely doubt there are that many parents that are so money hungry that they would pull their children out of school for a tax break and leave them to roam the streets and not educate them that 90% of homeschooled children would be truants. Most parents value their childrens education far higher than a mere tax break.

 

However, I hear time and again from parents who cannot afford to have a parent at home, who would love to homeschool but are barely making ends meet with both working full time. Perhaps if there were tax breaks in recognition of homeschooling, perhaps more families could afford to homeschool.

[my4boysmom]

Here in AZ, we have several professional athletes paid millions of dollars per year. My question is WHY?? And WHY can we not decrease THEIR salary and give some of it to our grossly underpaid teachers? Now, granted, I'm a big proponent of homeschooling but I know that's not always a possibility. We will always have public schools so why not pay teachers and social workers MORE and the athletes a little LESS?

 

I'm in AZ also but what we have gone through in Agua Fria School District and Avondale School District is appaulling. They are not the better school districts for sure and coming from Peoria School District I expect more. We have teachers teaching that truly don't give the profession a good name. I have five teachers in our family and they aren't impressed either.

 

I am not okay with doing away with Athletics. I don't think we have enough excercise as it is. This is why our country has too many overweight people. My incoming senior would have quit school if it weren't for football. Football will get him into college. He is dyslexic and will never be a 4.0. He is smart and gets okay grades but many of the teams get sponsorship outside of district money. I don't know why we are paying for Pros unless you are referring to Hamilton High. That is not acceptable. The parents can pay for that. We pay for most of the stuff as parents so I'm not sure what moneys are going toward athletics specifically.

 

I'm not impressed with our schools in AZ at all. We are too busy teaching English to kids who should already speak it.

[my4boysmom]

To say nothing of the ridiculous superintendents who float from program to program getting their bonus as they float on. I quit reading the newspaper I was getting so redfaced about the one in your town.

 

 

It's the district level that has the issues. These boards need to clean house. Get rid of the useless superintendents. Agua Fria School District is a good start in Arizona.

[I talk to the trees]

 

I want my child's education to be superior, but if 90% of homeschool students are truants [citation?] playing at the mall while parents are claiming tax credit for "educating" them without proper oversight, my child's education is not as valuable in the eyes of society.

 

 

 

-Robin