Reply to Janney PTA raised $1.4 million in one year

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Reply to "Janney PTA raised $1.4 million in one year"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You and I both know that the extra money earmarked for Title 1 schools is not nearly enough to cause a real difference.

Title 1 schools have some money- but often it is earmarked for certain things and restricted in numerous ways.  You might have money earmarked for new textbooks in 5th grade Math but you just got textbooks 2 years ago.  What you really need are new computers.  But you can't get those because the grant or partnership you have is only for one particular thing.

And sure, the number of students in your classroom is less than a WOTP elementary classroom, [b]but 1/4 of those kids are ESL students, 1/4 of the kids start Kindergarten woefully behind, and a 1/4 of them come from homes with systemic poverty[/b]. You probably have a couple or more students with some diagnosed learning disability. Plus, you have several bright students who need differentiated instruction to keep them motivated. Teachers are pulled in a million different directions in a classroom to meet the extremely different needs in the classroom. You might have fewer students, but I would bet a lot of money that you have much extremer and more varied needs.

And yes, they have DCPS aftercare for a much lower cost... but that aftercare is barebones.  Many of the "free" programming that exists is geared towards 2-5 grade.  So ECE, K, and 1st graders are left with minimal aftercare activities.  During winter months and rainy days, they are restricted to indoor spaces with limited activities.  Bringing in outside activities costs money.  Money that a large portion of the population does not have.  So schools are hesitant to bring these programs in, because the children who cannot afford these programs are naturally upset and don't understand when Larlo gets to run off to basketweaving and they are stuck doing the same old thing.  Teachers that are hired for this aftercare are paid minimal dollars, and are tired from a long day of work.  So PTO's are left trying to figure out how they can help aftercare run more smoothly and offer the kids some basic activities.  That being said, these PTO's have small budgets and have to consider how spending on Aftercare only benefits 1/3 or so of the school population.[/quote]

But a PTA with a budget of, around, $300/kid lets say also isn't going to help these problems either. PTAs aren't funding new computers in all the classrooms, they are adding bits and pieces around the edges. They help pay for art supplies, give teachers some money to decorate their rooms. They fund popsicle parties and parts of salaries of specials teachers. It looks like a lot of money, but it really isn't.[/quote]

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