Starr to place spending restrictions on Montgomery school system

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's look at it this way, the population of the county is at an all time high, the school enrolment is at an all time high yet the county isn;t bringing in as much tax revenue as expected. I wonder why??????

Look at how much the County Executive has cut from the budget the past 10 years, this should not be happening but it is because of the haven that has been created in the county.

Fairfax County also projects a budget shortfall. What's your explanation for that?

same thing, a lot fo free loaders who live in group housing and do not pay taxes.

Aren't schools funded by property tax? If so, then what about all the citizens that live in apartments? They don't pay any property tax, either. So, apt. dwellers shouldn't be allowed to send their kids to public school. So, this is a class issue.

OK, I will confess... I am an immigrant. My parents didn't speak English when we came here, and my siblings had ESL services. We also lived in a 1 br apartment for a while for the 6 of us. I'm so sorry we took advantage of the public schools here, even though now, my siblings and I pay A LOT in taxes, both in property (8K) and income tax (I think one of my tax bill was about 80K one year). When we lived in those apartments, my parents probably payed very little income tax (because they had menial, low paying jobs). So again, I apologize for coming to this country, using up services, and also eventually contributing to the tax base. My siblings and I probably cost the taxpayers money in ESL services and made the schools crowded (since I have 3 other siblings).

Ok - And your parents came with a good work ethic and probably scared the shit out of you to perform and stay on the right path.

This is NOT the case for many of our students - immigrants AND first generation. (I am first generation.) These kids are left on their own b/c their parents are working 2 jobs and no one is around to watch them. So they end up in what we consider "gangs" (def. not LA/NY crew by any stretch, however). They skip school. They're pulled out of school to translate, to babysit. Many have kids of their own.

I could go on and on.

So before you pour out your bleeding heart again, consider these:
- What are YOU doing to help out immigrants? (And you may be very active on this front - don't know.)
- Take a day out of your schedule to tour a low-performing, high-FARMs/ESOL school to see what it's really like. I think you'd be appalled, especially at the high school level.

different generation, different values, VERY low skills, no work ethic

I went to a HS that was mostly black and hispanic, low-income, that had scary gangs. I know what it looks like, thanks. My parents had VERY low skills when they first came here (janitors, gas pump attendants, etc..). And we were latch key kids, left to our own devices. I know what that life is like.

If these people are dropping out of school, then they are not sucking up school resources, so shouldn't matter in this context, right?

Most poor people that come to this country do not speak English, and their kids go to ESL classes, regardless of their skin color. So, if you are saying that we should not allow poor people into this country because they suck up valuable resources, then that would include my family.

If you are saying that we shouldn't allow poor Hispanic people into this country because they suck up valuable resources and don't work hard, then you'd be wrong on that front because I see "those" people doing yard work, cutting down trees, cleaning houses, busing tables so they can provide a better life for their kids, and that looks like hard work to me.

[Anonymous]

I agree, crazy mystery poster from who knows what heritage touting her likely legal immigrant parents needs to take a few field trips to schools in eastern Mongonery County. That might make her get some updated perspective on the severity and magnitude of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What do you get when the majority of your immigrants are uneducated, unskilled, undocumented and illiterate in English and their own language?

You get Montgomery County.

I would love to see where you got the data for this statement.

A third of Montgomery County residents are foreign-born. 18% of residents are Hispanic/Latino (because that's who you're talking about, right?). For your statement to be true, you would have to assume that every Hispanic/Latino resident is an immigrant, and not only an immigrant, but an undocumented, uneducated, illiterate, unskilled immigrant. This assumption is clearly false.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/24/24031.html

Please provide annual legal and illegal MoCo immigrant figures. The flows are important, as evident by the overcapacity yes trailer classrooms and esol take outs.

And wow, 18/33 of MoCo census count immigrants reported themselves as Hispanic?!?

[Anonymous]

Starr interview
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/montgomery-county-school-chief-joshua-starrs-biggest-problemeveryone-wants-to-go-to-his-schools/

Is one solution to change the actual demographic makeup of the schools through school choice?

Starr: We recently put out a request-for-proposal for a major study of our choice processes. I was superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut, a tenth the size of Montgomery County but almost the same demographics. We had a rule that said every school must look like the district as a whole, within 10 percent. We don’t have that in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starr interview
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/montgomery-county-school-chief-joshua-starrs-biggest-problemeveryone-wants-to-go-to-his-schools/

Is one solution to change the actual demographic makeup of the schools through school choice?

Starr: We recently put out a request-for-proposal for a major study of our choice processes. I was superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut, a tenth the size of Montgomery County but almost the same demographics. We had a rule that said every school must look like the district as a whole, within 10 percent. We don’t have that in Montgomery County.

This sounds like bussing IMO; how else do you do this? I went through this in Louisiana and it didn't work; has it worked anywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's look at it this way, the population of the county is at an all time high, the school enrolment is at an all time high yet the county isn;t bringing in as much tax revenue as expected. I wonder why??????

Look at how much the County Executive has cut from the budget the past 10 years, this should not be happening but it is because of the haven that has been created in the county.

Fairfax County also projects a budget shortfall. What's your explanation for that?

same thing, a lot fo free loaders who live in group housing and do not pay taxes.

Aren't schools funded by property tax? If so, then what about all the citizens that live in apartments? They don't pay any property tax, either. So, apt. dwellers shouldn't be allowed to send their kids to public school. So, this is a class issue.

OK, I will confess... I am an immigrant. My parents didn't speak English when we came here, and my siblings had ESL services. We also lived in a 1 br apartment for a while for the 6 of us. I'm so sorry we took advantage of the public schools here, even though now, my siblings and I pay A LOT in taxes, both in property (8K) and income tax (I think one of my tax bill was about 80K one year). When we lived in those apartments, my parents probably payed very little income tax (because they had menial, low paying jobs). So again, I apologize for coming to this country, using up services, and also eventually contributing to the tax base. My siblings and I probably cost the taxpayers money in ESL services and made the schools crowded (since I have 3 other siblings).

Ok - And your parents came with a good work ethic and probably scared the shit out of you to perform and stay on the right path.

This is NOT the case for many of our students - immigrants AND first generation. (I am first generation.) These kids are left on their own b/c their parents are working 2 jobs and no one is around to watch them. So they end up in what we consider "gangs" (def. not LA/NY crew by any stretch, however). They skip school. They're pulled out of school to translate, to babysit. Many have kids of their own.

I could go on and on.

So before you pour out your bleeding heart again, consider these:
- What are YOU doing to help out immigrants? (And you may be very active on this front - don't know.)
- Take a day out of your schedule to tour a low-performing, high-FARMs/ESOL school to see what it's really like. I think you'd be appalled, especially at the high school level.

different generation, different values, VERY low skills, no work ethic

I went to a HS that was mostly black and hispanic, low-income, that had scary gangs. I know what it looks like, thanks. My parents had VERY low skills when they first came here (janitors, gas pump attendants, etc..). And we were latch key kids, left to our own devices. I know what that life is like.

If these people are dropping out of school, then they are not sucking up school resources, so shouldn't matter in this context, right?

Most poor people that come to this country do not speak English, and their kids go to ESL classes, regardless of their skin color. So, if you are saying that we should not allow poor people into this country because they suck up valuable resources, then that would include my family.

If you are saying that we shouldn't allow poor Hispanic people into this country because they suck up valuable resources and don't work hard, then you'd be wrong on that front because I see "those" people doing yard work, cutting down trees, cleaning houses, busing tables so they can provide a better life for their kids, and that looks like hard work to me.

Yes, at this point the US can not afford to taken in millions of poor people. I can't imagine anyone here thinking we can. And who the F do you think did all those jobs before the "poor immigrants" came here? Oh that is right, legal citizens. I remember when McDonalds and the mall stores were full of high schoolers and college kids. Kids in high school can't even get a job now. Virtually impossible. I remember when landscapers and housecleaners spoke English. I remember a time when corporate America wasn't so cheap that they preferred honest people working for them instead of the cheapest labor they could find. To the point that legal citizens couldn't survive. But who cares? Their pockets are getting fuller.

Ironically, do you know what it takes to become a citizen in MANY countries, including Mexico? Money. You have to show you are gainfully employed and will be a productive tax-paying citizen with a plan before they let you touch their soil. If only US had the balls to do that and get rid of those federal law breakers that don't abide. Sorry, we aren't the world's blanket. We can not afford to take every sob case from South America to Africa to Europe. We have a deficit up to our eyeballs. We don't need more people adding to that. We need the jobs to go to those unemployed. I am so sick of people saying "they do jobs no one else wants to do." NO - they do jobs for under minimum wage because they pay zero in taxes, have no credit, send their money to their home country (instead of spending it here with sales tax) and live about 20 people to a low income rental. If they can pop out a baby here they also get government assistance. You expect those unemployed legal citizens to do that just to get a job when welfare gives them better?

How ass-backwards is our country. We allow illegals here and employers to pay them shit so we cover their healthcare, schooling, FARMS, ESL, translators, special services, etc.. with our taxes and then have a huge group of LEGAL unemployed people collecting welfare also on our taxes because they can't find a job. How about fining/arresting those employers that hire these people, encourage better wages for LEGAL citizens and everyone stop looking for super cheap goods and demand more from where you shop/do business. My uncle lost his landscaping job full of legal vets because he couldn't compete with the immigrants coming in. Not one person cared that an illegal was mowing their lawn if it was $7 cheaper a month. They all say "F you vets. I need that $7 so I will turn a blind eye." NONE of those people needed that $7. If they did, they would be cutting their own damn lawn and not paying someone else to do it. Honestly liberal Americans dug this grave and MC is leading the pack. Go to 7-11 and get your cheap day laborer. Make sure you send the 30yr certified electrician losing his business a "sorry it's not you, it's me" card.

Okay way off topic - sorry. But I am just so sick of the justification of illegal immigrants. There was a time when immigrants were needed. Canada is now that country that needs them. The US does not. We can't even take care of their own legal citizens. Why the F are we taking care of those that aren't instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's look at it this way, the population of the county is at an all time high, the school enrolment is at an all time high yet the county isn;t bringing in as much tax revenue as expected. I wonder why??????

Look at how much the County Executive has cut from the budget the past 10 years, this should not be happening but it is because of the haven that has been created in the county.

Fairfax County also projects a budget shortfall. What's your explanation for that?

same thing, a lot fo free loaders who live in group housing and do not pay taxes.

Aren't schools funded by property tax? If so, then what about all the citizens that live in apartments? They don't pay any property tax, either. So, apt. dwellers shouldn't be allowed to send their kids to public school. So, this is a class issue.

OK, I will confess... I am an immigrant. My parents didn't speak English when we came here, and my siblings had ESL services. We also lived in a 1 br apartment for a while for the 6 of us. I'm so sorry we took advantage of the public schools here, even though now, my siblings and I pay A LOT in taxes, both in property (8K) and income tax (I think one of my tax bill was about 80K one year). When we lived in those apartments, my parents probably payed very little income tax (because they had menial, low paying jobs). So again, I apologize for coming to this country, using up services, and also eventually contributing to the tax base. My siblings and I probably cost the taxpayers money in ESL services and made the schools crowded (since I have 3 other siblings).

Ok - And your parents came with a good work ethic and probably scared the shit out of you to perform and stay on the right path.

This is NOT the case for many of our students - immigrants AND first generation. (I am first generation.) These kids are left on their own b/c their parents are working 2 jobs and no one is around to watch them. So they end up in what we consider "gangs" (def. not LA/NY crew by any stretch, however). They skip school. They're pulled out of school to translate, to babysit. Many have kids of their own.

I could go on and on.

So before you pour out your bleeding heart again, consider these:
- What are YOU doing to help out immigrants? (And you may be very active on this front - don't know.)
- Take a day out of your schedule to tour a low-performing, high-FARMs/ESOL school to see what it's really like. I think you'd be appalled, especially at the high school level.

different generation, different values, VERY low skills, no work ethic

I went to a HS that was mostly black and hispanic, low-income, that had scary gangs. I know what it looks like, thanks. My parents had VERY low skills when they first came here (janitors, gas pump attendants, etc..). And we were latch key kids, left to our own devices. I know what that life is like.

If these people are dropping out of school, then they are not sucking up school resources, so shouldn't matter in this context, right?

Most poor people that come to this country do not speak English, and their kids go to ESL classes, regardless of their skin color. So, if you are saying that we should not allow poor people into this country because they suck up valuable resources, then that would include my family.

If you are saying that we shouldn't allow poor Hispanic people into this country because they suck up valuable resources and don't work hard, then you'd be wrong on that front because I see "those" people doing yard work, cutting down trees, cleaning houses, busing tables so they can provide a better life for their kids, and that looks like hard work to me.

Yes, at this point the US can not afford to taken in millions of poor people. I can't imagine anyone here thinking we can. And who the F do you think did all those jobs before the "poor immigrants" came here? Oh that is right, legal citizens. I remember when McDonalds and the mall stores were full of high schoolers and college kids. Kids in high school can't even get a job now. Virtually impossible. I remember when landscapers and housecleaners spoke English. I remember a time when corporate America wasn't so cheap that they preferred honest people working for them instead of the cheapest labor they could find. To the point that legal citizens couldn't survive. But who cares? Their pockets are getting fuller.

Ironically, do you know what it takes to become a citizen in MANY countries, including Mexico? Money. You have to show you are gainfully employed and will be a productive tax-paying citizen with a plan before they let you touch their soil. If only US had the balls to do that and get rid of those federal law breakers that don't abide. Sorry, we aren't the world's blanket. We can not afford to take every sob case from South America to Africa to Europe. We have a deficit up to our eyeballs. We don't need more people adding to that. We need the jobs to go to those unemployed. I am so sick of people saying "they do jobs no one else wants to do." NO - they do jobs for under minimum wage because they pay zero in taxes, have no credit, send their money to their home country (instead of spending it here with sales tax) and live about 20 people to a low income rental. If they can pop out a baby here they also get government assistance. You expect those unemployed legal citizens to do that just to get a job when welfare gives them better?

How ass-backwards is our country. We allow illegals here and employers to pay them shit so we cover their healthcare, schooling, FARMS, ESL, translators, special services, etc.. with our taxes and then have a huge group of LEGAL unemployed people collecting welfare also on our taxes because they can't find a job. How about fining/arresting those employers that hire these people, encourage better wages for LEGAL citizens and everyone stop looking for super cheap goods and demand more from where you shop/do business. My uncle lost his landscaping job full of legal vets because he couldn't compete with the immigrants coming in. Not one person cared that an illegal was mowing their lawn if it was $7 cheaper a month. They all say "F you vets. I need that $7 so I will turn a blind eye." NONE of those people needed that $7. If they did, they would be cutting their own damn lawn and not paying someone else to do it. Honestly liberal Americans dug this grave and MC is leading the pack. Go to 7-11 and get your cheap day laborer. Make sure you send the 30yr certified electrician losing his business a "sorry it's not you, it's me" card.

Okay way off topic - sorry. But I am just so sick of the justification of illegal immigrants. There was a time when immigrants were needed. Canada is now that country that needs them. The US does not. We can't even take care of their own legal citizens. Why the F are we taking care of those that aren't instead?

Whoa - best post ever!

But I am sure the next one will be saying you are racist or hate Hispanics. But I for one agree with you and it does affect our schools and overall morale. I have stumped to cheap goods. The, I need the next best thing but at the cheapest price!! Hoping to evolve. We have lost our patriotism. Sorry about your uncle's company. It happens a lot. Good luck and thanks for some inspiration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starr interview
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/montgomery-county-school-chief-joshua-starrs-biggest-problemeveryone-wants-to-go-to-his-schools/

Is one solution to change the actual demographic makeup of the schools through school choice?

Starr: We recently put out a request-for-proposal for a major study of our choice processes. I was superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut, a tenth the size of Montgomery County but almost the same demographics. We had a rule that said every school must look like the district as a whole, within 10 percent. We don’t have that in Montgomery County.

And that's when people will be heading toward the private schools b/c the high-flying schools will finally realize how tough it is to handle high-FARMs/high ESOL.

truth

There are simply not enough resources to effectively MANAGE and TEACH our under-performing kids. In our school alone, which is mainly black and Hispanic, we have special ed resource classes (the norm), and three other programs taught by 6 teachers to help with either poorly behaved students or those struggling academically. They don't work. The teachers are working their asses off, no doubt, but the kids aren't improving.

When schools absorb a large number of under-performing kids, it's a lose-lose. You can't get a 9th grader, who enters class reading at a 3rd grade level, to move up 6 levels. Imagine having 10 students like that in a class of 29, with another 9 who have IEPs, and the rest either uncoded, as they've slipped through the cracks, or just smack in the middle and losing out on valuable instruction.

So many of you have no f-ing clue! And for as much as you preach your liberal views, you'd pull your kids out of this situation in a heartbeat.

We did. And we've never looked back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Ok - And your parents came with a good work ethic and probably scared the shit out of you to perform and stay on the right path.

This is NOT the case for many of our students - immigrants AND first generation. (I am first generation.) These kids are left on their own b/c their parents are working 2 jobs and no one is around to watch them. So they end up in what we consider "gangs" (def. not LA/NY crew by any stretch, however). They skip school. They're pulled out of school to translate, to babysit. Many have kids of their own.

I could go on and on.

So before you pour out your bleeding heart again, consider these:
- What are YOU doing to help out immigrants? (And you may be very active on this front - don't know.)
- Take a day out of your schedule to tour a low-performing, high-FARMs/ESOL school to see what it's really like. I think you'd be appalled, especially at the high school level.

different generation, different values, VERY low skills, no work ethic

It seems to me that people who are working all the time at two jobs have a good work ethic. Children who are pulled out of school to translate and to babysit are also working.

not talking about their parents, hon

And no, kids translating for parents is NOT work. Try to teach a kid how to write when he's absent 3 out of 5 days.

Don't be such a moron, although I know that may be difficult for you.

Do you have a substantive argument, or just insults?

PP said "your parents probably came with a good work ethic". Well, so do these immigrants -- as you say. So what is your point? The parents have a work ethic, but they're failing to transmit this work ethic to their children because they're working so hard?

And actually translating for parents is work. Have you ever tried it? Providing childcare is also work. People get paid to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starr interview
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/montgomery-county-school-chief-joshua-starrs-biggest-problemeveryone-wants-to-go-to-his-schools/

Is one solution to change the actual demographic makeup of the schools through school choice?

Starr: We recently put out a request-for-proposal for a major study of our choice processes. I was superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut, a tenth the size of Montgomery County but almost the same demographics. We had a rule that said every school must look like the district as a whole, within 10 percent. We don’t have that in Montgomery County.

And that's when people will be heading toward the private schools b/c the high-flying schools will finally realize how tough it is to handle high-FARMs/high ESOL.

truth

There are simply not enough resources to effectively MANAGE and TEACH our under-performing kids. In our school alone, which is mainly black and Hispanic, we have special ed resource classes (the norm), and three other programs taught by 6 teachers to help with either poorly behaved students or those struggling academically. They don't work. The teachers are working their asses off, no doubt, but the kids aren't improving.

When schools absorb a large number of under-performing kids, it's a lose-lose. You can't get a 9th grader, who enters class reading at a 3rd grade level, to move up 6 levels. Imagine having 10 students like that in a class of 29, with another 9 who have IEPs, and the rest either uncoded, as they've slipped through the cracks, or just smack in the middle and losing out on valuable instruction.

So many of you have no f-ing clue! And for as much as you preach your liberal views, you'd pull your kids out of this situation in a heartbeat.

We did. And we've never looked back.

CC
I live in Chevy Chase and I am always astounded by the two faced views of the liberals here. Wait till Starr starts bussing kids out of CC into Silver Spring, we'll see those liberal views go right out the window. Liberal views are okay as long as someone else's school absorbs the problem kids.

In a different city, I worked in a school just like you describe and you paint a 100 percent accurate picture. It's so sad because the underperforming kids overwhelmingly have one thing in common, a terrible home life and they bring that into the school system. The school can't fix their homelife, and the rest of the students miss out because half the class takes all of the teacher's time. It's very disheartening for the teachers, they can't teach the kids that want to learn because all their time is spent on kids who can't learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starr interview
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/montgomery-county-school-chief-joshua-starrs-biggest-problemeveryone-wants-to-go-to-his-schools/

Is one solution to change the actual demographic makeup of the schools through school choice?

Starr: We recently put out a request-for-proposal for a major study of our choice processes. I was superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut, a tenth the size of Montgomery County but almost the same demographics. We had a rule that said every school must look like the district as a whole, within 10 percent. We don’t have that in Montgomery County.

And that's when people will be heading toward the private schools b/c the high-flying schools will finally realize how tough it is to handle high-FARMs/high ESOL.

truth

There are simply not enough resources to effectively MANAGE and TEACH our under-performing kids. In our school alone, which is mainly black and Hispanic, we have special ed resource classes (the norm), and three other programs taught by 6 teachers to help with either poorly behaved students or those struggling academically. They don't work. The teachers are working their asses off, no doubt, but the kids aren't improving.

When schools absorb a large number of under-performing kids, it's a lose-lose. You can't get a 9th grader, who enters class reading at a 3rd grade level, to move up 6 levels. Imagine having 10 students like that in a class of 29, with another 9 who have IEPs, and the rest either uncoded, as they've slipped through the cracks, or just smack in the middle and losing out on valuable instruction.

So many of you have no f-ing clue! And for as much as you preach your liberal views, you'd pull your kids out of this situation in a heartbeat.

We did. And we've never looked back.

CC
I live in Chevy Chase and I am always astounded by the two faced views of the liberals here. Wait till Starr starts bussing kids out of CC into Silver Spring, we'll see those liberal views go right out the window. Liberal views are okay as long as someone else's school absorbs the problem kids.

In a different city, I worked in a school just like you describe and you paint a 100 percent accurate picture. It's so sad because the underperforming kids overwhelmingly have one thing in common, a terrible home life and they bring that into the school system. The school can't fix their homelife, and the rest of the students miss out because half the class takes all of the teacher's time. It's very disheartening for the teachers, they can't teach the kids that want to learn because all their time is spent on kids who can't learn.

I could not agree more with the bolded part and I truly wish they would make every school completely even. Then let's see how much everyone thinks MCPS is doing a great job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starr interview
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/montgomery-county-school-chief-joshua-starrs-biggest-problemeveryone-wants-to-go-to-his-schools/

Is one solution to change the actual demographic makeup of the schools through school choice?

Starr: We recently put out a request-for-proposal for a major study of our choice processes. I was superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut, a tenth the size of Montgomery County but almost the same demographics. We had a rule that said every school must look like the district as a whole, within 10 percent. We don’t have that in Montgomery County.

This sounds like bussing IMO; how else do you do this? I went through this in Louisiana and it didn't work; has it worked anywhere?

Didn't work in Milwaukee's Chapter 220 program. $100m plus long school commutes later, the demographic groups kept their same test score averages, graduation rates, pregnancy rates and college acceptance rates.

[Anonymous]

No one is bussing anyone anywhere...it's waaaaaay too costly, so it will never happen. Period.

And you really can't blame the budget issues on immigrants. Wanna know why the budget is so high? Pensions and healthcare for retired teachers...it is what it is. They did away with pensions, so many of the current teachers won't have them. And they scaled back a teeny tiny bit on the healthcare coverage (no longer Cadillac...more like Accord).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is bussing anyone anywhere...it's waaaaaay too costly, so it will never happen. Period.

And you really can't blame the budget issues on immigrants. Wanna know why the budget is so high? Pensions and healthcare for retired teachers...it is what it is. They did away with pensions, so many of the current teachers won't have them. And they scaled back a teeny tiny bit on the healthcare coverage (no longer Cadillac...more like Accord).

Really? You really don't think the increase in FARMS, ESL, translators, special education, social services, increased needs for teachers, crowding of schools due to unknown increases that were not projected. You really don't think messes with the budget. Look how many schools have had "unforeseen" increased enrollment and we are now looking at portables everywhere and a desperate need for new schools. We all know LEGAL citizens aren't having more kids these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is bussing anyone anywhere...it's waaaaaay too costly, so it will never happen. Period.

And you really can't blame the budget issues on immigrants. Wanna know why the budget is so high? Pensions and healthcare for retired teachers...it is what it is. They did away with pensions, so many of the current teachers won't have them. And they scaled back a teeny tiny bit on the healthcare coverage (no longer Cadillac...more like Accord).

Really? You really don't think the increase in FARMS, ESL, translators, special education, social services, increased needs for teachers, crowding of schools due to unknown increases that were not projected. You really don't think messes with the budget. Look how many schools have had "unforeseen" increased enrollment and we are now looking at portables everywhere and a desperate need for new schools. We all know LEGAL citizens aren't having more kids these days.

We had to hire a FT ESOL teach mid-semester to absorb our new "border kids."

about 40, I'd say