Public schools struggling. Anyone else?

CleoKitty

I'm trying not to obsess about it, but I know I've made a couple of posts here about trying to figure out where we're sending ds to school next year (we're giving equal consideration to private school, public school and homeschooling.)

Anyhow,  our state is struggling and the school system's budget was just cut drastically. The local school system just announced their proposed cuts and it has caused absolute outrage in the community. Some of the cuts include increasing class sizes, laying off teachers, eliminating all school librarians at the elementary and middle school levels, eliminating all foreign language in the middle school, no more family & consumer science (home-ec), closing the alternative high school, no more summer school, and eliminating several additional resources for at-risk students (tutoring, youth outreach, etc.) There are many more cuts also proposed, but those are some of the bigger ones. 

This isn't something that is isolated just to our local school system- all schools around the state are being hit with heavy budget cuts and they're all going to have to make some similarly tough decisions. 

The whole situation is just so unfortunate and in the long run it's the children who are going to bear the brunt of these cuts. It's certainly making our school decision for next year even tougher.

Who else has experienced something similar in their local schools? 

 

Temp86398625009737

Thats why we are sending DD to a private school.  I used to teach and disliked 30 kids in a class.  Now they can have up to 35 kids...yea right! I figured we havent had to pay daycare, so we can come up with $2800 a year for a somewhat better education. 

Glendi2.0

I could've written this post verbatim. Problem is, we paid a LOT to live in the town we live in b/c of the good school system, so private school isn't really an option, esp. in DD#2's case- she will undoubtedly need special ed. services. I'm hoping that with enough constituent pressure the proposed cuts won't go through and the damage won't be as severe.

Who knows? We still have another year before DD#1 enters K, so if things haven't shaped up by then, maybe we'll have to really think about private school and figure out a way to finance it. Sigh.

 

DevonPow

We live in a very desirable/good school district. Our main issue is that so many people with young kids are moving here for the schools that they have to keep increasing class size. They are doing some massive renovations of a few of the grammar schools (I think there are 7 total in my town) which will help, but not for a few years. At this point the class size isn't at a point where I am worried, and I still feel the schools are strong enough that I am 100% fine with public schools here. They are definitely having issues they weren't having a few years ago, though.

luluroo

Well as everyone knows California is a mess financially.  Our district is a great district (and has been very conservative) but we are still majorally feeling the effects. My husband and I are both teachers and we are looking at a 7% paycut each, shortened school year and most likely larger class sizes.  It makes me sad to think my son is going into kinder and I hate the idea of more kids. 

YouAreMyILoveYou

Our situation in kind of opposite. We live in a poor city (one of the poorest in the state) and because of that our public schools get a ton of money from that state and a lot of extra resources. BUT, we live in a really trashy area. Our neighbors are all renters and they move in and out every few months. It's not violent at all, just not very desireable. We live here because it was cheap to buy a home and we didn't want to rent.

We are looking to move to nicer town, but the quality of schooling goes down once we leave where we are. Right now there are strict guidelines in place and the sate basically runs the school... if we leave here we are losing the free pre-school and the regulations.

I also have no intrest in private school. I went to private HS and it was a joke. The thought of having unlicensed teachers when I am PAYING for an education for my child makes my blood boil -- but private schools are facing the same budget issues. They can't afford to hire licensed techers becasue enrollment is down.

It's a tough call. GL w/your decision.

suzymarie

Our district is ok so far.  We live in the smallest district in the metro area, and we have very high property taxes to fund the schools.  In fact we just passed another referendum (which I *** about but really I am thankful not to have to worry about the schools).

That said, most of the districts around here are not so lucky.  A lot of extras have been cut, and the city districts are cutting way down on bussing services. 

We havea  few years until DS is in kindy, but unless something drastic happens, he will go to our neighborhood school.  We had ben seriously considering moving into the city, but the state of the schools has made us reconsider.

gracendantho26

We are..California is getting hit very hard. Our school has been able to deal with the situation quite well because they've always been fiscally conservative but now we have are looking at some major cuts. Currently we are at 21 students per classroom but the school board has told us that the number will very likely approach 25 next year as they have no choice but to lay off some of our (beloved) teachers. ( But I have no intention of abandoning our public schools. We have a strong community and parents that will band together to get the kids the enrichment acitivities they need so I intend to weather this storm.

eclaires

Interesting... I wonder how it's affecting Carmel and Zionsville?  Or if it is...that might cause riots, LOL.

Anyway, I'm not sure if it's really affecting the schools around here, since we just moved and I don't know much about the various districts.  We've pretty much decided on one particular district (the best one) when doing our house search, but we're also still debating the Catholic schools.  Here, like in Indy, it would be a situation of paying for a pretty equivalent school, I think, so our decision will be based on whether we think religious education on top of regular curriculum is important.

CleoKitty

Eclaires- I'm not 100% certain on this, but it's my understanding that much of the problem lies with how the state put a new lower cap on property taxes just recently which is now limiting the amount of funding for schools. I think that Carmel needs to cut about $4 million next year, but I suspect that they haven't been hit quite as hard as other districts because even with property tax caps the property up there is still bringing in more money than most other parts of the state just due to the fact that they have a higher percentage of more expensive homes/properties.

That being said, I do vaguely recollect hearing something about how even Carmel is going to lose some teachers, increase class sizes, and possibly eliminate summer school. Here in Monroe county some of the most alarming cuts are those to low-income/at-risk kids and well, let's face it- there aren't nearly as many of those kids in Hamilton county. 

eclaires

Yeah, that's true.  I think we were lower income compared to most in Hamilton and we were pretty comfortable.  Of course, we did live in that SW corner where Jim Irsay lives, so I know other areas aren't quite as nice.

Our old neighbor was a teacher at one of the Carmel elementary schools; I'll have to ask her what's going on there.

I can't believe they are going to eliminate summer school - that seems so odd to me.

Carmel's property taxes are really low anyhow, compared to a lot of areas.  Zionsville's were like triple, if I remember right, from when we were house hunting there.  I do think I remember reading once that part of the reason Carmel could keep property taxes low was because of all the businesses in Carmel.

hcassell

I'm in Putnam County and our school is really struggling.  I'm likely to lose my job next year.  I've taught seven years (three at current school).  The thing is though, that the teachers that do get let go are very unlikely to ever get another teaching job.  Most schools only hire first year teachers out of college because they don't have to pay them as much money.  Since I'll have seven years experience, it's very unlikely that I'll get another teaching job.  I feel awful for everyone involved, kids and teachers. 

CleoKitty

hcassell:

I'm in Putnam County and our school is really struggling.  I'm likely to lose my job next year.  I've taught seven years (three at current school).  The thing is though, that the teachers that do get let go are very unlikely to ever get another teaching job.  Most schools only hire first year teachers out of college because they don't have to pay them as much money.  Since I'll have seven years experience, it's very unlikely that I'll get another teaching job.  I feel awful for everyone involved, kids and teachers. 

Paged you up above...wonder if we know each other...?