In Hard Times, Staffing at Schools Closely Watched
When Texas lawmakers took up the issue of how to make fewer dollars stretch further in public schools during the 2011 legislative session, “efficiency” was a commonly uttered word.
In several months, if the plaintiffs in one of the six current school finance lawsuits against the state get their way, a court will order a study to determine what that word means in the context of public education.
Even before then, the primary target of school officials and policy makers looking to cut spending, as they continue to grapple with rising enrollment and what may continue to be decreased state ...
Comments (9)
Michelle Michon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We need to vote in a Democrat Legislature who will honor our State Constitution, Article 7: EDUCATION.
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
All they have done is pass laws which mandate more testing. This has made MANY excellent teachers flee the classroom.
Dana McCullough Brewer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"Education product"?! *shudder*
Tim Starry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Since when is education a product?
Cliff McSparran via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Texas Public Policy Foundation was founded by extreme right wing Christian James R. Leininger, and helped craft this plank of the Texas Republican Party platform: "Since data is (sic) clear that additional money does not translate into educational achievement, and higher education costs are out of control, we support reducing taxpayer funding to all levels of education institutions.” I AM NOT making this up.
Philip Goetz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just call it 'top grading'. Sounds polite.
Bryan Hallums via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Really wish Cliff was making that up.
TrueTexas
RE Cliff McSparran
Dr. Leininger believes that economically disadvantaged children should have the same educational opportunities as wealthy children. They believe it so strongly they’ve personally donated over $100 million dollars to provide children from failing and unsafe schools with scholarships to choose which school; public or private best meets their needs. After 10 years all students did better, those in the public schools and in private schools.
I don't understand how anybody can be against giving low income families the same choices in their children's education as high income families. What possible argument can be made for promoting such discrimination?
David Spratt
Education is a product from the same standpoint every person is a commodity as relates to their employment. Nobody is employing you because you are a nice person or you " deserve" a job or a paycheck. It is all about what you can do, how productive you are and how much value you bring to the company.
We the taxpayers are paying for a product. We are paying for education and we expect a return on that investment. We are not paying to enrich peoples lives personally , we are investing for a future return to society in general. We do not care that you are well versed in Greek Mythology, or Latin, or cause and effect of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
We as a society expect that you will get a better job, earn more money and pay more taxes as a result.Secondary to this is the fact you will be able to support yourself through your work , have a better standard of living personally and not be a drain or a burden on the rest of society in general. As a society we are providing you with the basic tools to achive these goals . How far you go is totally up to the individual, although society does expect you will put forth the bare minimum of effort to insure you are not dependant on the largess of others for your basic survival.
This is what has been lost in the debate over education. What are the goals and what is the basic purpose we as a society provide free education. If it is a right of the individual to recieve it, then it is an obligation of the individual to make use of it to repay society for it.
We are not paying for education out of the goodness of our hearts,to have well rounded or informed citizens or to simply fill the time of our youth. We are investing in the future and we expect a viable product in return for our investment.
As with anything anyone pays money for,,,,,, we expect value and something tangible in return for that money we have spent.