[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Back for more

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Back for more
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1184986733.shtml


   I see that three of the four public school districts will have
   referendums on the ballot this fall. My bias may be showing, but one
   of them seems more than justified, given how the Legislature favors
   large, metro districts over smaller and/or rural districts.
   But consider one of the others, yes, a large metro district, is asking
   for an operating levy that works out to about $1,500 per student.
   Let's do some math.
   At about 30 students per classroom, that's $45,000 a year, about 3/4
   of a teacher. But they already have the teachers, for they say that
   priority one for the new money is to lower class sizes. With a couple
   of very specific exceptions, there is little correlation to actual
   learning here. Besides, no matter the budget, they always take bows
   for their academic performance.
   No, this money isn't really going into the classroom in any real
   sense. I happen to live in this district, and will have no trouble
   voting no until they explain why what they have isn't enough.