Wow. The pace of breaking news in the electronic age is really interesting. Some blog readers were breaking news during Tuesday's budget meeting based on employee emails, and follow-up questions were pouring in before Superintendent Peter Gorman had even opened his mouth to start explaining his plan. Keep them coming; we're figuring out the best ways to answer them.
For those who are just catching up, CMS has posted all of yesterday's documents here.
And if you want to watch the meeting, it's webstreamed here. I'm wondering what bonus features they've included; it's listed as five hours and 30 minutes, and the meeting was over in about four hours. If anyone has 5 1/2 hours to spare, watch it and let us know. At any rate, it's great that CMS pulled off its first live webcast on a day when icy roads made it so difficult to attend (apparently some Mecklenburg residents can't get the CMS cable channel).
One correction for those of you who read our print version: No one is going to see their school day lengthen by 90 minutes. That was garbled as an item passed through the editing chain on deadline. A dozen schools will see their start times change by 60 to 90 minutes, but that doesn't necessarily change the length of the school day (proposed new schedules are at the first link above). All elementaries, regardless of when they start and dismiss, will be on seven-hour days next year, 45 minutes longer than this year.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Whew! About the budget plan ...
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44 comments:
Ann:
Thanks for all the coverage. I think the question most asked in the comments, apart from the FRL issue, is how CMS can justify hiring 350 TFA/TFA-Type teachers in this environment. In the past I think the Slasher has justified it because they had a 'contract.' I have little doubt that the contract could be voided by a crisis such as this.
Nonetheless, if you could ask, it would be great.
Look again, it does mean that some schools will have a longer day, look at elementary schools change from 9:15 start end now at 3:30. proposed start at 9:15 and end at 4:15 that is 45 minute longer day for those children.
I don't understand how changing bell times and extending the elementary school day saves money. I'm not opposed, but haven't seen explanation. Can you provide more info? Thanks.
Eliminating high school sports would save 60 teaching positions.
When are they going to be on the chopping block?
Almost all high school sports are coached by teachers at the school already so how would that save teachers jobs?
High school sports provide colleges with their players. They aren't done just for FUN.
Millions would be saved if CMS just checked W2 forms for most of the liars that get free lunch while driving their BMWs.
I agree, Sports have to go. An expensive scholarship program for a small number of students is no justification for losing even more teaching positions. Schools are a mess NOW, next year will be a nightmare.
The truth is, more revenue needs to be raised to avoid some of these cuts.
Anon 10:53
CMS provides almost $150,000 per high school for startup monies, coaches, who would lose the pay part for coaching, emergency services, insurance and athletic director quarterly travel.
Multiply that times 20 high schools and you get $2.98 million dollars just for high school sports.
That doesn't take into account the money it costs for upkeep of gyms, football fields and the electricity and heating/cooling for all of those facilities.
Presently if the first bell is at 8:45 when students can enter the school and the dismissal bell is at 3:30 and students don't leave the buildings until 4:00 then how is that they don't have a 7 hour day now? Staff has to be there by 8:30 to open classrooms and can't leave until atleast 4:00 when children are supposed to be picked up. It is making the day longer than 7 hours for some elementaries that are on the list.
I watched the board meeting for a few hours yesterday and have reviewed some of the data. I don't hear anyone asking why the Dr. Gorman spent so much money on putting electronic devises in schools so that staff can place their thumb prints to sign into work and sign out of work. How much money did he spend on that "technology". How is that helping our children learn?
Wiley Coyote,
I dodn't know where you get your numbers. Each high school gets $6,000 at the beginning of the year. That money is spent at the descretion of the AD. It has to cover equipment, field maint, faclity maint, officials/umpires, security, EMT's, etc. The remainder is paid using funds raised by the booster clubs. You also don't have a "heating and cooling cost for gym's and football fields." Your math is only off by a little more than $2.5million.
Anon 11:25
Those numbers came straight from CMS to my email from LaTarzja Henry and Vicki Hamilton.
I have the PDF file to back it up. Unfortunately It won't post here.
I'll be glad to paste it if you think you can read it.
Estimated Costs
$ 6,373
$ 87,858
$ 3,500
$ 46,612
$ 19,330
$ 500
$ 19,782
$ 3,050
$ 3,700
$ 250
$ 3,500
$ 1,600
TOTAL: $ 149,443
TOTAL: $ 2,988,860
Non-CMS Coaches
Cost of Athletic Activity Account (start-up money for safety & equipment)
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Cost of Athletic Coaching Stipends
CMS Coaches
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
2010-11
Estimated Costs for One (1) High School Athletic Program
Objective:
Establish funding to support interscholastic athletics at one (1) high school.
The funding will provide a full complement of sport venues at each school.
Estimated Cost for One (1) High School
x 20 High Schools
Mileage for athletic director quarterly travel
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Football Insurance: $35per school x 100 players (varsity & junior varsity)
#1 – Effective Teaching and Leadership
#3 – Increasing the Graduation Rate
#6 – Parent and Community Connections
#7 – Regulatory and Compliance
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Purchases Services
Metrolina Athletic Officials Association
Metrolina Wrestling Association
Police services for athletic contests
MEDIC Ambulance Services for athletic contests
Show Pros athletic contests staffing
Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation (diving)
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Prepared by: CMS Athletics Dept. 9/8/2010
10:38, we're in agreement. Elementary schools will have a day that's 45 minutes longer (elementary magnets that are combined with middle schools already have the 7-hour day). But no one's time in school is increasing by 90 minutes, which is what we said in a blurb on the front page.
No one has asked how much money he is spendng on developing "tests" for his performance management plan. He plans on testing all children including kindergarteners to implement this plan. This means we have to pay people(or really a contract firm not necessarily employing people in charlotte) to develop these tests, so that we can "test" our children and get a one shot glimpse on their ability on that day instead of on their growth. How much money is he spending on this 2014 plan that is "his" plan. Teachers are not in support of this, but yet he and the board continue to spend money to support it. How is this helping the student. The principals should do their jobs, if a teacher is not effective then fire them. We don't have unions in NC it is illegal to have them.
Pay for performance has not worked anywhere in the united states why does he think he can make it work here in charlotte. I think it is because he has higher aspirations than charlotte, this is a personal achievement for his resume not for our children. Yet we continue to spend money on his plan and firing teachers and assistants that are currently making the difference in students achievements and lives.
His website even admits to it not have been "fully" successful. You can read the section of in the book Taking Sides, Clashing Views on Educational Issues by James Wm. Noll which covers topics in this area, Does High Stakes Assessments Improve learning. Both perspectives are presented. Does merit Pay accelerate school improvement (this is another way to say Pay for Performance) Both sides presented.
I am currently getting my masters in education, and one of my classes has been Educational Issues. Our children are not widgets and can not be evaluated as a product on an assembly line. They come from various home situations good and bad. This approach punishes the teachers for bright children as well because if they can't show that they "added value" because a child has outperformed our cms pretest then the teacher gets dinged for that too.
BUT WE CONTINUE TO SPEND MONEY ON HIS PLAN, A PLAN NOT SUPPORTED BY OUR TEACHERS AND NOT BY MANY PARENTS!
Lets take his funding away for that strategic 2014 pay for performance. We can tell him we don't have the money for it -- we don't!
Ann,
Couldn't read my numbers?
Sports have to go? I hate to be rude - but that is an idiot talking. Sports are so important for different reasons....some kids will get scholarships who otherwise might not be able to afford college; it gives teens something to do - rather than loitering around the towns and giving police more to do...much less the court systems which will have to handle them when they get in trouble; and it also gives kids a sense of identity and belonging. I was not an athlete in school - but strongly beleive our area would be hurt dramatically by killing high school sports. While I would hate to see middle school sports go away - that is an option that needs to be strongly considered.
You are rude :)
The primary purpose of school is to educate. Not to allow some genetically gifted individuals to get scholarships to school. They will just have to use the same methods to stay out of trouble that the other 98% of kids in school who are not in sports use.
Why are magnet schools start and end times changing if they are taking transportation away?
Anon 11:42
From the NCAA:
Many high school students play sports - both girls and boys, those that are good start to think they could play their sport at college level. It's not that easy. The truth is that most high school athletes wont get the opportunity to play.
Have you ever stopped to consider what the chances are of earning a scholarship to play college baseball, basketball or even football? Not only must you be tops in your sport but you also need to be a good student because your grades and test scores are vital to your chances of landing a scholarship.
Here are the NCAA estimates for mens sports, those in high school going on to play in college:
Basketball - 546,335 high school atletes, 3.0% go on to play college.
Baseball - 470,671 high school athletes, 6.1% go on to play in college.
Football - 1,071,775 high school atletes, 5.7% get to play in college.
Do the math. Those are very low statistics.
Wiley,
If I may interrupt your ridiculous diatribe against athletes for just a second, your proposal to eliminate high school sports is unfounded and ridiculous. Sports are an excellent outlet for young people to get involved in their school and have a connection and tie-in to the school that does not revolve simply around academics. If sports were eliminated the simple truth is you would see a large majority of these kids get up and walk out as they simply are not engaged by learning. We need to continue to offer sports so that those individuals will have some incentive to attend and stay out of trouble. Additionally I don't know if you were beaten up as a kid or are just a HUGE DORK, but sports play an integral part in a large majority of these kids lives in a positive way. Telling them that sports are out and all they have to look forward to is learning will ultimately kill any progress towards improving CMS' statistics. Shut up, go outside, and play instead of being an angry man on your computer banging away those of us who love our high school sports!
Sincerely
All High School Student Athletes
Just wanted to let people know that if they go to this website you can see how Charlotte and NC rank against other states and cities in education. What I noticed is that there has not been much of a change from before Gorman arrived at CMS and where we rank today. It breaks the charts down into words so that you don't have to be a statician. Also, we are keeping up with the supposed states that "have a better educational systme" CT, NY, for some that get touted.
I hope that our journalists might take some of this information that people have been sharing and look into the details they could change budget decisions.
http://nationsreportcard.gov/ltt_2008/ltt0010.asp
should have reviewed my comment, I misspelled "system".
If the plan is to eliminate magnet transportation, why are we changing the bell schedule? Piedmont starts at 8:00. Changing it to 9:15 is ridiculous. Many parents drive their kids in on their way to work because of their change to consolidated bus stops. Do they now expect us to pay for CMS before school care for our middle schoolers? Changes are necessary in order to balance the budget. That I accept, but for heaven's sake think it through to the end. Taking transportation away is hard enough without making it near impossible for average working families to get their kids to school.
Anon 12:36
If you feel the need to continue your name calling then by all means keep going.
Doing so does not change any of the facts I have posted, that are real, verifiable facts.
When CMS continues to state academics is their number one concern yet leave high school sports off the cut list, I have a huge problem with that.
High school and middle school sports costs equal 86 teachers.
The notion that kids without sports would get up and walk out is ridiculous. These same athletes have to maintain a certain GPA to even play sports so why are you not crying over the high dropout rates overall?
Perhaps you should spend some time looking at statistics than wasting time putting forth arguments with no basis in fact.
Wiley, don't understand your question about reading your numbers.
On bell schedules and magnet busing: Gorman is not proposing to cut magnet busing. His decision to list it as a "potential future recommendation" was confusing. My best guess -- and it is a guess, because I haven't had a chance to catch up to him for follow-up questions -- is that some board members want to do that, and Gorman is essentially saying "If you have the votes, do it quick so we can notify families." But he was clear in saying that as of now, he does not recommend doing that. Someone even asked about expanding shuttle stops to all magnets and Gorman said that wasn't practical.
Ann,
I posted the breakout from CMS as to high school sports costs from a PDF for another poster.
Within about a minute it was deleted from the thread.
That was why I made the comment, that maybe because you couldn't read them, they were deleted, which was fine if so.
It was an eye chart because of the lack of formatting.
Wiley, I never saw that post and haven't deleted anything. And I don't see anything saying a post has been deleted. Don't know what's up.
Here is what I posted earlier.
Estimated Costs
$ 6,373
$ 87,858
$ 3,500
$ 46,612
$ 19,330
$ 500
$ 19,782
$ 3,050
$ 3,700
$ 250
$ 3,500
$ 1,600
TOTAL: $ 149,443
TOTAL: $ 2,988,860
Non-CMS Coaches
Cost of Athletic Activity Account (start-up money for safety & equipment)
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Cost of Athletic Coaching Stipends
CMS Coaches
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
2010-11
Estimated Costs for One (1) High School Athletic Program
Objective:
Establish funding to support interscholastic athletics at one (1) high school.
The funding will provide a full complement of sport venues at each school.
Estimated Cost for One (1) High School
x 20 High Schools
Mileage for athletic director quarterly travel
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Football Insurance: $35per school x 100 players (varsity & junior varsity)
#1 – Effective Teaching and Leadership
#3 – Increasing the Graduation Rate
#6 – Parent and Community Connections
#7 – Regulatory and Compliance
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Purchases Services
Metrolina Athletic Officials Association
Metrolina Wrestling Association
Police services for athletic contests
MEDIC Ambulance Services for athletic contests
Show Pros athletic contests staffing
Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation (diving)
Estimated Cost of the Request:
Prepared by: CMS Athletics Dept. 9/8/2010
Ann,
Just tried posting it again, it shows up in the thread after I send it. If I go out, come back, it's gone.
No biggie, it's just odd.
I think that Gorman is recommending that the board NOT eliminate magnet busing at this stage (although that would remain a possibility later down the road); hence the magnet elementaries move to the 7-hour day with the other elementaries in order to put them on the same busing schedule as the high schools, which I guess is saving money by consolidating routes.
why would you cut sports? Cut the band or art first. They serve less of a life benefit than sports. Cutting sports will only put a bunch of kids out on the streets with nothing to do and will only lead to more costs when they get into trouble.
The people that want sports cut probably never made an athletic team in their lives. The life benefits of being on a team are more important that some of the other classes being taught in our schools.
Cut the damn magnet schools. Everyone can get the same education. No elementary school needs a special arts curriculum.
Cut the pre K. Everyone else I know pays for preschool.
Make busing optional and charge a fee to ride the bus. When I was in school we walked, parents drove us, or we paid a fee to ride the bus.
Break CMS into 3 groups so my taxes support my school. If you want to find where the best schools are look at the northeast where they have a school district for every town and that towns tax dollars support the school. I am tired of paying for everyone elses kids education to be thrown away when their parents don't care until they get a chance to be on TV. My kids would get a better education and property values would go up. A double win in my mind.
Who cares if they go to the NCAA or go Pro. High School sports teach invaluable life lessons.
Cutting them is asinine. Do you know of any other school districts in the country that don't have high schools sports? If there are any you can probably count on one had because not having them is stupid.
From the NCAA:
Many high school students play sports - both girls and boys, those that are good start to think they could play their sport at college level. It's not that easy. The truth is that most high school athletes wont get the opportunity to play.
Have you ever stopped to consider what the chances are of earning a scholarship to play college baseball, basketball or even football? Not only must you be tops in your sport but you also need to be a good student because your grades and test scores are vital to your chances of landing a scholarship.
Here are the NCAA estimates for mens sports, those in high school going on to play in college:
Basketball - 546,335 high school atletes, 3.0% go on to play college.
Baseball - 470,671 high school athletes, 6.1% go on to play in college.
Football - 1,071,775 high school atletes, 5.7% get to play in college.
Do the math. Those are very low statistics.
I'm so glad I went to a small public high school (500 students) where I played varsity soccer, varsity track and was captain of the cheerleading team (for boys basketball and important girls basketball games). Our school didn't have a football team but did offered volleyball, baseball, softball, X-country, basketball, gymnastics and tennis. At my 25th high school reunion, many of my classmates laughed because the reality was almost any student who wanted play on a school sports team could which most students did. A huge number of students at my school also participated in concert band. How tragic that so few students have the opportunity to play sports in CMS because public high schools in Charlotte are larger than some colleges. Many of Charlotte's best private schools have some walk on teams that don't require try-outs.
Of course it's about winning but more importantly it's about the joy of playing on a team and feeling like you belong. No wonder so many of today's youth are fat and depressed.
A few kids at my high school went on to play sports at the college level but most didn't. I made my college cheerleading team (at a university with 20,000 undergraduates) but decided not to join because I was too involved in things like Musical Theater Club.
Do we really want our children in a school environment where there is nothing else to do besides reading, writing and arithmetic followed by an EOG test? Pass me some contraband prescription drugs.
Has anyone helped their child fill out a college application form lately? Colleges want to know what your most important extracurricular activities are in addition to your test scores. They want to know what your passionate about outside of your standard Algebra 2 math class (if math isn't your passion).
LIFE is not a standardized bubble sheet test, folks.
What sports teaches can be done at home and in other organized youth sports outside of schools.
Also, the pay to play scheme CMS is using is bogus and predicated on fraud by using FRL statistics.
Show me in the CMS budget the number of dollars CMS budgets for band(s)....
This is what, the 3rd year of cuts? Why is it that there is NEVER any mention of cutting CMS office staff? I started to go through the Obsever's CMS salary database focusing only on offices. In the Associate Superintendant for Curriculum & Instruction office there are 144 positions. Many have the same title. In the ASEP program office there are 5 assistants with the same title making approx. $250K total. There are 78 positions under Learning Community. Does anyone go to the learning centers? I know if I have a problem I will go to my child's school. That entire staff should be cut and the offices closed. Anyway, you get the point. There appears to be lots of fat up top. Why is this not on the table as well?
Eliminate all magnet programs - save billions of dollars. Bring back vocational programs, keep kids in school and teach them a trade.
Adding 45 minutes of instruction to the elementary day does not take into account the prep time needed for those 45 minutes or the grading time needed for the products from that time. It was unfair to throw that from out of left field into a discussion on "bus schedules" and then act like having teachers do more work for the same money was a plus that everyone would be excited about. It's unfair to expect us to do that - or are we supposed to be happy that we aren't one of the 1500 losing jobs?
My concern is not only for the large number of teachers who will loose their jobs, but for security staff as well! Teachers throughout the district know they are taking their lives into their own hands when they step onto their campuses. CMS schools have become increasinly unsafe for the last three years. It is hidden from the public because Principals are made to hide the threats, the weapons,and the bullying. Some Principals also resent staff mentioning or warning of possible incidents. With less staff around, more students are being left on their own.
I would like to know how long and how many programs such as "DSSF High school plans" are still in place needlessly. This plan was $1,229,914.00. Mannings reconstitution of schools in CMS was more than 5 years ago. These are the kinds of projects that are hidden from the public.
I suggest you all take a look at this video. Very eye opening! Worth every minute of your time, Ann.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
Does the extra 45 minutes added to the elementary day have to be instructional? It could be integrated as extra recess/fitness time. One large block or two smaller blocks of time. Kids need to run around, play, and socialize. I work at a K-8 school; our elementary day is a little bit longer. Our kids have 30 minutes of recess and 30 minutes of "fitness" and it seems to work well.
The TFA/TEACH Charlotte programs must be called into question. They would be fine if we were having trouble finding qualified staff but CMS doesn't have that problem.
Teaching the Arts is required by both the State of NC and the Federal Government. Extracurricular sports is not.
The same benefits of sports are achieved by many of the Arts.
The Arts currently receive pennies on the dollar to the support CMS pays out for unnecessary extracurricular sports. Teaching of the arts is accomplished most often by three to five teachers per middle/high school.
Walk to school in most of Mecklenburg county is putting your life in serious danger....I dont agree, but it seems that Magnet schools are toast if Gorman remains in place much longer.I think the idea of closing them is shortsighted, but...The real money is in the administrative staff, but they are rarely mention during budget cutting time.
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