APS budget is unacceptable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any APS employee who works with students directly could easily identify 20 million of additional savings from Syphax cuts. There is so much redundancy in its upper levels of management.

FCPS giving a 6% COLA while APS does 1% is why we have hemorrhaged talent in the last 15 years.

Agree. I will start
DEI- why have a big department when we already have reps in our schools?

We don’t need Syphax people coming to each classroom for 5 minutes to see if we’re doing SEL. That’s what they did in my school. For real? Ask my principal. Give us more assistants who can help with unruly kids. Eliminate jobs that have no direct impact on kids. That’s how you save money -eliminate redundancy, save on travel pay, office space, etc.

[Anonymous]

Is the SEL working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any APS employee who works with students directly could easily identify 20 million of additional savings from Syphax cuts. There is so much redundancy in its upper levels of management.

FCPS giving a 6% COLA while APS does 1% is why we have hemorrhaged talent in the last 15 years.

Agree. I will start
DEI- why have a big department when we already have reps in our schools?

We don’t need Syphax people coming to each classroom for 5 minutes to see if we’re doing SEL. That’s what they did in my school. For real? Ask my principal. Give us more assistants who can help with unruly kids. Eliminate jobs that have no direct impact on kids. That’s how you save money -eliminate redundancy, save on travel pay, office space, etc.

Because Durán was chief of DEI in Fairfax and that’s what he knows. The mandatory training for teachers is a joke and waste of time. As is the SEL curriculum taking up more instructional time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any APS employee who works with students directly could easily identify 20 million of additional savings from Syphax cuts. There is so much redundancy in its upper levels of management.

FCPS giving a 6% COLA while APS does 1% is why we have hemorrhaged talent in the last 15 years.

Agree. I will start
DEI- why have a big department when we already have reps in our schools?

We don’t need Syphax people coming to each classroom for 5 minutes to see if we’re doing SEL. That’s what they did in my school. For real? Ask my principal. Give us more assistants who can help with unruly kids. Eliminate jobs that have no direct impact on kids. That’s how you save money -eliminate redundancy, save on travel pay, office space, etc.

Because Durán was chief of DEI in Fairfax and that’s what he knows. The mandatory training for teachers is a joke and waste of time. As is the SEL curriculum taking up more instructional time.

If you want to address, SEL reduce class sizes and promote real connections. Don’t push canned corny “be nice to each other and breathe” lessons into instructional time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am baffled at the proposed budget- 1% COLA and a step adjustment is absolutely inadequate, particularly when compared to FCPS's 6% increase on top of the 2% increase in Jan. How can the superintendent say that employee retention and compensation is a priority and then turn around and give teachers basically nothing. I am in a higher level step and my salary will increase by less than $2000.

Why are you baffled? Where do you think the $ is going to come from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

DP. Maybe not fix but at least get those problems out of the classrooms where they are disruptive and sometimes dangerous to teachers and students who actually want to learn.

[Anonymous]

The Outdoor Lab is costing over 800,000. Let's cut it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

DP. Maybe not fix but at least get those problems out of the classrooms where they are disruptive and sometimes dangerous to teachers and students who actually want to learn.

You must be kidding. They remove the kid for 1 maybe 2 days, then they are right back. Same problem. Suspensions don't fix a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any APS employee who works with students directly could easily identify 20 million of additional savings from Syphax cuts. There is so much redundancy in its upper levels of management.

FCPS giving a 6% COLA while APS does 1% is why we have hemorrhaged talent in the last 15 years.

Agree. I will start
DEI- why have a big department when we already have reps in our schools?

We don’t need Syphax people coming to each classroom for 5 minutes to see if we’re doing SEL. That’s what they did in my school. For real? Ask my principal. Give us more assistants who can help with unruly kids. Eliminate jobs that have no direct impact on kids. That’s how you save money -eliminate redundancy, save on travel pay, office space, etc.

Because Durán was chief of DEI in Fairfax and that’s what he knows. The mandatory training for teachers is a joke and waste of time. As is the SEL curriculum taking up more instructional time.

If you want to address, SEL reduce class sizes and promote real connections. Don’t push canned corny “be nice to each other and breathe” lessons into instructional time.

can you tell us more about these lessons? how much do they cost? in money and in lost instructional time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

DP. Maybe not fix but at least get those problems out of the classrooms where they are disruptive and sometimes dangerous to teachers and students who actually want to learn.

You must be kidding. They remove the kid for 1 maybe 2 days, then they are right back. Same problem. Suspensions don't fix a thing.

Suspend them again.
Seriously, if behavior can’t meet minimum standards of decency they shouldn’t be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the SEL working?

It’s definitely helping

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

DP. Maybe not fix but at least get those problems out of the classrooms where they are disruptive and sometimes dangerous to teachers and students who actually want to learn.

You must be kidding. They remove the kid for 1 maybe 2 days, then they are right back. Same problem. Suspensions don't fix a thing.

Suspend them again.
Seriously, if behavior can’t meet minimum standards of decency they shouldn’t be there.

Ultimately it's public school. Something has to be sorted so they can get an education. Teachers shouldn't be left to deal with it on their own, but you can't just keep suspending the kid without addressing the issue.

--Parent whose 4 yo was sent to the principal's office every day for the first three weeks of kindergarten. My kid had no idea what that meant or why she was there, so it had no impact except getting her out of the classroom. Things improved a lot once another adult observed and coached my kid and the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet that if these weren't the first two goals in APS's strategic plan, teachers would be slightly less likely to mind the COL increase:

~ Disproportionally in suspension rates by race/ethnicity, students identified with a disability, and English Learners will be annually reduced and overall suspensions will not increase. (PO-SWB-1)

~ By 2024, at least 80% of students with disabilities will spend 80% or more of their school day in a general education setting. (PO-SWB-2)

Teachers are not only underpaid, but general ed teachers also are responsible for meeting the needs of many special education kids. They have limited recourse for poor behavior since APS wants low suspension numbers. APS's retention strategy seems to be hoping teachers will keep going out of the goodness of their hearts.

A student can be 100% in a general Ed setting and still receive support and services from special Ed teachers. And I sincerely hope the people educating our children aren’t aiming for MORE suspensions of children with disabilities and minorities.

I would like to see more suspensions of minorities. Also kids with disabilities. Also whites. And girls. A little restoration of regular order is… in order.

I’d also like them to light every single iPad in the county on fire.

Textbooks, chalkboards, kids in detention. That’s how you save money AND raise kids proper.

Do you really think suspensions are going to fix the behavior problems? They don't.

DP. Maybe not fix but at least get those problems out of the classrooms where they are disruptive and sometimes dangerous to teachers and students who actually want to learn.

You must be kidding. They remove the kid for 1 maybe 2 days, then they are right back. Same problem. Suspensions don't fix a thing.

1 to 2 days of peace and actual learning is a start. I’ll take it.