APS budget is unacceptable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When will the SB vote on the budget? I'm ready for this thread to disappear into the abyss.

+1,000. End this thread already!

[Anonymous]

You want to save money -- follow the money. What do all these chiefs do? The Superintendent's job maybe? They all have assistant superintendents and executive directors under them. It's crazy!

[Anonymous]

I want Youngkin and the County Board to properly fund our schools. It's ridiculous that we're forced to make *cuts* with rising COL and enrollment #s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want Youngkin and the County Board to properly fund our schools. It's ridiculous that we're forced to make *cuts* with rising COL and enrollment #s.

The schools have plenty of funding - they just waste a lot of $$ on stupid stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want Youngkin and the County Board to properly fund our schools. It's ridiculous that we're forced to make *cuts* with rising COL and enrollment #s.

The schools have plenty of funding - they just waste a lot of $$ on stupid stuff.

They clearly don’t have plenty of funding. COLs are riding. Enrollment is increasing. Look at class size.

We need more teachers and to pay them better. That isn’t happening by taking away vacation days from a handful of staff. You’re arguing over peanuts when we need significantly more money to improve our schools.

You get what you pay for. Rs want to destroy our public schools so it’s clear why they want to defund APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want Youngkin and the County Board to properly fund our schools. It's ridiculous that we're forced to make *cuts* with rising COL and enrollment #s.

The schools have plenty of funding - they just waste a lot of $$ on stupid stuff.

They clearly don’t have plenty of funding. COLs are riding. Enrollment is increasing. Look at class size.

We need more teachers and to pay them better. That isn’t happening by taking away vacation days from a handful of staff. You’re arguing over peanuts when we need significantly more money to improve our schools.

You get what you pay for. Rs want to destroy our public schools so it’s clear why they want to defund APS.

All of Arlington's neighbors are giving much better raises than APS. The problem is APS.

[Anonymous]

All of Arlington’s neighboring counties aren’t beholden to a very strict revenue sharing agreement that ArlCO has with APS. It’s also hard to compare counties when Fairfax and Loudoun are so huge and Alexandria City has so much need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When will the SB vote on the budget? I'm ready for this thread to disappear into the abyss.

+1,000. End this thread already!

You don't think the budget is important?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You want to save money -- follow the money. What do all these chiefs do? The Superintendent's job maybe? They all have assistant superintendents and executive directors under them. It's crazy!

And all the administrative support staff!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When will the SB vote on the budget? I'm ready for this thread to disappear into the abyss.

+1,000. End this thread already!

You don't think the budget is important?!

Not in the way DCUM is engaging with it. End. The. Thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The term “gifted” isn’t used appropriately by many public schools. Having higher ability than a large portion of their peers does not equal giftedness. It means the curriculum has been watered down to better serve those who are average to below average.

What we shouldn’t do is stop funding resources for students who are capable of achieving more — gifted or not.

In what world does it make sense to spend $$$$ dollars on special ed and $ on students who may be some of our best innovators in the future?

Well, in this world it makes sense to spend more money for special education because the challenges of special education students to learn and achieve their potential is greater than it is for average and gifted students. You just need to provide materials/opportunities for the latter; but you need to devote more resources, more time, more instruction, more teachers to the former.

That doesn’t make sense. You could triple the spending on SPED and it would make hardly any difference in outcomes. Many of these kids unfortunately are not capable of achieving more and spending more money on them will not change outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Despite a substantial budget, APS has prioritized hiring administrators at high costs while neglecting critical investments in teachers, aides, and support staff who work directly with our children. APS needs to reevaluate its priorities and focus on providing necessary support to those on the ground, making a positive difference in our students' lives. The practice of moving problematic administrators from one school to another without consequences must end. We have seen administrators take advantage of our county's resources until better offers come along, undermining the stability and progress of our schools.
A call for transparency in resource allocation and a renewed focus on investing in the people who work directly with our children. Our community deserves administrators who are committed for the long haul, not just until a better opportunity arises.
Our children and community deserve better. Build a school system that prioritizes the needs of our students and values the contributions of all its employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Despite a substantial budget, APS has prioritized hiring administrators at high costs while neglecting critical investments in teachers, aides, and support staff who work directly with our children. APS needs to reevaluate its priorities and focus on providing necessary support to those on the ground, making a positive difference in our students' lives. The practice of moving problematic administrators from one school to another without consequences must end. We have seen administrators take advantage of our county's resources until better offers come along, undermining the stability and progress of our schools.
A call for transparency in resource allocation and a renewed focus on investing in the people who work directly with our children. Our community deserves administrators who are committed for the long haul, not just until a better opportunity arises.
Our children and community deserve better. Build a school system that prioritizes the needs of our students and values the contributions of all its employees.

can you say something real in there? you sound like a candidate saying nothing at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Despite a substantial budget, APS has prioritized hiring administrators at high costs while neglecting critical investments in teachers, aides, and support staff who work directly with our children. APS needs to reevaluate its priorities and focus on providing necessary support to those on the ground, making a positive difference in our students' lives. The practice of moving problematic administrators from one school to another without consequences must end. We have seen administrators take advantage of our county's resources until better offers come along, undermining the stability and progress of our schools.
A call for transparency in resource allocation and a renewed focus on investing in the people who work directly with our children. Our community deserves administrators who are committed for the long haul, not just until a better opportunity arises.
Our children and community deserve better. Build a school system that prioritizes the needs of our students and values the contributions of all its employees.

Should they look for administrative efficiencies? Yes.

Should they prioritize teaching staff? Yes.

Are they still significantly underfunded? Yes.

Arguing over vacation days or a few potentially surplus administrators isn’t getting us where we need to be to appropriately fund teaching staff (increase numbers & pay). It’s distraction from the actual issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of Arlington’s neighboring counties aren’t beholden to a very strict revenue sharing agreement that ArlCO has with APS. It’s also hard to compare counties when Fairfax and Loudoun are so huge and Alexandria City has so much need.

Exactly.