Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders are pushing the state to tap the brakes on changes to driver's education programs.
As part of the budget this year, the General Assembly cut off state funding for driver's ed. Instead, money will have to come from the school districts. In exchange, schools can increase the fee they charge from $55 to $65.
But CMS Superintendent Heath Morrison has begun sounding the alarm that the system will lead to a $2.7 million gap next year.
He said it costs about $300 to put a CMS student through driver's ed. A total of 11,328 students went through the program last year.
Morrison didn't say anything about where the money would come from. Instead, he said the district is trying to work with state legislators on a fix.
Friday, October 17, 2014
CMS faces driver's ed funding crunch
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13 comments:
This is one of the few actions our current General Assembly has taken that I agree with. If you wish to obtain a drivers license or want your child to do so then you should pay for drivers education yourself.
Along with that we should also charge a lot more for sports. If you want your child to take part in sports then all costs should be covered by the participants. This includes the free and reduced lunch crowd as well. I don't mind buying your kid a meal but if they want to play football thats on your dime.
CMS is so bloated with admin it's pathetic. Make the cuts there, scrap the program or charge the full cost of the program to everyone.
I agree with 7:01, either make all parents pay for their kids to play a sport, cut them out entirely or find the money within your budget so all kids can play a sport without having to pay.
Every time there is a supposed "money crisis", CMS goes begging for that particular issue to be funded by another source.
WAY past time to cut the fat, put programs in place that have a direct cause and effect to learning and throw out the rest.
You'll be surprised just how many tax dollars you'll have left.
VOTE NO ON THE SALES TAX INCREASE! SEND A MESSAGE TO CMS WE'VE HAD ENOUGH!
I never thought I would say this but we should be doing what Tennessee does, with driver's ed and with Education. Makes so much sense.
The answer is simple.
1. Make ALL drivers take a drivers education course. - This helps to prepare all drivers to operate safely.
2. Charge potential every driver the cost of the course. - Driving is not a right or a necessity so if driving is a priority you can find the money (you found the cash for an iphone some how).
Just because drivers education is typically started at the age of 15does not mean that the public school system should be involved and certainly not foot the bill. Our school systems should focus on educatiing our children in the academic content outlined by the NC standard course of study and nothing else. Lets stop making our local schools the catch all societies problems.
STOP funding drivers ed. It is not a right. Charge everyone the $300, or whatever the cost is. Easy solution.
Cut Heath - use the savings to fund driver's ed to lessen the chance that the kid kills other drivers (or pedestrians).
I don't think on-line education is a good idea for the classroom, but it would make sense here. Let the kids do the class portion online and then take the road portion and pay for it. We don't need the little buggers out driving on the road anytime soon.
Private School
or
Home School
Every other program should be privatized from sports all the way to drivers education. Cut out as many bloated salary bureaucrats from the CMS taxpayer payroll as possible. Why do we have MOrrison when we have as many Area Superintendents as we do ?
shocking-powerschool is down
Students should have to pay for driver's ed and pay to participate in sports. end of story.
And one more thing, all you kids get off my lawn!!!
Anonymous post at 7:45 what does Tennessee do in regards to Drivers Ed? I don't think that CMS should pay for driver's ed because it is not a necessity, and just clear things up most students do pay for divers ed. I know I paid for my child to take driver's ed.
I believe Tennessee allows all teens to self study at home using a booklet from the state and online classes. They learn how to drive with a quick couple day road course, the rest is up to the parents/family, then go to DMV for written and road test. So much easier and cheaper and can be done on ones own time.
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