6:15 Final announcement: With schools closed, tomorrow's follow-up news conference with Gorman is canceled. We'll still try to get some questions answered.
6:05: Budget discussion is over. Sorry my posts got slim toward the end; trying to write for early icy-road deadlines. Remember, no school in CMS tomorrow.
6 p.m. Davis: What cuts did you reject? Gorman: Eliminating magnet busing, making deeper cuts to weighted student staffing, making classes even larger or including younger grades.
Davis: "I don't like any of these, but it's what we have to do."
5:46 White: "If I were king for a day I'd decree universal pre-K." But I agree we can't keep paying for it from K-12 money when it's so tight.
5:44 Joe White: I hate to cut middle school sports "but I don't know how to save it." Make sure community groups use school athletic fields so they're not wasted.
White and Lennon both say longer elementary-school day is one of the few good things in this plan.
5:40 Tim Morgan: How many of the 1,516 jobs being eliminated are teachers? Gorman says he'll get answer.
5:33 Lennon: Pre-K is valuable but I support plan to cut. "We cannot continue to pay for pre-K with our shrinking K-12 budget." Would like to see cuts to magnet busing, maybe expand shuttle stops (she's not arguing to eliminate altogether). Gorman says he doesn't think more shuttles would work with current staff.
Lennon says loss of middle-school sports "does not sit well with me" but she understands need to cut. Says CMS will work with other groups to create new opportunities for sports, pre-K.
5:27 School is closed tomorrow.
5:26 McGarry: Stop using lunch-subsidy numbers to measure school poverty and spend money to help disadvantaged kids. Says the numbers are not reliable enough. CMS should demand W2s from parents applying, she says.
Davis: "I don't want to show my W2 to some volunteer at a school. ... There's no doubt fraud occurs, but the fact of the matter is the child doesn't commit fraud."
5:19 CMS TV comes up again. Eric Davis notes the only thing running now is board meetings and reruns of old CMS footage. Gorman says there's also footage of Ed Sec Arne Duncan's visit shot by "other providers." He says CMS TV is not an expense.
5:14 Gorman: "These cuts are absolutely devastating to CMS."
Kaye McGarry: Why not restructure administration? Gorman: We have done that and cut admin jobs for last four years.
5:12 Gorman says if board wants to cut magnet busing, do it this month, but "I would not recommend that cut at this time."
5:10 Gorman says he does not recommend cutting magnet busing for $100 million plan, but if cuts were to be worse this could come up.
5:09 Bright Beginnings cuts would cut enrollment from 3,200 to 1,178. Proposal closes all pre-K centers and BB classes at Hickory Grove, Lebanon Road, Long Creek and Winding Springs elementaries. BB classes will be only at Title I high-poverty schools. "This is one we do not want to do," says Gorman, but it saves $10 million.
5:06 Changing school schedules will save $4 million "but will be a disruption for a great number of people," Gorman says. More than 80,000 students will see schedule change. Early decision needed so parent can make decisions about magnets.
5:01 Elementary school day would go from 6 hr 15 min to 7 hours. All but 45 schools will see some change in schedule. Twelve will see their schedule change by 60 to 90 minutes. Longer days already being done at current K-8 magnets. "This is a challenge" for faculty -- longer days and bigger classes.
5 p.m. Gorman asks board to vote this month on weighted student staffing so high-school principals can adjust class schedules for 2011-12.
4:57 Eliminating 1,516 jobs includes 154 Bright Beginnings jobs that had been paid for with federal stimulus money that disappears.
4:55 Almost $4.3 million for various incentive and recruitment bonuses would go.
4:53 Change in weighted student staffing would eliminate 134 of about 800 teachers CMS provides based on school poverty. Proposal also eliminates assistants in grades 1 and 2.
4:51 "Eliminate one support position at each school" means instructional support, such as academic and literacy facilitator, counselors, librarians. Schools would decide what to cut. 164 jobs total.
4:48 Gorman says support cuts include 50+ custodians cut, 20+ campus security guards gone. Middle-school sports would be eliminated. $4 million in transportation cuts are from changing start times (discussion of magnet busing to come).
4:37 Grim dates ahead: May 15 teachers will be notified if they're on the layoff list. Administrators get layoff notices by June 1 and teachers get final notice by June 15.
Gorman says "dates to be announced" for community meetings. He asks board to add a public-comment period for Jan. 25 meeting because of budget votes (second meeting of the month normally doesn't have them). Eric Davis says absolutely.
4:35 Haven't dozed off; Gorman is just going through the background we've heard before. New recommendations should be up soon.
4:25 CMS has got the proposed bell-schedule changes posted.
4:19 Gorman reminds board that they can revise his proposed cuts, but if they pull something off the list, something new will have to be cut and there aren't many good options left.
4:15 Gorman says cuts are "uncharted territory" that will provide a "true test" for staff, students and community. "We try to make cuts as far away from the classroom as possible." Some think that's only teachers, he says, but "when you cut a psychologist or a social worker, you have impacted the classroom."
4:10 Gorman: "There's going to be a lot of changes coming quickly, and that can lead to rumors and misinformation." He urges board members to be accurate and correct misinformation when they hear it.
4:08 Presentation on 2011 budget beginning. Gorman says he's presenting "our best thinking for an additional $100 million in budget cuts. These cuts will affect everyone in CMS in some way. They will affect everyone in our community, whether you live in the suburbs or the city."
4:05 Lennon notes that many schools with strong PTAs participate in SchoolMates, where they share some of their money with a high-poverty school.
4 p.m. Richard McElrath says per-pupil spending calculations should include booster clubs and PTAs. Tim Morgan says even at schools with strongest fund-raising, it's not nearly enough per pupil to make a big difference.
Gorman notes that at a school with 1,000 students, a PTA would have to raise $1 million to boost the per-pupil spending by $1,000. But he says PTA money does make a difference: "It's not the volume of those dollars, it's the flexibility of those dollars."
3:55 Kudos to CMS -- they do have live webstreaming up and running. Great timing on a day when it's hard to get to a crucial meeting.
3:54 Rhonda Lennon notes that Districts 1 and 6 (north and south suburbs) are at the bottom of per-pupil spending, but they're getting good results. "It's clearly not throwing money at these kids that are making them proficient." Says it "hurts me with my constituency" to have to explain why their kids get so little spending.
3:52 Joe White says having five principals for five small schools at Olympic is an example of somethign that adds expense but also boosts academic results. Asks Gorman if he's on target; doesn't get a simple answer."We like to get the best results for the lowest cost," Gorman says.
3:50 p.m. Trent Merchant says new progress reports are "exactly what we asked for."
"I think the calculation of return on investment does make sense. It's helpful and timely to have this information now," with the prospect looming of cutting the investment.
3:45 Only about two dozen people are left in the audience, with the budget presentation still to come. But I suspect a lot are watching on TV. Does anyone know if the live webstreaming worked?
3:35: Tom Tate questions "return on investment" figure -- the schools with neediest students generally look the worst. Says it's confusing. Gorman says it's only one piece of the school-success picture. "It's one factor. It's the newest factor."
Gorman adds that even the full school progress report isn't enough to judge a school. You've got to be there, he says.
Meanwhile, here's a budget background document CMS sent along.
3:25 p.m. I'm trying to figure out the bell schedule sheet; maybe you CMS employees who are reading along can help. It looks like most schools would see changes, and maybe longer school day for elementary schools? Presentation should be coming up; hope they'll explain.
3:10 p.m. Staff is starting a report on school progress measures. This will include the per-pupil spending report that has generated a lot of discussion.
This year's progress report includes prominent display of per-pupil spending, plus a unique-to-CMS "return on investment" measure that shows how each school rates on student growth compared with spending, says Chris Cobitz of accountability staff. "This is the first year we are reporting this about our schools."
3:02 p.m. Public comments are over; board is moving to business items.
Presentation lists "potential future recommendation" to cut busing for all magnet students, about 12,000 kids. Not clear what that means; presentation indicates it should be an early decision so families would know before choosing magnets.
3 p.m. Early decisions Gorman is seeking: Scaling back on weighted student staffing (extra teachers based on student poverty), changing bell schedules to streamline busing, reducing BB classes from 175 to 70. BB cut is actually about $10.4 million, spread into a few categories in presentation.
2:55 p.m. OK, here's the link to the document. The 2011 recommendations start on page 26. And this has a few key pages that weren't on my hard copy, so I'm about to digest those. -- ADH
2:45 p.m. Brett Loftis of the Council for Children's Rights tells the board that many who wanted to speak about Bright Beginnings couldn't make it because of icy roads and the time change. He urges the board to schedule another session for public comment: "I would hate for us to trade expediency for involvement in the process."
-- ADH
---
2:30 p.m. Speakers are pushing the importance of Bright Beginnings in preparing students to learn. BB serves 4-year-olds who show deficiencies in the skills they need to start kindergarten, regardless of family income.
It's not clear yet what a $2 million cut would mean for the program; it's a relatively small slice of the total BB budget.
CMS has handed out paper copies of Gorman's presentation, but it doesn't seem to be online yet. Officials say there will also be a report on changing "bell times," or school start/dismissal schedules, to save money on busing. -- ADH
---
2:20 p.m. The presentation Superintendent Peter Gorman is going to give later in this meeting outlines 1,516 job cuts, as part of a plan to cut just over $100 million in 2011. It's not clear how many of those would involve layoffs; sometimes vacant positions are eliminated.
The biggest cut -- 1,045 jobs and just over $61 million -- would come from schools. Among the items listed in the presentation: Cutting teachers and assistants, and increasing class sizes by an average of two students in grades 4-12.
The plan calls for cutting $8 million from building services, $4 million from transportation, $3.2 million from career-technical education and $2.1 million from Bright Beginnings. Details coming later in the meeting. -- ADH
---
The meeting chamber is about half full, as the 2 p.m. meeting that will feature about $100 million in tentative budget cuts begins. All board members made it despite icy roads; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent a four-wheel drive vehicle to get Rhonda Lennon from the icy north suburbs. A state official who was supposed to speak couldn't get here.
About 20 speakers have signed up, including advocates for magnet schools and Bright Beginnings prekindergarten. Speakers will be heard before the budget presentation.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Gorman's plan cuts 1,500 jobs
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
151 comments:
Goodbye CTE. No support for career and technical education. College for all, graduation for half. A shame.
I bet Gorman is thrilled iwth the snow and ice. Probably kept a lot of angry parents from attending the meeting.
Only the westside schools should increase class sizes. Schools like Myers Park and Ardrey Kell have 40 to a class while West Meck has 15 to a class. As usual CMS and Gorman are is the only county cutting major teacher positions.
The powerpoint shows saving over $11 million dollars by "Eliminate one support position at each school".
What is the definition of a support position? Counselor, School Psychologist, Secretary??????
Gorman plans to add 45 min to one hour to elementary and middle school start/end times to save on busing
Magnet transportation is listed as a "future potential reduction." Bright Beginnings recommendation is cut 175 classes to 70.
Does everyone realize CMS teachers are only 44% of the employees in CMS! Yet Gorman still makes the schools his favorite place to cut, the actual place where learning takes place. The suburban high schools are being strangled. Compare the CMS cuts (and class sizes) with other counties. Young teachers, run from this school system as fast as you can. 300 hundred more a month is not worth being strangled by his teaher unfriendly cuts.
Another budget recommendation - change weighted student staffing from 1.3 to 1.25. Looks like an increase of 2 students per class in grades 4-12.
Where are y'all finding some of these details? You seem to have a better document than I do. Post links if you've got 'em, please.
Elementary schools barely have any support positions left.
As a CMS CTE teacher, I am again devastated with the short-sightedness of CMS by eliminating CTE programs. NOT all students should, would, and/or will go to university. When are we as a society, state, school district, and community going to recognize that truth and prepare students for honest careers, not pie-in-the-sky futures?
Ann - We Can't send you the info. We are teachers who just recieved them on our CMS e-mail. We don't like what is happening but we NEED our jobs.
CTE teacher just sent you the budget powerpoint -- to your email.
Didn't see a reduction in Pay for Performance or all the new data driven software. Building services is already running on empty and the infrastructure is pathetic. The state has eliminated EOG's......CMS? Elimination of assistant principals again?
...again...no mention of cutting sports programs.
To Anon regarding class sizes at West Meck. I'd like to see your numbers of 15 per class. My son goes there and I have never seen any classes at 15 other than in the language academy.
I'm just glad he is a senior and has 5 months to go and we're out of this mess.
No where is Parent U on the cut list.
Guess we need Parent U more than we need TAs.
Ms. Helms,
"Pete" sent the powerpoint out to all CMS employees at 1:58pm via email.
That's where I think folks are getting their data/questions?
These cuts are devastating. You think this year is bad. 45+ for electives. 35+ for Core classes. Suspensions will shoot up, as will violence.
CMS does not fund Parent University.
Ann 3:02, I'm not clear what "potential" future recommendation means either.
I think it means that the cuts will go through IF Smith Language Academy's parents don't kick his butt up and down I-77 first.
Wiley, the West language academy isn't even a language academy as the entire program has been "neutered." See the gigantic classes at South Meck for what the "new" immersion program looks like. Stuffed to the gills with online courses.
CMS you get what you deserve. This is what happens when you elect people to your board who are more about themselves than children.
Got the bell sked proposal from a teacher. Thanks! Trying to get it postable ASAP. It's an odd communication system they've got going here, but appreciate all your help.
Eliminate magnet transportation and Smith Language won't survive as they are currently but they will be at Waddell.
Again I say - why are CMS still comitting to 250 TFA teachers for next year AND 100 more from The New Teacher Project? 350 new teachers coming into the district?!?!
Ann,
Appreciate ALL you do to help us the public understand the 'neutral' language. After the meeting, PLEASE try to get Pete speak to you. Reporters are the only pipeline for information. CMS employees are afraid to ask ?s
THANK YOU
Anon 3:21
They will say they have a contract and can't do anything. You can bet the difference in salaries is already worked into these cuts.
Anon 3:15....show me where the Language Academy at West Meck will cease in 2011.
Any mention of school tomorrow (or delay)? :)
There would be very little need for magnets if all home schools were decent.
Instead of having IB high schools all around the district have one centrally located IB high school for all of CMS.
Here is the #1 consideration from the Framework For Budget Development:
Make reductions that have the least impact on the classroom first and then other areas that impact the classroom.
They didn't even follow their own bullet points.
CMS indeed doesn't fund Parent University and I don't believe it offers degree curriculum approved by the Southern Association either. At least the diplomas are worth as much as local teachers degrees are valued by the superintendent.
There is a $399,500 cut to athletic department in the recommendation.
PU is paid for grants, so eliminating it wouldn't save any tax money (might free up some CMS staff time). There is a small cut ($157K) to communication/strategic partnerships, which could be related to PU. We'll see.
Nothing on whether schools will be closed or delayed tomorrow. May come up at the end of the meeting, which I suspect is a long way off.
what does removing one support staff from each school translate to? front office staff? something else? Elementary schools (the large majority) are staffed with one registrar/front office runner, one financial secretary, 2 custodial staff, a counselor, a literacy facilitator, an ap, and a principal. Who are considered support?
If I have to train one more TFA, I WILL tell Gorman all of my thoughts!
Oh, I forgot. They are not paying me to think.
I am very concerned about my children attending a LONGER school day. A 4:15pm dismissal time is not logical nor reasonable for elementary-aged students. The classroom teachers will have an additional hour with students all for the same pay. Cuts are in the works for TA's in most elementary classes. So, a teacher will lose his/her teacher assistant AND spend an additional hour with students. Cuts to support positions are also proposed (art, media, music, etc.) This may solve the busing issues, but will create a whole host of additional problems.
Thanks, Ann. Please ask if they don't bring it up! Would love to know when we might get a decision about tomorrow!
Ask Dr. Gorman how many positions from area offices, Teacher PD, HR, Curriculum, and Walton Plaza offices he's cut? They never see a student and rarely interact w/teachers- They should be the first to go!!!!!!!
Stop paying CMS officials bonuses. They are actually paid to do their job, why must they be paid nonuses? Same goes for any and every government official.
Look at the cost savings that are being projected and consider this alternative: if two or three "support" people were eliminated from each school instead of the suggested "one person," the savings would be enough money to more than save all assistant positions AND still preserve the Bright Beginnings program for preschoolers. Eliminating more support positions (those that do NOT have a classroom to run) is NOT difficult to do, and would be less of an impact to children than to lose first and second grade assistants who directly help the children in the class on a day to day basis. Losing teaching assistants is a HUGE disservice to the children and the teacher. Losing the preschool programs is anti-education and will come to bite society in the long run when these children are not given every opportunity to learn when they are most easily able to learn. There has been ample research which supports the long term benefit to children and to society when children begin their education in the early years when their minds easily absorb learning – without effort! Waiting until the later years causes many, many problems which require arduous remedial work. Why do this to our future leaders????
And eliminating Magnet bussing? How can that be legal? If you are a child that goes to a CMS publicly funded school, how can you be discriminated against and be denied transportation because you attend one public school instead of another? This is unfair and surely a lawsuit waiting to happen. Please consider these recommendations and preserve what is important for children: classroom teachers, assistants, publicly funded early childhood education, alternative choices for education (save the proven magnet programs), and offer safe, publicly funded transportation to and from school, no matter what public school you attend.
I don't understand a system that cuts their own teachers and assistant principals and yet gives teaching jobs to untrained TFA's and administration jobs to New Leaders For New Schools. This is creating a very hostile environment and makes NO SENSE.
We as teachers can do any job with any budget, however I remind Mr. Gorman to think about giving up some of his money that he has stashed away for his pet projects. Pet projects such as "Pay for performance" and others must take a back seat to budgetary concerns.
Wiley, call Jeff Linker at the magnet program office and see what the company line is. What's left of it. Should be messy under all the buses the rest of the year.
Try homeschooling (Part 1) - Today's home schooled students score consistently higher in standardized testing than their counterparts who are educated in
conventional classroom settings. Across the nation, the average home
educated child scores in the top 30% on standardized achievement tests.
Regarding those who comment about TFA's. You are exactly right, who do you think is paired up with and trains TFA's? That's right, classroom teachers who are already stretched to the limit. I suppose if we can't outsource teaching jobs, we will bring the cheaper labor in to replace our teachers. Great strategy Mr. Gorman.
Try homeschooling (Part 2) - Tutorial style education is more time effective than classroom
teaching. Educators have estimated that in 1-1/2 to 2 hours, a tutor
can cover the same material that classroom teaching takes a whole day
to cover. No time is wasted on transporting the student to and from
the classroom.
Ann,
I saw the $399,000 figure but it isn't specific.
Since middle and high school sports makeup about $5 million dollars CMS spends on sports and 40% of us are subsidizing the programs through pay to play sports fees, $399,000 is like spitting in the ocean.
Try homeschooling (part 3) - The home school can be tailored to fit your child's maturity and
learning styles. Rather than your child having to fit into a graded
education system, your school can be molded to fit your child's needs.
The student can be provided with a learning program that is responsive to his special areas of interest and to his personal talents and strengths.
Can we make school board positions voluntary? That would save a bunch of money. It would also rid us of some people who think only of themselves.
Try homeschooling (part 4) - Home education affords children more opportunity to learn from
real-life experiences rather than learning exclusively from books and
classroom instruction. The student is able to learn from such
activities as work projects, shopping, home industries, field trips, etc.
Try homeschooling (part 5) - Home school parents prove to be excellent teachers. "It has been most interesting to me to see home school parents with high school diplomas doing as well or better than my certified teachers as measured by their students' standardized test results." - Dr. Sam Peavey, Professor Emeritus, U. of Louisville, KY
Anon 3:41...
I've asked CMS for all kinds of data regarding transportation and much of it they can't provide. I have the emails to prove it.
My son is in the language magnet at West Meck which also happens to be our home school. I specifically asked for numbers of kids attending magnets within their home school or magnets that are in the same neighborhood area they live in.
I was told they only count actual ridership and do not parse out those types of scenarios.
That response is why I wouldn't trust ANY number coming from CMS - NONE!
Try homeschooling (part 6)- Children attain confidence and independent thinking when their exposure to peer pressure is reduced and interaction with their parents is increased. Also, home schooled children relate better to people of all ages than do their classroom educated counterparts.
Taylor - 1986 - In the Piers Harris Children's Self Concept Scale, 77.7% of 224 home schooled students in grades 4 to 12 ranked in the top 25% in the nation. This test is nationally recognized to measure
socialization skills.
I LOVE the idea of homeschooling, but it just does not work for most families. I like my job as an educator and I like to think I make a difference in the lives of children. Homeschooling may work for a small percentage of families, but for the majority of us, it is not a viable option.
Live webstreaming is working.
Try homeschooling (part 7) - Traditional schools are inadequate institutions for positive
socialization of children. "There is an increasing recognition that
the organization of the school is also a negative factor in children's
socialization." - Dr. Sam Peavey.
Try homeschooling (part 8) - Parents are the most effective agent for the positive socialization of children. The home is a safe-haven from negative socialization influences such as drugs, violence, sexual promiscuity, etc. Because
home schooled children typically have contact with a wide range of
people during their week, they can relate to people of different ages
and different backgrounds.
What about the lack of social interaction with homeschooling. Academics is only one part of raising children. Homeschooling is not right for all children much less all households.
Try homeschooling (part 9) - In creativity tests, home educated children scored significantly higher than conventionally schooled students. "The average scores of home schooled children on the Figural Form of the Torrance Tests of Creative
Thinking (TTCT) were significantly higher than the national norms on
three out of five subscales and the global mean of the TTCS. Dr.
Lawrence Williams, Virginia Institute of Technology, reports that over 80% of the parents taught no more than three hours daily, 91% indicated they believed early formal learning was not important, and 69% said they used home-made materials frequently in the learning process.
Is magnet transportation gone?
Try homeschooling (part 10) - Home school parents have control over what their child is taught; when
and how it is taught. The parent can be flexible in changing the
method of educating to suit the child and the family. Parents can
teach values, morals, and religious beliefs which they embrace.
Ann- Did he say anything about the hiring of 350 teachers for next year that CMS is contracted to hire (250 from TFA and 100 from TNTP)??? How can the Board justify this in the face of cutting 1500 (and we all know a good chunk will be teachers)?
Many parents are not effectively 'parenting' their children. How well would they 'home school' them?
This is a BIG stunt - throw a bomb out and rally the troops. Gorman didn't even try to follow his own bullets because he has no intention of doing what he says. There will be some things ( like eliminating magnets -by eliminating buses) that he wants to accomplish anyway and will use the budge as cover. The other is the cuts to weighted formula as it restricts him too much - wants to free up this money for pfp.
Dr. Hans is right, most organizations can make a 10% cut without affecting core operations. So could CMS - they don't want to. Gorman is a manipulator and cannot be trusted.
Please stop all the homeschooling comments. This blog is about CMS budget and public education.
Homeschooling is only an option for those who have a 'spare' parent who doesn't have to work.
I agree....no more homeschooling comments please.
Mr. Morgan has not done his homework on what PTAs are doing. Our small, non-elite school (Villa Heights) funds about $90 per student in services, with more than half of that directly impacting the classroom. Now, that won't replace what's being cut here, but we're putting resources into the classrooms, into technology, and into teacher professional development.
Anon 3:52, you can pretty much bet it's gone.
Eliminating magnet transportation appeases the masses because magnets have always been perceived as "elitist".
It makes cutting programs like Bright Beginnings more palatible.
CMS could also implement the same drop point scenario for neighborhood schools they did for magnets and save even more money, but when you have brains on the school board like Rhonda Lennon who stated "why cut transportation for kids living 1/2 mile from a school because it's cheaper", that's the kind of person we have making and voting on these decisons.
So, can someone pause in the insulting and talking about homeschooling and tell me what is happening with magnet transportation?
Magnet transportation?
Thanks.
Inn the upcoming presentation, magnet transportation is NOT included in the 100 million in cuts. It gets a slide of its own as a "Prospective Future Recommendation."
Anon 3:38pm
There may be a lawsuit over busing (eliminating for magnet students), but this is a very real situation in other school districts throughout the country.
In Richland 2 (Columbia, SC), they have choice and magnets, but if you select a choice or a magnet, then the school district does not provide you transportation. I guess they can get around it because you are choosing something other than what they are required to provide.
In CA, some districts even charge parents to bus them!
This is one of the line items in the reductions:
Transportation 4,000,000
Several pages later, this is stated as "potential cuts":
Potential Future Recommendation
Magnet Transportation
What?
• Eliminate transportation for all students in partial and full magnet
programs
Who’s impacted?
• Families of more than 12,000 full and partial magnet students
currently assigned; staff – bus drivers and teachers
Why an early decision?
• So families know and give them as many possible options about
where kids go to school
Wow, a board member said something nice about the small schools at Olympic.
And once again Gorman shows he hates anything that isn't his idea.
I taught at a magnet College Prep program before moving to Charlotte...it was parent provided transportation only...bottomline...that is the way it always was and is...
At my CMS high school there is 1) a "testing person", full time, and teacher pay. 2) There is a "teach teachers to fill out the new evaluation tool" person, teacher pay 3) There is an athletic director that directs athletics, teacher pay, yet no classes to teach. 4)There is a Deputy of Discipline or something like that 5) there is a CTE dept chair that teaches no classes, not sure what she does, and 6) there is a principal and 2 assistant principals. These are all positions that I am sure can fill their time, however, what would be wrong with teachers/coaches maybe handling their own tests, scheduling their own games, etc.? Can you imagine if all CMS schools are filled with this many "specialists"? Don't drastic times call for drastic measures and shouldn't positions like this (other than principal) be the first to be cut????
During the discussion on spending allocations Richard McElrath and Joyce Waddell both seem to believe that suburban schools are in reality getting more than more urban schools. Both apparently think that PTAs are providing enormous sums of money. Even with Gorman's explanation (would take $1,000,000 to add $1000 per pupil to a 1000 pupil school) I don't think they got it (Or perhaps aren't trying to get it).
The cuts look like a good start. CMS should try to focus on their primary mission of educating kids and get out of the business of providing free daycare, free food, free transporation, cushy admin jobs to reward friends and funding goofy programs like Bright Beginnings.
A few more years of cuts like these might free them up to act like a functional school system again.
I am so tired of the "I care about every child" crowd bringing up PTA and parent fundraising. A few years back Selwayn raised 90,000 and gave 9,000 to Billingsville - while just about every other group in Charlotte was also "helping" Billingsville. Selwyn PTA cut red ribbon reading parties for its own students (cuz you should not have to be bribed to read) - Then gave bicycles to every kid at Billingsville who made their Red Ribbon goal. THEY GET THEIR SHARE - money is NOT the answer
Elementary children can go to school an hour longer. Our neighbor starts at 9:15 and gets out at 3:15. My son goes an hour longer starting at 8:00 and getting out at 3:05. Start times can be adjusted to be earlier to get in the extra hour. My son and his friends don't suffer.
Please, please enough already from the homeschooling advocate. It may work for you, but nothing works for everyone. My children's public school experience has been quite good, even excellent at times. Also, some of the homeschooled kids I know are great and well adjusted, just like public or privately educated kids, and some are just not.
It's about time CMS extended the ludicrous six hour day for elementary kids. We should be talking MORE time in the classroom, not less - and this needs to be INSTRUCTIONAL time, not movie-watching or play time.
CTE, however, is going to be a profoundly painful cut. We need to consider that not every kid should be college material - fourth-rate performance in fourth-rate bachelors' degree programs has less value for society than first-rate skilled labor, and this is in fact reflected in the marketplace. CMS needs to ramp up their partnership with CPCC and industry in making this happen.
If they cut magnet transportation, the magnets will indeed become elitist--open only to those children whose parents can afford to drive them.
Ok, if that's fine with everyone, then AT LEAST allow parents to choose the magnet that is closest to their house. My child is zoned to East Meck IB, 7 miles away, while we live a mere 2.5 miles from Myers Park. If the taxpayer pays for transportation, CMS can tell me which magnet school my kid will attend, but if I pay for transportation, I should be able to choose, of course within the capacity of the school.
They better NOT increase the educational school day for elementary students! My children already get up at the crack of dawn to meet a 7:30 start time....and the only benefit of that is the obvious extra time for afterschool activities! Don't touch it Gorman! Stop making our children pay for your short sightedness and inability to balance a budget!!!!
Does it not bother everyone that our community is being slowly crippled for the upcoming numerous generations...the kids coming up....their kids...our jobs...who will elect to bring their companies here? Well, those whose employees can afford private schools...what does that do to the overall picture? No cuts to Parent University (Mrs. Gorman's pet project)...no cuts to Gorman's salary? CMS TV is still on air? TFA & TNTP people ON THE WAY for next year...who are they going to cut... hmmm...those with Master's and higher salaries of course... Gorman can't surely be trotting out the "we're only getting rid of ineffective educators" still at this point...now that we are over 1,000 teachers down... IN-SAN-IT-T!!!
Also, it's time to cut out any administrative units that have been created under Gorman. If we are going back to 2002-3 budget realities, then the budget needs to reflect that. Start with those ridiculous "Learning Communities" that add NOTHING to learning in CMS.
Middle school sports cuts make sense. Why not cut high school sports as well? Sporting events seem to have turned into magnets for violence anyway.
Are they cutting the "learning communities" and regional offices? It seems as though we should focus on what is going on NOW as opposed to "new" initiatives like pay for performance, etc. Also, where's the money Gorman insisted on "saving" that he said we would need next year??
It is still a mystery why CMS would rather cut jobs than salaries.
Well I guess it's not a mystery. The fewer teachers, the more of his TFA buddies that Gore-man gets to hire.
It's sad to see all these well educated, well intentioned parents having to worry about cuts, starting times and school assignments that will be mandated to them from some "higher" power. They've reduced us to fighting one another over crums after their feast. There is $8,000 in funding per kid for Pete's sake. This should be enough money to make all this work like a well oiled machine. Too many regulations, too many bureaucrats, too many "social concerns", not enough freedom in the system.
It's time for a voucher system to tilt the power balance in favor of the parents and teachers and away from the politicians and administrators.
How do we say NO to Teach for America and The New Teacher Project?
That's 350 jobs that are not going to LISCENSED teachers. I don't think people know that these people are not qualified to be teachers.
Did I read that right that Gorman did NOT recommend cutting magnet busing?
No cuts for magnet transportation. This is ridiculous. All transportation should be at congregated sites throughout Charlotte. But I guess we would worry about the unruly children since they dictate everything CMS does.
Money Quote from Gore-man. "s. "This is one we do not want to do," says Gorman."
Cutting teachers in numbers no one else in the state would consider? Priceless.
If admin has been cut and restructured for the past 4 years...explain the area offices...explain the New Leaders program that is siphoning teachers into admin--a program that is an offshoot of TFA...the admin version. Dr. Gorman talks about of both sids of his face.
Dr. Gorman says that he does not recommend cutting magnet transportation at this time...what in the world? How does he plan to makeup that 4 million dollars from the Central Support & Operations Division cuts?
As an elementary school teacher, I think the additional 45 minutes a day is a great idea EXCEPT for the overwhelming amount of work already placed on us this year.
We have (at minimum) 20 lesson plans per week (4 subjects times 5 days) plus only a 45 minute planning period per day (compared to longer for middle and high schools). Not to mention, if a Special Area teacher is absent (music, PE, etc.) we often lose our planning period.
Is CMS reporting the straight story about the per pupil expenditure? Title 1 dollars are included yet those dollars cannot be redistributed to other programs if they were not used in he poverty classrooms. So the additional cost in poverty schools is not a real expense to CMS because the dollars cannot be redirected,
Okay, while I understand high schools have multiple support positions (like a dozen at least) how is eliminating one across all schools fair? As stated by a previous poster, most elementary schools have a media specialist (who teaches classes all day to children and can't have free check out for kids to get books outside of their weekly schedule), a counselor (who serves as the counselor/socialworker/backup administrator/etc), and a literacy facilitator. If you count the front office secratary who is also the registrar, the financial secretary, the ap and the principal, that's 7 people who are there to support the teachers for all of their needs and ensure that their time is best spent teaching the children in their room who want to learn. As it is in our elementary schools, each person is doing the work for 3-5 people at the secondary level and now one more will be cut? I don't get it.
While I have no problem with magnet schools, I do not feel it is up to the budget to provide for transportation. The amount of extra gas used to provide transportation to a school that is not a child's home school would be better served in keeping the Bright Beginnings classrooms in tact! Is it more important to provide give some a choice or educate the ones who needs it the most! Get it together CMS!
Why aren't any board members or Gorman trying to find more $$ by submitting suggestions to DPI. $6,000 is a more accurate figure of per pupil spending and a school system like Mecklenburg ought to be able to run schools with money they are given.
The more I observe this issue the more I see CMS has a larger priority problem than a deficit problem.
OMG Is Kaye McGary angling for Sue Myrick's Congress seat? What a nut job! This is about 1200 people loosing their jobs and she is worried that some poor kid is getting an extra free lunch?
Parents are the answer which means the higher performing schools will be able to achieve their goals while lower performing schools will not.
Am I missing something? It seems they will cut about 2000 students from BB and save $10 million. That works out to $5K per student...I can see how it is nice to have BB if you can afford it but at $5k/kid that is way too expensive...
magnets should only be for those that can get there on there own...if it turns elitist then cut it entirely...
Kaye McGarry: Why not restructure administration? Gorman: We have done that and cut admin jobs for last four years.
Hey, G-Diddy? You might want to look at this link on the Observer and revisit the Admin you have and their salaries.
Here is one of my favorites from Paw Creek Elementary:
Employee Name Position Location Total Pay (Salary and Bonus)
Koenig, Mary J. Principal Elementary Paw Creek Elementary $95,785 Details
Briggman, Cynthia P. Facilitator, Elementary Literacy Paw Creek Elementary $73,837 Details
Kelley, Teresa J. Teacher, 4-6 Paw Creek Elementary $73,597 Details
Foard, Cheryl L. Dean Of Students Paw Creek Elementary $73,130 Details
I especially like #2 and #4, the Facilitator and the Dean of Students.
There's almost $150K that could be eliminated.
Here ya go Gorman...
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/04/21/1389892/charlotte-mecklenburg-schools.html
lunch-subsidy numbers have been proven to be way overstated!!!! it is ridiculous no one audits this further...
This would not happen if CMS teachers had a union.
Kaye McGarry is simply asking that there be some integrity in the data. There is obviously fraud in the FRL process and she's asking that some light be shined on it.
The reason North Carolina isn't bankrupt like some of the other states is that corrupt public employee unions aren't allowed to hold local communities and their citizens hostage. Teachers unions are no less corrupt than other unions (Teamsters, SEIU....)
52% of magnet students are Black.
Magnets are open to ALL students who qualify.
Those of you belly aching about magnet transportation should do some homework about the cost to transport students within their home school boundaries.
Now with many boundaries changing and getting larger, it takes longer and costs more to transport those students just within their home school area.
The northern most point of the West Meck boundary is 9.2 miles from the school and the southern most boundary is 7.5 miles. I live 3.5 miles from the school.
There are SIX magnets closer to MY house than the 7.5 mile distance from the southern most WM boundary.
I'm all for streamlining ALL transportation costs, but to allow over $5 million dollars for sports funding to remain that HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ACADEMICS and keep trying to kill magnets where kids actually learn something is pathetic.
CMS spends tons of money on over testing. They spend it on formatives, etc. The state may provide the $$$ for EOG's, but anything else is all CMS. Cut the extra, non-essential tests. How does test taking skills provide students for the "real world". Who takes quarterly testing in their job "in the real world"?
Whoa - they are adding 45 minutes to elementary school days with no compensation for teachers????? Where was the notification for staff on this??
Rhonda Lennon's reference to the "crying" magnet parents is very rude and so is her lack of support for magnets. And for the record, she DID indicate her support for magnet tranpsortation cuts altogether.
I posted earlier about my CMS high school and the various admiinistrative positios...just went to the salary base and betweent 2 facilitators, 1 athletic director and 1 dean of students, you're talking 200,000 + in salaries. Now are you telling me that the two facilitators jobs cant be done by someone else (schedule eocs, teach us how to do our literacy initiatives/fill out evaluations? Could not someone else do the athl. dir. position, or could he not at leasst teach kids? Could the work the dean does in processing referrals (which rarely gets done anyway) not be done by the other 2 assistant principals? Consider this figure multiplied by all the high schools in CMS. I don't know that each one has these positions, but imagine it is probably so.
Gorman will NEVER cut any of his own programs or initiatives. Teachers get cut before tests.
Why not pay cuts?
Instead of cut positions, why not propose a 5% paycut for all positions over 75,000?? We have lots of principal and assistant principals making over $75,000, a 5% paycut would not be a change of living!
How dare you present a budget with 1516 cuts and not know when asked exactly how many are teachers, principals, assistants, secretaries?
How many teachers? I'll get an answer to that.... really...Dr. Gorman...you are "worried" about cuts hurting classrooms, but you make a proposal that you can't even know enough ahead of time to give teacher cut numbers at the drop of a hat... you should KNOW that...KNOW these people who have given their lives to students in our community...the people you are going to leave jobless...the people you are going to TRADE out for TFA and TNTP scabs you are brining in here... cut 1,500 but bring in 350 who DON'T LIVE HERE!!! It's OK to be layoff people who live in our community... we're going to MOVE IN 350 from out of state and other areas...we're going to get apartment complexes to give them special deals and we are going to pay the $5K per recruit to get them here...pay moving expenses... ARE YOU GOING TO PAY THE MOVING EXPENSES OF THE TEACHERS (of whom you can't even bother to know how many) WHEN WE HAVE TO MOVE AWAY TO FIND JOBS B/C WE AREN'T PART OF YOUR FAD MENTALITY??
What about the money being paid to the outside company to write Standardized Tests for ALL classes in CMS? Those same tests that are going to be used to rate teachers for pay for performance? Why can't the C&I people downtown who already get a paycheck for curriculum WRITE these tests---if you HAVE to have them?
I can't believe they did not break down how many teachers, assistants, administrators etc.. would be cut. Gorman was like uhh, uhh, and started looking around for someone else to answer that question.
While I am glad that we are getting EARLIER insight into the scope of proposed budget cuts for the 11-12 academic year, CMS (staff and board) really need to create and share a 18-24 month budget as the financial picture wil be pretty bleak for the staff and county beyond the next fiscal year.
Anything coming from Rhonda Lennon is laughable.
She stated a few weeks ago that cutting transportation for kids living close their school would be foolish since it costs less to transport them.
Here is her comment from the Observer:
Rhonda Lennon noted that students who live near school are the cheapest to bus, and said eliminating their rides makes little sense.
Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/12/15/1911198/davis-tate-re-elected-to-lead.html#ixzz1Alos6Q00
LMAO..as Joe White would say "Duh"?
That's great Rhonda. Let's bus kids to school that live one half mile or less and let those who live 5 miles away walk.
You should immediately resign.
so is 'pay reduction' anywhere in gorman's vocabulary regarding himself?
Based on the way the State funds tranpsortation, CMS would actually LOSE $$ if they increase the walk zone (i.e., take away busing for those closet to the school). Crazy, I know!
"Scabs"?
The term applies to people who are doing a legitimate day's work in place of people who rely on their union to keep jobs when their work doesn't justify it.
There are NO scabs in CMS and will never be as long as North Carolina is wise enough to prohibit collective bargaining by local governments and school systems.
ANN -- Thanks for risking life and limb to report on this meeting. We appreciate your efforts. Who has to drive Rhonda Lennon home? You should ask if they can take you as well even though it is in the opp direction!
Davis: "I don't want to show my W2 to some volunteer at a school. ... There's no doubt fraud occurs, but the fact of the matter is the child doesn't commit fraud."
What? Eric Davis is o.k. with fraud? Nobody said the children were committing fraud but it is time to stop the handouts. If the parents don't want to show their W2 to the school then NO FREE LUNCH!!!!
It is past time to get rid of magnet schools... All kids should go to the school closest to their home - end of story.
Showing your W2 at the school would actually not help to prevent fraud based on the way the State and the UDSA administers the FRL programs. Visit the State's Special Nuitrition Program website for more info.
Anonymous said...
It is past time to get rid of magnet schools... All kids should go to the school closest to their home - end of story.
January 11, 2011 6:11 PM
Do you have any idea what magnet programs do?
My son is in a magnet and has to take all of the required courses the state requires. He also takes honors and AP classes. He speaks Japanese and Spanish fluently plus bits of other languages. He will be enlisting in the Air Force to be a cryptological linguist. He was one of 6 CMS students to go to Japan for two weeks this summer on an exchange program that was paid for by the parents. CMS didn't spend one dime on the trip that cost about $6,000 per student.
His magnet happens to be his home school anyway and when I have asked CMS to provide info on kids who attend magnets within their home school, they cannot provide that information, yet they can claim to know how much it costs to bus magnet kids.
Everytime they propose cuts, they use "projected savings" because they have no clue of a finite number.
By the way, how do you propose to pay for all of the courses in language, technology and other magnet programs in every school?
Or are you one of those who would prefer to just do away with all magnets to further dumb down all students?
Can someone knowledgeable PLEASE explain the details and costs associated with Parent University? I've heard Dr. Gorman's wife voluntarily spearheads this program with private donations. I've also heard Sue Gorman receives an annual salary in excess of $89,000 to direct this program. What's up?
Want to save money upfront? DON'T MAKE UP THESE DAYS.
All it takes is a note to the Guv.
Think about it. We do not have time to babysit TFAs during this educational and economic crisis.
Rhonda is rude.
And Kaye, I thought that she was a champion for teachers, but she spends her time mentoring two former TFAs.
There is a great hostility toward public ed teachers. I will not remain where I am unwanted. If TFAs know so much, doggone it, let them mentor themselves! They've got it.
Thanks Ann for your work.
Gorman's wife receives a salary---last check it was supposedly paid by a grant the 1st year... but Parent U is past its 1st year.
Aaaargh! It does not seem to matter how many times I report that Sue Gorman does NOT get paid; that rumor is hardier than wild onions. She is volunteer leader of the Parent University advisory board. We get CMS payrolls every year and she's NEVER on them.
PU was created by pulling together a lot of classes and other educational programs created and staffed by various agencies. CMS basically repackaged it all with a catchy label and gave folks an easy place to find out what's available. So there wasn't a huge cost to start with. The money for schedules, materials, promotions and events comes from grants. Last I recall, PU had enough grant money to last several years.
There are some CMS staff who work on PU, but they also have other CMS duties. Can't remember whether the grants pay part of their salaries.
Bottom line: Abolishing PU might make some people feel better, but it wouldn't put a dent in the CMS budget. And Sue Gorman wouldn't lose a dime of income.
How are teachers being paid for working an extra 45 minutes a day? Would anyone besides CMS teachers be expected to work extra without pay? Did the teachers know about this beforehand? They already haven't had cost of living increases in at least three years. I can't imagine this has been discussed on a school level... If the system has to save so much money then they need to get rid of people who have been hired to show teachers how to read test scores, get rid of formative testing, and the earlier suggestion of 5% cuts for those earning more than $75,000.
6:09, thanks for a chuckle. Best we could tell, CMS law enforcement folks gave Rhonda and Joyce Waddell a ride. I did try to give Gorman grief about not sending a car for me, but truth is, my little Mazda handles quite well and the roads I drove in on were fine. But I hear parts of Meck are still awful.
Re question about pay cuts: I do wonder why an across-the-board or tiered-by-income cut wasn't considered. They've rejected it in the past, saying it's very complicated and bad for morale. But as Gorman and board members repeatedly noted, this is new turf where all the options are bad.
Cutting teacher salaries shouldn't be on the table at all.
Bureaucray within CMS. State and Federal government mandates. Too many educrats in admin. Wasteful spending with FRL and every other government funded/mandated program, are the main reasons for lack of funds.
Leave the teachers out of it.
Thanks for today's marathon Ann. I'm happy you don't have to live in Mecklenburg County after reporting so much BS from BOE and Pete on a daily basis. It makes Gaston County look like the epitome of sanity. As far as damaging morale, there's none left to damage. Maybe Kaye McGarry can bring in Michele Rhee and her dog and pony show(and consulting fee) to CMS to inspire the local educational professionals since irreparable damage has already been accomplished by the current Bozos on the bus.
Wiley, the answer to your question about dumbing down is yes. My former CMS student went through the same program your son did and the only people that give a rat's rear about the magnets are the parents, teachers, some administrators and occasionally Pete when he receives a national award for the program he's trying to destroy. Congratulations on your son's career path to the Air Force. Hope he gets some duty in Japan and uses the immersion skills you and the magnet parents so fervently support.
Ann....u take a pay cut which would affect your retirement and send the money to Pete to waste. No cost of living raise in three years....This is ridiculous. I say all of our teachers should be sick one day a week the rest of the year and send all the kids to the govt center and each area office so Gormy and his 300,000 salary could watch them all.......Evaluations are not conducted fairly.....At the school I work at we have an academic facillitator who does the bidding of one of the five school principals. we have 5 principals averaging 92000 a year an assistant principal 3 Deans of students.....for a total of near $700,000.I think one principal two assistant principals and a dean would cut that salary figure by 50%....Get the TFAs out they are the worst teachers ever....Someone says you should be in it for the kids...I am my kids at home....id love to feed them.....
Dead wood at schools in the most part are ADMINISTRATORS and GORMY.
Question...we cut jobs last year then turned around and hired many back and are still hiring...why didnt we bankroll that money for the upcoming year....wow answer that one.....
http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/sites/agenda/Lists/Agenda%20Items/Attachments/341/1%20-%20Hire%20Report%20-%20December.pdf
1200 certified personel hired.....wow isnt that close to what they want to cut
Thanks Ann. I watched the show this afternoon since I am still stuck in. Bottom line is that less than 50% of the personnel in CMS are teachers. Where am I missing something in this budget? Of course we have yet to get weight student ataffing down to 1.15 and save the per pupil class cuts in the non-Achievement Zone schools. They already benefit from reduced class size.
Support personnel include media specialists and counselors who must have their master's degree to work in a NC school system. Part of the plan to cut higher paid teachers even though they perform crucial services.
PTA money cannot be given to any other school or organization. Supplies and volunteer time can. Yes, Magnet school busing should be on the chopping block, or these parents should pay the $1400 a year for it. It only costs $400 per student annually to bus to their home school, $1400 to bus magnet students annually. School districts all over the country charge fees for busing now. Rhonda Lennon is ridiculous. Tim Morgan is naive and useless. It's about time we had a 7 hour ES day, feel bad for the teachers though. And, final thought for the night, should change the HS start time to 7:30, 7:45 or 8:00am. Might even see a jump in attendance and graduation rates!
I think you are mistaken about the PTA money not being able to be given to any other school. You can see examples at several schools (for instance Selwyn and Billingsville) where this has been done--check out PTA budgets or newsletters.
It is very difficult to get Pete Gorman to be truthful to the people when his job is to deceive and conceal (as one writer put it) using the budget as an excuse.
How in the world he does not know the number of teachers that will be let go in his budget!? Yet, he does know many of them will come from the schools he is closing because this is how he plans to remove highly effective experienced teachers without explanation to make room for TFAs.
Teachers with National Boards, Masters, and great track records for increasing scores are being targeted. His plan is to control their salaries. They will be stressed and starved out.
I hope that many of you are paying attention to Pay for Performance. He is using the money you work for to feed your families to support his career.
Gorman receives money from the Federal government based on his poverty level schools, then he boast about using it for research and on projects that serve his career. For example, "Race to the Top" allows for this flexibility, but does not take into consideration self-servering leadership in some districts. Many people in the public to not realize that some classrooms in the high poverty schools have well over 33 students in them, TFA' s trying to control them, and the majority of the students have IEPs. But even without the IEPS, I do not know how the county schools are surviving with forty or more. This is totally unacceptable anywhere in CMS.
Wow, Anon 8:29, it's sobering reading your words! I believe it and feel it daily.
I've been an elementary teacher in CMS for almost 20 years. I have advocated for almost all of that time for an increase in the school day. HOWEVER... I am appalled that the proposal for an extra 45 minutes added to the day would be slipped into an email attachment about the bell schedule. There was no discussion about this. Elementary teachers are being asked to work an additional 135 hours without pay (45 minutes a day for 180 days equals 8100 minutes). Would a manager of any profession in which employees are paid on an hourly basis ask their people to work for 135 hours for free?? Just because we are salaried employees doesn't mean that hours and expectations need to be adjusted on a whim by someone who is not in a classroom working with children on a daily basis. People who are not in education are quick to point out that teachers get summers off and that their day "ends" when students leave. I beg to differ. My day starts at 7 a.m. and generally ends at about 3:30 p.m. and then we add in some time at home to grade papers. Don't forget weekends when I have to plan, analyze data, and complete any other grading that I didn't get done during the week. So let's add about 8-10 more hours on to that. There has not been a summer since I have graduated from college that I have not participated in professional development. I cannot imagine many people not being frustrated and angry about not being paid for what they do. Yes, the economy is bad. Yes, I am grateful to have a job, that despite the annoyances from central office, I love. But come on... this is unreasonable.
Post a Comment