Budget time always carries a bit of uncertainty for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools because of how much the district relies on the county and state government. This year, that uncertainty has been kicked up a notch, and the school board has to hope it doesn't come back to bite them.
You may recall the state legislature's decision last year to no longer automatically give districts more money commensurate with enrollment growth. Basically, CMS knew that if they had, say, 2,000 more students, then they would be sure to get money for more teaching positions to cover the growth. That won't happen this year, a difference then-Superintendent Heath Morrison called a "radical change" to education funding.
CMS said this week that it expects 2,400 more students for the 2015-16 school year. But will the district receive money for more teachers? Probably, based on promises made by legislative leaders, but no guarantee.
So CMS is going to go out and hire them anyway.
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| Sheila Shirley |
Superintendent Ann Clark and Shirley said that if the money from the state comes up short, CMS will find money to pay the teachers elsewhere instead of laying them off.
Board members gave their blessing for the plan.
CMS is also banking on entry-level teacher pay rising once again, to $35,000 from the current $33,000. Shirley said that was part of Gov. Pat McCrory's plan.
The discussion was the first on the budget in 2015. There will be budget workshops the next two months before Clark's recommendation comes out in April.
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28 comments:
Superintendent Ann Clark and Shirley said that if the money from the state comes up short, CMS will find money to pay the teachers elsewhere instead of laying them off.
Isn't it interesting CMS can magically "find money elsewhere" when they need to?
If the magically found money doesn't involve reducing the ridiculous number of bloated admin you have, then we DO have a problem.
The Clark/Battle method: Trash your boss 'cause you're upset you didn't get the job or that he disagreed with giving all the lawyers big raises, he gets fired and this CMS BOE rewards you with the promotion. What a screwed up world of CMS.
Communist
Monopolistic
System
CMS is a complete failure from the Boss to the Buses. Total bloat and ineptness in administrative employees with no chance for raises for ones that actually have a front line impact on the education of students.
There are some many programs and PR campaigns that it makes your head swim. In lies the problem. CMS never wants the public to get a hold of the true measure of the results and more importantly a cost analysis of return on the money invested in the programs. It is a revolving door of top brass that has produced no measurable results.
Competitive Competence
So where are the Teacher going to be placed>
In the urban schools which have no classes over the size of twenty or twenty five or the suburban schools which have lots of classes of over 35 students.
I know do a class size comparison for all the schools, oh wait it is on the CMS website, but you can make it so much easier by helping make it so less government and more average folksy.
What do you say Sir?
CMS needs to cut down on the high teacher absentee rate and cost of substitute teachers. Then they'd have a lot more money to hire more teachers and kids would learn more to boot. Andrew buys up the CMS talking points about student absenteeism, with nary a mention of rampant teacher absenteeism.
How about clawing back those outsized lawyer raises just to show us you've heard of the term'"fiscally responsible?"
Just in:
Teachers on the WEST SIDE had 18 on the roster for the Spring Semester and only 10 showed up.
Yes DUNN the absence is an issue. Especially since those schools receive 3x the amount spent per student of South East schools. Not only is it a disservice to the taxpayers in that geographic, but students are short changed as well. That and those teachers that have been doing the work of 1.5 teachers since 2009 are now doing the work of 2x they were then all without the dental, vision and 80/20 healthcare benefits.
Ask about an anecdotal evidence of how many buses were half full? Buses with 0 to another with 1 went on as I observed down the line. DUNN do you ever do any investigation with your eyes or are you standing in line for the kool-aide?
How many schools have you observed DUNN? How many schools have you observed on your own as they empty buses. Earn the title of journalist at least.
Print or Paste
Dunn, what are the absentee rates for the high schools? I think the article only mentioned elem and middle school rates.
This media outlet is really a joke. Dunn is required to toe the line and defend any action by CMS Board Chair McCray and her lying caniving crooked lawyer Battle.
The rest of the world who gives a hoot knows clearly Morrison was never a bully and only a token white boy hired from Reno Washoe where he had a immaculate record on academics.
Kelly Girl office temp Dr Heath Morrison although was under no circumstances allowed to tamper with the "gap" and commanded to keep the 3rd world students "status quo" in order to keep those billions in gravy train tax loot growing and flowing undisturbed like all over all highly diverse urban govt school systems.
Clearly the highly competent Dr Morrison's integrity and honor got the best of him when he became insubordinate to his superiors to become a model for the nation by erasing the "gap" and changing the "status quo" that would have in effect caused CMS 3rd world students to raise their test grades across the board but damage the flow of billions in tax dollars.
Clearly mouthpiece Battle and McCray
had to intervene to end nip it in the bud and lie about some "bully" culture that was laughable at best.
Dr Morrison was apparently paid hush money to keep quiet or threatened to be destroyed if he talked or else.
So far he has said nothing. His life could actually be in imminent danger.
We are talking billions here plus this could upset the apple cart nationwide losing trillions and millions of students could be forced to actually study and make good grades plus parents forced to be involved in their kids education for a change.
There is the possibility Morrison will spill the beans at a later date.
We do know Ann Clark recanted after the scam was discovered and admitted the entire "bully" deal was phony and rigged.
This is clearly why she will not be the next CMS superintendant as she publicly said many times she wanted.
The "gap" and "status quo" is safe again and a collective sign of relief can be heard from coast to coast.
Taxpayers can expect to keep bending
over and taking it full force.
Free at last, free at last, thank gawd almighty free at last. Our prayers have been answered so hallelujah thank da lawd and Pass The Loot.
Stay bent over. Its gonna really hurt this time ... its going in all the way ...
Poor Heath ... never have a chance. The game was rigged from the gitgo and always starts at the top ... in DC.
Only in Amerikwa.
bj
Just in:
Teachers on the WEST SIDE had 18 on the roster for the Spring Semester and only 10 showed up.
Yes DUNN the absence is an issue. Especially since those schools receive 3x the amount spent per student of South East schools. Not only is it a disservice to the taxpayers in that geographic, but students are short changed as well. That and those teachers that have been doing the work of 1.5 teachers since 2009 are now doing the work of 2x they were then all without the dental, vision and 80/20 healthcare benefits.
Ask about an anecdotal evidence of how many buses were half full? Buses with 0 to another with 1 went on as I observed down the line. DUNN do you ever do any investigation with your eyes or are you standing in line for the kool-aide?
How many schools have you observed DUNN? How many schools have you observed on your own as they empty buses. Earn the title of journalist at least.
Print or Paste
Maybe Heath should write a book, hint hint!
In regards to the absentee rates, I know personally that the tardiness and absentee rates are very high in the high schools due to the early start time. Principals will confer with this. Why was this not mentioned in the recent article?
Observer, would you please grow a spine and DEMAND that the BOE fire Battle for cause and engage an impartial third party (unlike UNC) to investigate Dr. Morrison's canning and issue a full public report? Local leaders won't because Al Sharpton would come to town and camp out (as opposed to showing up to lead the parade when the policeman's case finally comes to trial.). The folks who pay taxes to support this school system have a RIGHT to know what transpired. As the local newspaper, you have an OBLIGATION to find out and inform us.
Anon 11:19...
Bell time has nothing to do with kids who don't want to go to school and their lazy, non-caring ignorant parents who don't make them go.
Excuses...excuses...excuses to push your agenda.
Still waiting for all those acccident facts related to early start times you or someone else was going to post.
They'll wind up hiring even more teachers than they thought they would since the turnover rate is incredible. Everyone will think a new superintendent will change things, but not until you go ahead and can the principals who play favorites and force out anyone with one bit of talent. This is coming from a former CMS teacher whose principal made (insert favorite dictator's name) look like a saint.
Anon 12:21am.
"Teachers on the WEST SIDE had 18 on the roster for the Spring Semester and only 10 showed up."
I'd call that a win-win situation.
I think we should be encouraging more of these kids (and parents) who don't want an education to stay away from school.
If they drop out of school, then they can't blame the "school to prison pipeline" for their futures.
They'll only have themselves to blame.
CMS, please stop cramming "technology" down the throats of our students all day at school. Enough is enough. There is no evidence that this improves academic scores, it actually decreases for most students. I would prefer my daughter and son to be taught by humans, not a computer.
Check out yesterdays New York Times article on this very subject.
"If children who spend more time with electronic devices are also more likely to be out of sync with their peers’ behavior and learning by the fourth grade, why would adding more viewing and clicking to their school days be considered a good idea?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/opinion/can-students-have-too-much-tech.html?_r=1
Great article and so true, Parents need to wake up on this one.
Wiley and others: google teen car crashes and school start times, lots of data out there. Here is one study -
Results show that the weekday crash rate for teen drivers during the 2009 to 2010 school year was about 29 percent higher in Chesterfield County, Va., where high school classes began at 7:20 a.m., than in adjacent Henrico County, Va., where classes started at 8:45 a.m. Similar results were found for the 2010 to 2011 school year, when the weekday crash rate for 16-17 year old teens in Chesterfield County was about 27 percent higher than for those in Henrico County. In contrast, there was no difference in adult crash rates in the two counties for either year. A secondary analysis evaluating the causes and types of crashes found that Chesterfield County adolescents had a significantly higher rate of run-off-road crashes, which is a common feature of drowsy driving accidents.
Meck County had 6.834 crashes per 100 teen drivers in 2013 (7:15 start time). Cabarrus County (also 7:15) had 7.532. Guilford County (8:55 start) had 5.973 crashes per 100 teens and Cumberland County (8:30 start) had 5.009. Could early start times contribute to this difference?
Something to think about
Susan,
Too many variables to assume bell start times have any bearing on the crashes.
Post what the crash rates are on the weekend using the same criteria by county/comparison.
Also, in your data, post how many crashes were in the AM versus PM.
Something also to think about.
From the Center For Disease Control:
The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.
Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are:
~Males: In 2011, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 16 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts.
~Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with the number of teen passengers.4
~Newly licensed teens: Crash risk is particularly high during the first months of licensure.5,6
~Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.7
~Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.
~Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2012, 37% were speeding at the time of the crash9 and 25% had been drinking.
~Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2013, only 55% of high school students reported they always wear seat belts when riding with someone else.
~At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.
~In 2012, 23% of drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes were drinking.
~In a national survey conducted in 2013, 22% of teens reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. Among students who drove, 10% reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.
~In 2012, 71% of drivers aged 15 to 20 were killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.10
~In 2012, 49% of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 53% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
That last bullet point is very telling.
As I said. We can parse data until the cows come home.
Personally, I don't care when you start school. Start it at 10:00 AM if you like, but let's take the data being pushed as gospel for the agenda to change the bell schedule for what it's worth, which is not much.
Well, I decided to Google "teen car crashes school start times" as suggested, and guess what I found?
Yet another "study finds"...
Geez.
Folks, you REALLY need to learn something about "studies", especially these observational studies which are rampant in the social sciences.
They are mostly worthless, but get headlines because they often support peoples prejudices (or some pressure group).
For example, this "study"...
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/for-teenagers-early-school-start-means-more-car-crashes-study-finds/?_r=0
Ho hum. Yet another "study finds"...
Gee, then it MUST BE TRUE.
Now look at the "disclaimer" in the article...
"The study, in the November issue of The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, gathered no information on other risky behaviors, sleep habits, vehicle type, or miles traveled in each county, factors that could have affected the results. And the lead author, Dr. Robert D. Vorona, an associate professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, acknowledged that the study provides no proof of a causal effect."
In other words, it's a fairly useless study which can be quoted in the "news" as "supporting" some particular view without really proving anything.
It is junk science for people who do not understand science.
It looked at absolutely NO disconfirming evidence, as most of these "studies" tend to do.
BUT THEY DO GET THE HEADLINES.
Oh, wow, it was in a "Journal".
Here's a real good, informative (and funny) video for those who struggle all those "studies":
Science For Smart People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RXvBveht0
It mainly focuses on nutritional studies, but the lesson is the same for education and many other areas where there are numerous observational studies supporting all sorts of conflicting views.
It isn't a substitute for a good science background, but it is helpful for those without one.
The real issue here is the state legislators change in the funding structure, not cms inter office politics nor start time. Don't be distracted by the politically charged views of cms, rather petition your state legislators to provide our children what they need, teachers.
Anon 6:09AM,
With respect, CMS is no longer a viable option for most middle class families, as such, CMS will remain in a perpetual state of decline, no amount of money is going to change that now.
If you want a better understanding as to what a I am referring , look no further than either Hopewell or North Meck High school. Most middle class families in this region are either scrambling to move further north (to attend Hough or Mooresville City) or send their kids to charters (lake Norman Charter or Thunderbird Prep) or private schools (Cannon).
Anon 6:09AM,
With respect, CMS is no longer a viable option for most middle class families, as such, CMS will remain in a perpetual state of decline, no amount of money is going to change that now.
If you want a better understanding as to what a I am referring , look no further than either Hopewell or North Meck High school. Most middle class families in this region are either scrambling to move further north (to attend Hough or Mooresville City) or send their kids to charters (lake Norman Charter or Thunderbird Prep) or private schools (Cannon).
Although there are a lot of teen fender benders in the morning, many of them are not considered serious wrecks. The problem I see with the early start times is that the students are having to walk and/or wait at bus stops in the dark. That is a safety issue, no way around it. I'm just wondering why would our school system would make a decision like this that clearly puts young students in danger.
Because of busing! This allows one bus driver to do 3 schools (middle, elem, hs).
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