Reply to October waitlist data is up

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "October waitlist data is up"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Where did your kids go to elementary school? Mine were at Brent, where a well-run PTA raises 400K and pays for gazillion useful things, including after-school tutoring for academic stragglers (mostly poor AA kids).  It wouldn't kill BASIS to have a PTA/PTO. We miss Brent's.[/quote]

You piqued my interest so I pulled up the 990. I hate to the one to tell you this but they aren't spending money where you think they are. The short version is they spent $300k in the last filed year. Of that, $73k was for COGS (cost of goods sold) so that's a net zero. $31k went to "classroom supplies", $21k for "custodial" and $19k for physical education. There's another net $85k in the "other" category. They also carry a YoY balance of $200k - maybe you can explain why they would hold back 50% of their gross revenue?

Like I said, in my experience PTAs are personal fiefdoms used to make UMC folks feel good about themselves but don't directly serve the institution as much as it does the PTA members' egos.

Do you want to tell the "mostly poor AA kids" or should I?  [/quote]

I once served as treasurer of the Brent PTA. You're not getting the full picture from the 990. Not even close. [/quote]

I do not know what your post means. The Form 990 is what it is. Are you suggesting Brent PTA is knowingly filing false forms? To make themselves look worse? If you think the 990 is wrong by all means tell us why or how.

PTA's can be well run and provide direct support where needed. Janney's PTA is a good example. Compare Brent's line items with Janney PTA's. Janney spent $339k on wages and salaries, presumably for teachers and admins. Brent not a dime. Janney "Other" category spend are: $29k for "field trips", $27k for "teacher development", $24k for "instruction program" and $20k for "music program" and $88k for "other". Brent also spent $95k on "fundraising expenses". Janney $0. You cannot look at the Brent data and tell me they are primarily engaged in supporting at risk kids (you know, "the mostly poor AA's" about which Brent parents so condescendingly speak). Brent's COGS and fundraising expenses raise huge red flags.

My point here is not to flame Brent's PTA. My guess is that Brent's PTA is the rule and not the exception as far as operational inefficiency and  lack of clear priorities. But to suggest that a PTA is a panacea ignores reality. To use Brent's PTA as an exemplar is borderline delusional.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics